So, You Want a Malamute?
Pros and Cons, In Reverse
The hard part about a pro and con list is that if the malamute is genuinely the right dog for you, the cons are not cons at all. They are simply what it means to have a malamute. And if you love and understand the breed, you will find ways to make peace with their idiosyncrasies, problem-solve ways to mitigate potential problems, and ultimately celebrate the craziness of living with this working breed.
For example, some may identify 'stubbornness' or 'difficult to train' as cons. It's true that malamutes can appear to have selective hearing, a short attention span, and a 'you do it' attitude when you ask them to perform a task. But that's not really what it is. Malamutes are smart. Like... super smart. They need variety and mental stimulation, patience and consistency. You cannot ask them to sit 50 times; they will get bored and move onto something else. This intellect is not a con for the person who finds partnership with such an animal invigorating. I love that my dogs keep me on my toes and force me to constantly reevaluate how best to work with them.
Another thing to note is that cons reflect a predisposition to a behavior though not a guarantee. For example, it's not that you cannot train a malamute not to pull on a leash, but it'll be more difficult since you are fighting the genetic predisposition to lean into that harness. Any of the below cons can be mitigated with proper training and outlets. Any of the cons listed below can also be lifelong (e.g. selectivity with dog friends). It depends on the dog. It depends on you. It is important to prepare for either scenario.
Cons:
Pros:
For example, some may identify 'stubbornness' or 'difficult to train' as cons. It's true that malamutes can appear to have selective hearing, a short attention span, and a 'you do it' attitude when you ask them to perform a task. But that's not really what it is. Malamutes are smart. Like... super smart. They need variety and mental stimulation, patience and consistency. You cannot ask them to sit 50 times; they will get bored and move onto something else. This intellect is not a con for the person who finds partnership with such an animal invigorating. I love that my dogs keep me on my toes and force me to constantly reevaluate how best to work with them.
Another thing to note is that cons reflect a predisposition to a behavior though not a guarantee. For example, it's not that you cannot train a malamute not to pull on a leash, but it'll be more difficult since you are fighting the genetic predisposition to lean into that harness. Any of the below cons can be mitigated with proper training and outlets. Any of the cons listed below can also be lifelong (e.g. selectivity with dog friends). It depends on the dog. It depends on you. It is important to prepare for either scenario.
Cons:
- Tendency towards dog aggression
- Especially same-sex; especially females.
- High prey drive
- Malamutes have been known to kill cats, rabbits, birds, and various other critters. It helps if they are raised alongside these smaller animals though not a guarantee of peace.
- Poor recall
- This is not a breed that falls over themselves to come when called. Pair that with their heightened prey drive, and this is a breed that should NEVER be off-leash.
- Must be fenced.
- Electric fences do not work with malamutes! In their mind, the momentary pain (if it's even that, as they have a high threshold for pain) of crossing the boundary is worth the freedom gained.
- Immense shedding
- It will become a condiment. You will never be able to wear black again.
- Pulling on Leash
- And they are STRONG.
- Diggers
- Your yard will look like a moonscape.
- Super smart
- My Vesta once went into heat on day one of a weight pull. I left her in a nearby farmhouse in her crate. An hour later, someone said: 'hey, there's a loose dog outside.' Come to find that Ms. Houdini had opened her crate and two layers of doors within the house to get outside. She also knows how to unlock deadbolts. SUPER SMART, people.
- Problem-solvers
- They are thinkers. When Vesta wants something that someone else has, she pretends to find something very interesting on the ground (speck? bug?). When the other dog drops their toy to investigate, Vesta will swoop in and take it. The thought process is scary intuitive.
- Active
- Malamutes may not have the energy level of a husky, but that does not mean they are not active. They need regular exercise and stimulation (both physical and mental). Otherwise, they can become destructive and mischievous.
- Easy keepers (meaning, they can get fat easily).
- Vesta looks at a dog biscuit and gains 5 pounds. I swear.
Pros:
- Beautiful!
- Super smart
- Fabulous outdoor partners - hiking, mushing, carting, backpacking, cani-cross, etc. - they can (and will!) do it all.
- Affectionate
- Loyal
- Generally healthy breed
