Alaskan Malamutes are cute, noble, energetic, and friendly dogs that are very loyal to their family. They also have a troublesome side, however: they do not take orders lightly, as they are smart but independent dogs. If you are interested in adding malamute puppies to your family, you need to know what’s in store!
Like all puppies, malamutes start small at first. But they grow to be quite large – males grow to about 85 pounds and 25 inches tall, while females grow to 75 pounds and 23 inches tall. These animals were bred to pull sleds long distances, and they are built for power. As such, malamute puppies and adults need a lot of exercise and room to thrive. They will not do well cramped in rooms the size of horse stalls all day. Eventually they will take out their frustrations on your home, leading to a bad situation for everyone involved. If you don’t have property for your mal to run around constantly (the preferred scenario), you’ll need to make sure you walk him or her at least twice a day.
Though they are energetic and strong-willed dogs, they are not aggressive. They are a great family dog, even for families with small children. However, their non-aggression means they will not be good guard dogs – they will probably welcome an intruder with a wagging tail!
Malamute puppies are well-known to be among the hardest, if not the hardest, dogs to train. If you do not have training experience, you may wish to get another dog that will be more amenable to your orders. If you do decide to get a malamute, you have to display your dominance to your puppy on day one. He or she needs to know who the ‘top dog’ is around the house. Mals are very smart, and they will not simply follow orders without a point. They are best trained when they are kept working, so if you can give them a task, they will be more agreeable to training.
