A HISTORY OF THE
ALASKAN MALAMUTE
by Lee Weston
The history of the Alaskan Malamute is one where
the bond between man and canine is most clear. The beginnings of
the Malamute breed has been traced to the Mahlemuts, an Inuit tribe of
northwestern Alaska. The Mahlemuts cultivated and bred this dog for
use in sledging supplies from seacoast to village, for hunting seals and
for protection against the Polar bear. The Malamute has a double
coat, that protects it against wind, snow, ice and 70 degree below zero
temperatures. It is one of the oldest breeds of dog that is still
true to its original size and use. Without these dogs the Mahlemuts
may not have survived the rigors of the Arctic. 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 thousands of pounds of supplies to
villages and camps. It is a heavy boned dog, with powerfully built,
strong shoulders. When watching it work the Malamute shows a steady,
balanced tireless gait. Not built for speed, but for heavy draft work.
Responsible breeders will want to preserve
this heritage of the Malamutes working abilities. This dog is not
necessarily a beauty queen, he is an intelligent, resourceful, hardworking
animal with a major attitude. Originally bred to survive the rigors
of the Arctic, he views the world in a singular manner. He has certain
expectations of humans, and not everyone can measure up. He is very
people friendly, and demands a lot of attention. Socialization of
the Malamute is imperative. With the size of this dog, the strength
and intelligence, he is very formidable. Malamutes do not normally
bark. They tend to "talk" or howl, this talking has been described
as being like Chewbacca's talking on the movie "Star Wars."
During the Gold Rush, many of the miners that
came to Alaska, brought with them their own dogs. These dogs would
sometimes interbreed with the Malamutes, by design or accident. There
was a danger of the breed being lost to the world. Enter Eva Seeley,
who launched a breeding program in the United States. She and her husband
had been very impressed with this lovely animal, and wanted to preserve
it true to type. Through her efforts this was accomplished, and Eva
Seeley is considered to be the one responsible for having the Malamute
recognized by the A.K.C. in 1935.
Today, the Malamute is used not only at pulling
contests, where it can normally pull 20 times its weight, it can be seen
going jogging with his owner, hiking, pulling an in-line skater down the
road (watch for the wolfy grin), accompanying bicyclists, going on cross
country ski trips (he loves the snow), skijoring (a skier being pulled
by the harnessed dog) and demonstrating his talents in conformation shows,
obedience, tracking and agility. The Malamute loves adventure and
will not let his owner rest on his laurels.
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