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used for Dog Sledding
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The Malamute’s ancestors are the dogs of the Mahlemut tribe in Alaska. These dogs were like family to their humans, working, hunting, and living with them. The incredible bond that formed between the Mahlemut and their dogs caused them to be able to survive in the dangerous lands above the Arctic Circle. During the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896 the Malamute and other sled dogs became extremely valuable to the settlers and miners, and were often crossbred with dogs from other parts of the world. This was usually to improve the type, or to make up for how few true Malamutes were being sold, but this seems to have had no long-term effect on today’s Malamute. Studies show that Malamutes are one of the oldest breeds of dog, and genetically different from other dog breeds. The Malamute dog has had a rich history, helping Admiral Richard Byrd to the South Pole, and the miners who came to Alaska during the Gold Rush of 1896. This dog was never supposed to be a racing sled dog, but it was used for pulling hundreds to thousands of pounds of supplies to villages and camps in groups of at least 4 dogs for heavy loads.
The usual breed standard calls for a natural range of size, with a good pulling weight of 75 to 85 pounds and a height of 23 to 25 inches. Heavier dogs of more than 100 pounds and dogs smaller than 75 pounds are common and there is often a marked size difference between males and females. Weights of 140 pounds or more are sometimes seen, but these dogs are not common and are produced primarily by breeders who market a giant malamute. These huge sizes are not typical of the breed's history or show standards. The coat of this dog is a dense double northern dog coat. The colors are various shades of grey and white, black and white, red and white, or pure white. Eyes are almond-shaped and are always brown and blue eyes show a mixed breed and will disqualify the dog in shows. The physical build of the Malamute is compact with heavy bones.
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. The malamute has a plume like tail that is well furred and hangs just over the back like a "plume". This is the written standard written in the breed book. Corkscrew tails can now be seen but is not the breed description . A corkscrew tail is what you would see in the Akita. The malamutes' tails, well-furred, aid in keeping them warm when they curl up in the snow . They wrap the tail around their nose and face which helps protect them against harsh weather like blowing snow.
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