General

ALASKAN MALAMUTE

Country of origin: United States of America

In the first breeddescriptions of the Alaskan Malamute they mention a native eskimotribe, the Malamuts, who lived at the Kotzebuebay. They were considered very notable and had very good tracking dogs. During matches for tracking dogs that were held at the beginning of the twentieth century in Alaska, these dogs draw a lot of attention and more and more contestants used those dogs. As many times is the occasion, people tried to improve the breed by breed in other breeds, but this failed. With a tribe from Kotzebue they breeded all over again and in 1926 the Alaskan Malamute was recognized as a breed in the United States. We see the breed nowadays also in other countries and it is a very skilled tracking dog.

The Alaska Malamute is a powerful, rather heavy, rectangular sledge dog who can work very hard and has a lot of endurance.

Head: powerful, big and slightly curved skull, forehead not to broad, almost vertical. Hardly marked stop, broad snout, black rhinarium, dry lips, powerful jaws.

Eyes: almond shaped, set diagnoal, middle sized, dark.

Ears: middle sized, triangular, slightly rounded tips, set on wide, agile,

Teeth: carnassial teeth.

Neck: powerful, slightly curved

Body: powerful, compact, slightly rectangular, straight back, slightly sloping towards the croup. Strong lumbars, deep and long chest.

Limbs: moderate angulated shoulder, strong bones, short forefeet almost vertical to the ground. Well muscled forquarters. Long, wide, well muscled tighs, low hocks. Moderate angulation of the knee- and hockjoint. The fore and hindlegs must be strong and parallel. Weaknesses in the limbs are a disqualifying fault.

Feet: broad, closed with well curved toes and hard soles, good growth of hair between the toes.

Tail: carried above the back without touching it, very richly growth of hair.

Coat: thick, close, robust, not too long (2,5 till 5 cm). Closed and greasy undercoat. The coat is luxuriant around the neck.

Colour: wolfgrey or black and white, always with white on the stomach. Dark mark on the head in the shape of a so called cap or mask. Other colours are permitted, but the only consistent colour has to be white.

Size:male 64 cm, female 58 cm.