Alaskan Malamutes as pets?

[DutchsDuchess]

Hi all, anyone have a malamute as a pet? We're very dog savvy but never had any experience with this breed & wondering how they are temperament wise & if they're generally good family dogs. Looking into adopting a year old female currently

They're high energy - we're not just talking 1-2 hours a day. They're sled dogs. Most of them need 2+hrs a day.

They need a tonne of mental stimulation - a quick brain game or snuffle mat will not cut it.

If you cannot meet the above, you'll have serious issues with destruction of your house at best...and pretty much every negative behaviour you can imagine, at worse. If you can meet the above...then you need to be prepared for the below.

They're not particularly great with children or other dogs (even when socialised young) so if you have children I would swerve.

They're stubborn as hell. And a rescue? Probably not been trained properly - trying to correct that behaviour will be a bloody nightmare.

And they are big. We're not talking 'Labrador big' where it's got a bit of muscle but an average human can hold it back. We're talking solid muscle. Even though they're a similar size to a Golden, they are way stronger.

They have a tonne of (expensive) health issues - dysplasia, eye issues etc.

They shed loads. And I mean loads. You're looking at daily brushing and hoovering.

They're lovely dogs. But, the only person I do know who has them lives in Northern Ontario and she wouldn't ever have another one - even in the climate she lives in and the life she lives, she still struggles to ensure hers are adequately stimulated and exercised.

God no. They need a very firm, VERY experienced hand. They are stubborn and hard to train and need a LOT of stimulation and exercise. Think 4 hours a day and not just walks on the lead, they need to run hard and have a job to do.

If bored or under-exercised they are destructive and can be aggressive and dominating towards small children or other animals. They will quickly grow to a size that they can overpower you so they need very good training.

They're great working dogs but family pets? No.

If you can provide the right environment for them, they can be fantastic pets (I know two people who have them). They don't tend to do well around other dogs or pets (although they do well as part of a pack of malamutes, huskies or similar), shed a lot and need long walks and lots of mental stimulation. Like any dog, training is key. They're very intelligent and tune in to the emotions of people around them. Properly trained, they can be brilliant with both kids and adults. They give the best cuddles ever.

A well trained, well-exercised malamute is an absolute joy to be around - but they're not easy.

They're incredibly high energy and need a hell of a lot of exercise - you're looking at at least two hours of good quality, aerobic exercise everyday. Many can't be let off the lead either which means you generally need to walk further than if you had a more biddable breed.

They're also very intelligent and independent minded - which means you need to really be on the ball with training otherwise you'll find that they end up training you. It also means that on top of the exercise you'll need to be able to provide a decent amount of mental stimulation.

They shed. A lot. You'll need to get them used to being brushed daily otherwise their coats will matt. They also blow their coats a couple of times a year and they create a LOT of fur. Just google "Malamute blowing coat" for some ideas about how much fur we're talking about.

They also don't do particularly well alone so you'll need to be prepared to pay for care if you can't be around during the day. Unfortunately many malamutes aren't great with other dogs so daycare etc. could be an issue. A bored, lonely malamute is a noisy, destructive malamute.

In short, no, they don't make great pets unless you can basically dedicate your life to your dog. There are a few around here and every single owner looks permanently stressed and frazzled!

A family member has one. She is lovely and we all love her but she is so much hard work and I would personally never have one and I don’t think they would again.

Not food or toy motivated so they struggled with training. Really strong willed and stubborn so doesn’t really do anything she doesn’t want to.

They must have got the only lazy one as she hates going on walks and puts the breaks on if she’s had enough. That’s when the stubbornness becomes an issue because she will not move. Can’t be bribed because again, does not care about food.

Really smart. I would put them in the same league as a border collie. This can be a good or a bad thing depending on your dedication to fulfilling their needs.

Not good with other dogs and is very territorial over the house and her family.

The shedding.

They are also really noisy. Not barking, they just make noise! It’s similar to a husky!

While I am sure some issues I have listed are down to the owners, I also know they did try really hard and a lot of it is the breed traits.

I personally wouldn’t adopt an older malamute. They need a really experienced malamute home.

My mum had one... she took him on 12 miles average cycle rides due to his high energy and exercise needs ... dog was always ready for more!

I'd say it depends on your lifestyle, fitness and the individual dogs exercise needs. Personally I wouldn't.

This TikTok account is pretty accurate, albeit they're Huskies, but the noise and stubbornness is going to be the same between Malamutes and Huskies:
https://www.tiktok.com/@tikanni.kita.n.tehya/video/7360685089413582126?_t=8mBLR80rXrl&_r=1
Where Huskies are the "Thoroughbreds", Malamutes are the "Cart Horses" of sled dogs. Both breeds are bred to pull, so never be surprised you've ended up with shoulder damage after owning one.

Having distant/deaf or extremely tolerant neighbours for a Malamute is a must.

The two malamutes near me can’t get near any other dog or person because of unpredictable behaviour. Despite 1:1 training they can’t be let off lead and I certainly wouldn’t want one living next door because they’re both very vocal.
Unless you’re prepared to walk mile every day and cope with the breed’s quirks then my advice is don’t.