Malamute Training Tips

[SeekingTreasures]

I am hoping for advice and tips from any Alaskan Malamute owners or people who have experience with the breed.

My son is getting a malamute. He lives very nearby, and I would like to help him out with his dog when he needs it.

I have two dogs of my own and are elderly dogs - one a Yorkshire Terrier and the other a Border Collie who are both well behaved. His dog is a pup.

I would like some tips about how to introduce his dog to my two so that all goes smoothly. Also, I'm hoping for other training suggestions, particularly that might help us when walking.

Thanks in advance to anyone who has helpful suggestions.

If your DS is getting the Pup, what are his tips for introducing the DDogs?

They can be very hard to train, stubborn and in my experience rarely off lead. Beautiful dogs , they do well in dog sports such as sledging, canicross , they like to pull!

Why is he getting that dog?! Malamutes often aren’t good with other dogs or kids. They’re not for novice owners…so unless he knows what he’s doing, I’d worry more about that than what you can do tbh.

Perhaps unfairly, but the only reason I can think of why you’re asking is because he isn’t bothering to think about these issues…

Has he ever had a large powerful breed before? They are very different from the average dog. A trot around the block is no good for a Malamute, you can't let the kids walk it or let it off to run with other dogs on the local park. They are also great escapologists so secure fencing is a must. This applies to your garden also if you plan to look after the dog.

My neighbours had a Malamute, beautiful big boy, soft and cuddly with people he knew, but he didn't like other dogs (including our own male Pyrenean) and he couldn't be allowed off the lead in public. You'll have to make sure the puppy sees your own dogs regularly right from the beginning. There can be same sex friction with a lot of large breeds and it needs to be carefully monitored.

I grew up with giant breed dogs and I'm not sure that even I would be able to cope with a Malamute, simply because of their sheer pulling power. It is a wonderful breed for the right owner, but I hope that your son has done his research and is fully prepared for the reality of life with this type of dog.

Sorry if these replies are not what you wanted, but you're taking on a breed that has a reputation for being one of the most difficult dogs to keep as a pet, so people will, naturally, have concerns if he is a first-time owner...

I'd also be very wary of offering help. Have you asked him where he's going to board his DDog if it turns out that he doesn't get on with your DDogs and how much that would add to the cost of his holidays?

If you have a collie, clever, bright dogs and then plan to train your DS malamute I suggest a lot of alcohol and chocolate to get your through it.

You will need patience and a lot of it........

^ Ti's 100% or forget the chocolate and get straight to the vodka 😜

On a serious note, is he able to meet the dogs exercise needs?
As with all dogs, training little and often is key. If he gets a puppy at 8 weeks, utilise the fact that it will follow... so no lead and lots of good boy/ girl heel. Same for recall, call dog and treat- do this religiously for the first few months.

You are conditioning a dog to do these behaviours.

Thanks so far for the suggestions ( including the vodka 😂).

My son has grown up with dogs. So, yes he does have experience. This is his first big dog. But, he's an adult now and has weighed up the pros and cons and made his decision.

His choice is not mine. I would have gone for a border collie. But, that's me eh ! Anyhow, I still want to help if I can.

@Ylvamoon . This is a really helpful suggestion. Thanks. His dog is quite small right now. And, I think that it's true that he'll follow me and my border collie who is really obedient ( though she's a bit deaf now and elderly too. ☺️)

I'm going to use this as a starter. I'd forgotten how helpful my BC can be. I was thinking more about the Yorkshire terrier who is very slow now. But, when I think about he doesn't need to come for a walk each time.

Yes. We have had that discussion. And, if I can't help him, he's clear that his dog is his responsibility. I'd just like to try first and see.

It's his dog and his responsibility...Why would you need to help? If he is an adult, he should be able to look after and train a dog himself.

You're a better woman than me, OP! And I've got a Patterdale, so well versed in the 'untrainable and antisocial' end of the doggy spectrum...

Unless he has a lot of breed experience and a lifestyle to suit he should not get one as a pet.

Literally the least suited dog to a pet I can think of. Ok not literally but top 5.

I despair.

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat I don't know Patterdales. 😊

Keep it that way. Save yourself while you still can.

Haha ! Will do @Vroomfondleswaistcoat !

We had a malamute cross! Look into bike joring great for tiring them out without exhausting you!

They can be hard to train as they aren’t always that motivated by food.

Imagine a full on working type terrier - and then someone went, more, we need more terrierness, these ones are just too biddable.

Like someone distilled terriers into the most terrier they could - or crossed a JRT with yon cartoon Tasmanian devil.

i feel both would come out as patterdales.

Which is kind of off topic to your actual thread, but I enjoy the hyperbole of trying to describe patterdales to people.

Malamutes… are a bit marmitey tbh, they’re not very trainable as a rule, but if you’re not that into training that’s not necessarily a bad point - they’re less dramatic than huskies so it’s more that reliable recall is less likely rather than that they’ll climb on your roof or jump an 8 ft fence to go off on an adventure.

Thanks for the pictorial description of Patterdales @tabulahrasa . Really made me laugh.

I'm looking forward to my son's new dog this weekend. I get the comparison with marmite and malamutes ! 😀

Thanks again for all the different inputs.

I've actually been topping up my dog training skills yesterday and today. My DH has too. So, we'll see how it goes.

.

Sounds fun. Was your dog affectionate ?

@LandSharksAnonymous Just because I want to ...

I have owned Alaskan Malamutes for nearly 20 years, they’re wonderful dogs but not the easiest. I’ll list the pros and cons I’ve found, although obviously each dog is an individual and some don’t have the general breed traits.

Pros:

• super affectionate and cuddly
• fun, playful dogs
• generally great with children
• not a guard dog so don’t usually bark at the door and like visitors
• hardy and a pretty healthy breed overall
• talkative (might be a con for some 😂), you can have a whole conversation with them sometimes!
• clean and easy to toilet train
• absolutely gorgeous

Cons:

• tend to be dog social as youngsters but become more dog specific as they mature - particularly with dogs of the same sex. Usually fine with dogs they’ve know from a puppy though. All of my dogs have liked 9/10 other dogs they met but I would say most are less social than that.
• high prey drive - must be introduced to any small furry family members as a puppy. This affects their offlead trainability as squirrels, deer, livestock etc are usually much more interesting than their owner. It’s not impossible to train recall but it’s much harder than other breeds and I would still be very wary around potential prey. A long line is a great tool for them.
• need a fair amount of exercise. No more than your usual large working breed, between an hour or two a day depending on the dog. This is a pro for me as I’m an outdoorsy person.
• difficult to train but very doable with the right guidance and patience - would recommend regular classes and one to one sessions until at least 2.5 years old
• the fluff! Their coat is actually easy to maintain as it doesn’t matt but a trip to the groomer every 6 weeks or so, along with a good brush a few times a week is needed.
• they love to dig!

They are an amazing breed and make a wonderful companion, I wouldn’t be without one but they are definitely not for everyone. Best of luck to your son with your pup, please post pics 🥰. I’ve attached some photos of my last two boys and my current boy, they really are my favorite breed 🐺.

@MessyNDepressy Thanks so much for your input !
I'm feeling a lot better after reading you.
I would love this to go well.
Your dogs look lovely and also very calm. Thanks for your pictures and your help.

Just a quick update on my post.
So, months have gone by and now I can look back on my experience.

Firstly, my son’s malamute is an absolute treasure. I was definitely not expecting him to be so sweet natured. Whenever he comes to our house, the first thing he always wants to do is to head straight for his crate. ( We do put a couple of biscuits in it. 😊) He will happily wait for us to take him out for a walk and a run around.

My son has worked with his dog on recall and on not pulling in the lead. He uses his firm voice or his pleased voice and sometimes treats. They have worked very well. We do the same. The consistency seems to be a big part of making the difference. I think the very large crate has made a difference too.
So, all’s well with my son’s dog.

And, as for my own little border collie. She’s really lovely. A happy little live wire. 😊 Very different to all the other BCs I’ve ever had because she’s much more excitable. So, in truth the dog that is giving me the hardest work, is my own ! That’s how it should be I suppose. Nevertheless, it’s been a bit of a surprise. 😊

I’m having a bit of trouble getting the photos uploaded. But, I’ll try again to send them in a bit.