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SERVICES Pet Insurance Pet Care Services   Puppy Care   Dog Walking   Dog Day Care   Home Boarding   Pet Sitting   Other Services Pet Care Areas Dog Training Dog Grooming Book Our Services SHOPPING Online Store Our Pet Shops NAVIGATION Site Search Site Index YOUR K9 CAPERS Members Forum Classified Ads Your Crazy Gang Training Tips Features Money Off Links Page Other Stuff Join As An Affiliate Dog Breeds Index UK Animal Rescue Find Any UK Vet Jobs Contact Us	Dog Breed Index The Alaskan Malamute Appearance The AKC breed standard calls for a natural range of size, with a desired freighting weight of 75 to 85 pounds (34–38.5 kg) and a height of 23 to 25 inches (58–63.5 cm). Heavier individuals (100+ pounds) and dogs smaller than 75 pounds are common—there is often a marked size difference between males and females. Weights upwards of 140 pounds or more are occasionally seen; these dogs are uncommon and are produced primarily by breeders who market a "giant" malamute. These "giant" sizes are not in accordance with the breed's history or show standards. The coat is a dense double northern dog coat, somewhat harsher than that of the Siberian Husky. The usual colors are various shades of grey and white, sable and white, black and white, red and white, or pure white. Eyes are almond-shaped and are always brown; blue eyes are an indication of mixed breeding and will disqualify the dog in shows. The physical build of the Malamute is compact with heavy bone. In this context 'compact' means that their height to length ratio is slightly longer than tall, unlike dogs like Great Danes which are longer and lankier in their ratios. According to the American Kennel Club, the primary criterion for judging the Malamute in a show is its function to pull heavy freight as a sled dog; everything else is secondary. As many an owner has found out, the pulling power of a Malamute is tremendous. One common feature of malamute is the unusual "cork-screw" appearance of their tails, which fall to one side. This is an evolutionary trait developed by the malamute to ensure that its nose may be kept warm during periods of rest, generally by curling itself around and blanketing its nose with the conveniently cork-screw shaped tail. Temperament The Malamute is one of the most "unaltered" of breeds, retaining its original form and function. Their affectionate nature does not make them useful as watch or guard dogs. If a dog owner cannot cope with a dog that will not comply with the owners every command, a more compliant breed should be selected. This dog has a long genetic foundation of living in the wilderness with man surrounded by other domesticated animals of approximately the same size. Alaskan Malamutes are good with other animals (even smaller animals). This dog also needs lots of exercise to be happy. While a Malamute is, as a strong rule, extremely gentle with people and very loyal to every member of its human family, it must always be watched around smaller animals until the dog's disposition and behavior becomes familiar to the owner. Only time and experience will show if a specific dog can be left unwatched with other household pets. It is never safe to assume that because a given dog is comfortable with your other pets it will be comfortable with the other animals in the neighborhood or with pets of friends in your house or in their house. Health There is only one known health survey of Alaskan Malamutes, a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey with a small sample size of 14 dogs. The median lifespan of 10.7 years measured in that survey is very typical of a breed their size. The major cause of death was cancer (36%). The most commonly reported health problems of Alaskan Malamutes in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey (based on a sample size of 64 dogs) were muskuloskeletal (tendon injury, patellar luxation, fracture, arthritis, cruciate ligament rupture, hip dysplasia), dermatologic (dermatitis, interdigital cysts, hair loss, fading nose pigment), and reproductive. Other health issues in Malamutes include inherited polyneuropathy, chondrodysplasia, and eye problems (particularly cataract and progressive retinal atrophy). While Malamutes have been successfully raised in places such as Arizona, their dense coats generally make them unsuited for hot climates. When the weather gets hot, like any other breed of dog, the malamute needs plenty of water and shade. They will grow a winter coat and subsequently, come spring, shed it again. History The Malamute is a descendant of dogs of the Mahlemut tribe of upper western Alaska. These dogs stood prominently on equal footing with their human companions - working, hunting, and living alongside them. The interdependent relationship between the Mahlemut and their dogs fostered prosperity among both and enabled them to flourish in the inhospitable land above the Arctic Circle. For a brief period during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, the Malamute and other sled dogs became extremely valuable to recently landed prospectors and settlers, and were frequently crossbred with imported breeds. This was often a misguided attempt to improve the type, or to make up for how few true Malamutes were up for sale. This seems to have had no long standing effect on the modern Malamute, and recent DNA analysis shows that Malamutes are one of the oldest breeds of dog, genetically distinct from other dog breeds. The Malamute dog has had a distinguished history; aiding Admiral Richard Byrd to the South Pole, and the miners who came to Alaska during the Gold Rush of 1896. This dog was never destined to be a racing sled dog; instead, it was used for heavy freighting, pulling hundreds (maybe thousands) of pounds of supplies to villages and camps in groups of at least 4 dogs for heavy loads.	PET FOOD SHOP Arden Grange Arthurs Bakers Beta Burgess Burns Butchers Cesar Chappie Chudleys Chunkie Davies Denes Eukanuba Felix Forthglade Friskies Fold Hill Frolic Gilpa Go-Cat HiLife Hills Iams Wellbeloved Kennel Pak Kit-e-Kat Laughing Dog Naturediet Nutro Choice Omega Pal Pascoes Pedigree Pero Purina Royal Canin Sheba Skinners Vitalin Wafcol Whiskas Wilsons Winalot MORE PET STUFF Dog Treats & Toys Cat Treats & Toys Or just browse our Dog Food Index
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