DELPHI ALASKAN MALAMUTES old
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History of the Breed

I'm a bit NUTS about the rhetoric behind the history of the Alaskan malamute as a recognized breed.  There is something fascinating about the arbitrariness of the discussion. Kotzebue? M'Loot? Third Strain (if we can call it that)? Husky-Pak? Who's right? Who's wrong? What IS a malamute - is it just a strain of Canadian Inuit Dog or Greenland Dog? Is it a separate "breed?"  If I had been one of the founding members of the breed and could pick ANY two Inuit-looking dogs to be my foundation, what would I have picked?  These are the things that I ponder on quiet Friday nights.
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KOTZEBUE vs. M'LOOT

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I threw together this little graphic about the origins of the Alaskan malamute (as an AKC-recognized breed) by focusing on the EARLIEST descriptions and images of the time.  Credit to: Alaskan Malamute: Yesterday and Today, the Robert Zoller article, and Lisa Piccolo's seminar on the history of the breed.

Husky-Pak & ROBERT ZOLLER

When the AKC officially recognized the breed in 1935, there was a vast controversy over what constituted a malamute. There existed the two major camps - Kotzebue and M'Loot - which frequently erupted into heated debate. A third strain - called the Hinman-Irwin 3rd strain - existed, but was so small as to be less of a 'line' than a grouping.

Robert Zoller observed the strengths and weaknesses in both strains and decided to carefully interbred them in hopes that they balance each other's weaknesses. After a few experimental litters, Zoller acquired a Kotzebue dog named Toro of Bras Coupe and paired him with Arctic Storm of Husky-Pak (3/4 M'Loot and 1/4 Hinman-Irwin). The resulting litter was groundbreaking.  Husky-Pak became a well-known name in the malamute world. Cherokee won three National Specialties, Sioux was undefeated and a top bitch in the country, and Cliquot lent his likeness to the AMCA emblem.

Zoller only bred a handful of litters, but in that short time, he paved a new path for the breed by proving the merits of these merged lines.

Vesta

Niké

Puppies

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  • Home
  • Our Story
  • Our Dogs
    • Vesta
    • Psyche
    • Nike
    • Titus
    • Saoirse
    • Our Past >
      • Nero
    • Extended Family
  • Puppies!
    • Upcoming Litters
    • Nike x Fats Litter (Spring 2025)
    • Psyche x Miles Litter (Winter 2022)
    • Vesta x Sherlock Litter (Winter 2022)
    • Vesta x Bandit Litter (2019)
  • Our Activities
    • Conformation >
      • Vesta's Shows
      • Psyche's Shows
      • Nike's Shows
      • Titus's Shows
    • Mushing/Carting
    • Weight-Pulling
    • Backpacking
    • Rally/Obedience
    • Bloopers
  • The Breed
    • The Standard
    • So You Want a Malamute?
    • What to Look For in a Reputable Breeder
    • Standard vs. "Giant"
    • Links
  • FACEBOOK
  • Contact Us