The variety of purebred dogs is immense, each exhibiting differences in size, structure, appearance and temperament which increase their suitability for the purpose for which they were originally bred. Although there are exceptions, purebred dogs can be expected to adhere overall to inherited traits. Many of the behaviors exhibited by the Alaskan Malamute can be attributed to their original environment and purpose.

The Alaskan Malamute has its roots in mystical legend, inspiring visions of frozen wastelands and ice encrusted wilderness. Their original function, that of hauling heavy loads over great distances, has become obsolete. The modern sled-racing enthusiast has no use for the slower, methodical pace of this canine workhorse. And yet, the original temperament and instinctive behaviour patterns remain strong in this breed accustomed to unthinkable hardship and deprivation. There are of course exceptions to every rule. Not all dogs will exhibit all behaviours while others will be stronger in some instincts and weaker in others. What follows merely attempts to explain the typical behaviour commonly expected in this breed.

The Pack
The Alaskan Malamute is first and foremost inherently a pack animal, enjoying the companionship of other dogs within a structured hierarchy. "Pack animal" in this case does not refer to the Malamute's ability to carry a load, although they do that well, but their desire to live in a structured group containing different levels of authority and subordination. This pack mentality is beneficial in a structured sled team, enabling a high level of trust and subservience to the team driver as well as to the lead dog. However, the same pack mentality can cause problems when pack members feel the need to change their level within the pack.

Very young puppies enjoy a freedom within this pack, enabling them to explore and interact with established pack members and develop their interaction skills under the direction of the older dogs. Before the age of four or five months, they live and play in youthful innocence, with little interference from the other pack members. Once they reach puberty around four or five months, the older dogs will begin to demonstrate the low rank of the younger dogs and will no longer tolerate the same indignities. Siblings or young dogs close in age will begin to quarrel among themselves to improve their rank within their own age group, and this quarreling might even extend to the lower ranking adults in the pack. Once this hierarchy is re-established, harmony returns to the pack until the young dogs begin to exhibit their confidence as adults. This conversion to maturity will happen between ten months to two years of age, and the severity will depend on the individual dog, their strength of character and their desire to climb the ranks within the pack.

This basic component of the Malamute temperament can explain much of the behaviour exhibited by your growing Malamute companion. Your sweet, friendly, outgoing puppy can quickly turn into a bully at puppy classes, picking on the other puppies and goading them into a fight. A swift, firm reprimand is necessary to teach the puppy that you are in charge and this behaviour will not be tolerated, while much praise must be lavished on the puppy for friendly, happy play. At all times, you must be prepared to establish your control over any situation, maintaining your position as pack leader.

As your puppy blossoms into maturity, several other behaviour trends can be anticipated. Your sweet darling might begin to bristle and rumble when meeting new canine acquaintances in an attempt to establish superiority. This should not be interpreted as aggression but rather recognized as dominant behaviour resulting from his inherited background. Be prepared to introduce your dog to as many new acquaintances as you can find during this difficult time of development. You might also see challenges made toward younger or more insecure members of your family during this time, resulting in confrontations over a favourite toy, food or even space. Young dogs in this development stage must be made to tow the line. Privileges such as lying on the couch or the bed, demanding to go in and out as they please, or demanding to be fed or patted must be avoided. Dominance can also be displayed by refusing to move from an obstructing position on the floor, or refusing to allow grooming of the tail or rear or holding of paws for nail trimming. Establishing your control during the first two years of your Malamute's life will develop a healthy, balanced relationship for the rest or your dog's life. If you do not feel capable of adhering to this training regime, please reconsider your choice to bring this strong willed breed into your life. For further information on controlling dominance, please refer to A LESSON IN BECOMING ALPHA.

Guarding
The Alaskan Malamute was developed in a remote area of the Alaskan wilderness, part of a small colony cut off from other communities by miles of frozen wasteland. All members of the human group were part of the dominant pack, and all of their belongings were shared between them. Strangers that arrived unexpectedly at this remote location were welcomed with unguarded generosity. There was no necessity for the communal dogs, the workhorses for the colony, to guard the natives' belongings against human intruders.

The modern Alaskan Malamute has inherited this propensity toward open hospitality. They welcome strangers and known visitors with the same eager friendliness, and generally fail to sound any alarm at an outsider's approach. It is often bantered that the Alaskan Malamute will open the door for a burglar and show him to the refrigerator. However, this generosity does not extend to strange animals.

Predatory Instinct
The Alaskan Malamute can be expected to exhibit a strong predatory instinct toward all other animals, large or small. They were utilized in their native habitat to ward off unwanted predators such as polar bears and wolves, and assisted in the hunt and attack of these animals, as well as caribou, elk and seals. In the summer months, when the dogs were not needed to pull sleds and food was more plentiful, the dogs were allowed to roam free and feed themselves. Anyone who has seen other dogs race after a bird or squirrel, barking all the while, will not be prepared for the hunting style of the Malamute, which more resembles that of a cat. Quiet, stealthy stalking can result in rabbits scooped up at full run or birds plucked from the air. While some Malamutes can be trained to tolerate and even enjoy the company of cats they have been raised with, you can never rely on this behaviour. You are better to accept it as the exception and not as the norm.

Malamutes left loose in deep snow where mice are present will often exhibit an unusual behaviour. They will rise up on their hind legs and come down hard on the snow with their forelegs, then bury their head in the snow. The lunging movement serves to break the crust from the snow and force the mouse under the snow to scurry. Burying their head in the broken snow allows the dog to smell and hear the direction the mouse has traveled. It usually only takes three or four of these attempts before the dog raises its head with its acquired prey. This instinctive behaviour can be seen in the wolves, foxes and coyotes of today, and has been preserved in the Alaskan Malamute over a multitude of generations. Such is the strength of hereditary behaviour.

I have the dubious honour of being one of the foolish (perhaps the first and the last) who attempted a herding instinct trial with a couple of Malamutes. My first Mal, a very sweet girl who got along well with most dogs, cats, rabbits, etc., reached out and grabbed a mouthful of fleece within seconds of seeing her first sheep. The panicked sheep fled, destroying the fence in their haste to return to the barn. I was then banished to a remote area with the dog while they repaired the fencing and wrestled the frightened sheep back into the pen. We then tested the Mals, on leash and under strict control, while the instructor pointed out the differences between herding instinct and predatory instinct. A true herding dog will parry the flock, watching all the animals at once with their eyes shifting from one to the other. My predatory Mals however singled out one animal as their prey the moment they walked into the pen, and never shifted their gaze. The rest of the flock could have dropped over a cliff but the Mal would not care. Their entire focus was on their chosen prey. If you tried to distract them or get in their way, they dodged around you in a frantic attempt to keep their eyes on their victim. Needless to say, my Mals failed the herding test miserably but they passed "predatory instinct" with flying colours, which is just the way it should be.

Boundaries
The same lack of guarding instinct also gives the Alaskan Malamute no reason to recognize property boundaries. Purebred dogs known for their guarding capabilities are the product of man's interference, carefully breeding those dogs generation after generation which exhibit the strongest tendency to recognize ownership. Ownership means "this is mine" and translates into boundaries and property. The Alaskan Malamute had no reason for ownership and boundaries in a frozen expanse that stretched to the horizon and beyond. Combined with his natural curiosity and independent nature, today's Malamute will happily explore as far as his legs will carry him. Although his desire for human companionship will generally keep him nearby when you are with him, most Malamutes left loose on their own will explore farther and farther with each subsequent journey. Left to their own devices, their inherent fearlessness, dominant behaviour and predatory instinct can get them into a great deal of trouble. For this reason, Malamutes do best when confined to a fenced enclosure for their own protection.

Digging
The Alaskan Malamute, displaced from its original duty of pulling sleds, is constantly striving to replace large earth moving machinery in an effort to find a new purpose in life. While most Malamutes scorn the terrier's desire to dig under fences, they prefer instead to dig their holes in the centre of the yard, just outside the door, or in your prize flower bed. In their minds they have many reasons for this behaviour, many of which they intend to keep a secret and refuse to let us in on the joke, and they attack this chore with great purpose and dedication.

Digging in the centre of the yard is generally done in search of roots, which the dogs like to chew on to supplement their diet. Holes just outside the door are dug to create a dry, comfortable place to lie down, and the same behaviour can be seen in snow. But the holes dug in your prize flower bed are probably made to get back at you for not giving your dog that second cookie after dinner. The problem is that most Malamutes have an insatiable appetite and look at anything as possible food. Petunias are food. Railroad ties are food. Trees and shrubs are food. It is not unusual to look out the window ten minutes after doing your Spring planting to see your Malamute gleefully loping around the yard carrying your newly planted bush in its mouth. Females will commonly dig large, elaborate dens at certain times of the year, whether or not they are spayed. The speed and efficiency of this endeavor makes me believe that it is the female that is winning the war to replace the back hoe.

Diet
The Alaskan Malamute is inherently an "easy keeper". This translates into "minimum food = lots of energy". While some of the larger dog breeds require an amazing quantity of food to keep them going, the Alaskan Malamute, with its roots in starvation and deprivation, requires a minimum quantity of food to keep him happy and healthy. If you feed your Malamute the quantities stipulated on prepared bags of dog kibble, you will be rewarded with a dog that is as wide as he is tall. You will also find that your Malamute carries a natural layer of fat all over his body in order to keep him warm in severe climates. This layer of fat is not evident in warmer climate breeds such as the Afghan hound or Basenji, whose ideal conditioning leaves them with their ribs visibly apparent. While there are many differing opinions on the ideal diet for the Alaskan Malamute, on the average they will do well on a relatively small quantity of good quality canine food, with a slightly higher fat content if your dog spends much of his time outdoors in a very cold climate.

Retrieving
Alaskan Malamutes are not natural retrievers for the most part, but some are more willing to participate in this activity than others. Let's face it, all purebred dogs originated from the same stock and all carry the same instincts buried deep inside them. In order to produce today's retrieving and sporting breeds, man has consistently bred together those dogs which most strongly exhibited the desired behaviour. Puppies have all of these instincts closer to the surface, only to have some instincts overpowered by distinct breed traits as the dog matures. If you throw a ball for a very small puppy, he will usually follow it and pick it up. Some will automatically return the ball to you to repeat the procedure, but most can be coaxed and rewarded. If you build on this natural behaviour with your young puppy, you will keep that instinct strong in the dog. However, if you ignore this behaviour and then toss the ball again when the dog is mature, he will most likely watch the ball fall and look up at you as if to say, "You threw your ball away! Are you going to pick it up?" While formal training procedures can teach a mature dog to pick up and retrieve objects, it is much easier to build on their natural desire during the first few months of growth.

Pulling
This instinct is the basis of the Alaskan Malamute and other draft and sledding breeds. Their necks and forechests are strong and resistant, and it causes them little discomfort to throw their entire weight into pulling. While this behaviour is highly useful for pulling sleds, it does not make for a comfortable experience when walking your dog. However, what we are describing here are instinctive behaviours, those that can be expected to come with a particular breed of dog. Instinctive behaviours are different from learned behaviours, and any instinctive behaviour can be moderated or altered with proper training. If you want your dog to walk comfortably on leash, start that training from the very first walk on leash and reward correct behaviour. If you want your dog to pull a sled, start that activity early in the dog's development and reward it.

Independence
The Alaskan Malamute is a self sufficient breed, most happy with human companionship but capable of amusing himself when left on his own. He is unlikely to suffer from anxiety attacks when left alone, remaining calm with good appetite in your absence. That does not mean that the Alaskan Malamute is incapable of destructive behaviour when left alone, but this destruction is more likely the result of lack of guidance than anxiety. Malamute owners fondly comment that their dog would happily go off with any stranger offering a pat or a treat, and never give a backward glance. While this may be construed as disloyal, I prefer the opinion that Mals firmly believe you will always be waiting for them around the next corner, but a new adventure is something they simply can't pass up.

In conclusion, purebred dogs are the product of purpose and environment. By their very definition, they can be expected to exhibit certain traits and behaviours. But each individual dog is also a product of it's current purpose and environment. Instincts need to be strengthened and rewarded to become stable but can also be diminished by training and rewarding an opposing behaviour. It is up to you to decide what you want your dog to be and the amount of effort you want to put into it. Not all Alaskan Malamutes will exhibit all of these natural tendencies, but these traits are what you should expect. It is your decision whether you can accept these hereditary behaviours and whether or not this is the right breed for you.