DOGS

amymeenieminymo

My husband and I have been talking about getting a dog for a few years now, but could never decide to take the plunge or agree on one. He wants something massive, like an English Mastiff or a Saint Bernard. I like their temperment, but the size and their drool was a deal breaker for me. I wanted a lab, but he wasn't happy with that.

Last night we discovered an Alaskan Malamute and we have both finally agreed. There are some down sides (heavy shedding twice a year and our need to be a consistant and dominate "pack" leader or else they will try to be leader) but otherwise they sound like great dogs. We can't get one until next winter, but I'm so happy we finally came to an agreement.

Does anyone have any experience with these dogs? What kind of dog do you/have you owned?



EDIT: Yes we do plan to adopt from a rescue, not only could we never afford a dog from a breeder, puppy mills make me very angry, and even for legit breeders it just doesn't make sense to me. Dogs are being put down all the time because there are so many that needs homes that can't get one, why breed more on purpose?

songbyrdsweet

I hope you can find a rescue! I volunteer at my local shelter all the time, and there are soooooo many lonely dogs there. They are so happy to get a little bit of love, and you can see the sadness in their eyes when you leave. While some breeds have general traits, every pup is an individual and will have its own temperament and personality. I used to work at a kennel and have seen show dogs and mutts of all types. Malamutes are quite talkative which can be good or bad and their coats require a good bit of maintenance, especially if they're outside a lot.

I own a beagle/jack russell mix from my shelter. She totally picked me!

♥_Ellybean_♥

They are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful dogs!! They can get tempered, and they love to cuddle and be around people, however, from my experience not keen on small children.

ChristopherOren

Alaskan Malamutes are AWESOME dogs! Great choice. Very loving, loyal dogs.

Cinnamonie

I hope you can find a rescue! I volunteer at my local shelter all the time, and there are soooooo many lonely dogs there. They are so happy to get a little bit of love, and you can see the sadness in their eyes when you leave. While some breeds have general traits, every pup is an individual and will have its own temperament and personality. I used to work at a kennel and have seen show dogs and mutts of all types. Malamutes are quite talkative which can be good or bad and their coats require a good bit of maintenance, especially if they're outside a lot.

I own a beagle/jack russell mix from my shelter. She totally picked me!

shelter dogs ftw... I have a HUGE shedder...long hair german shepherd we found at a shelter last year.....i grew up with a malamute mix and he practically raised us kids...an amazing, loving, protective, kid and cat friendly dog. My dad found him wandering the street and he was the best dog....seriously huge and furry but what an amazing impact he made on all of us.

rileamoyer

Only have heard about the issues with the pack leader thing. It is definately an almost every day thing. Had a friend the rescued a giant malmute (neglect and abuse). they had to be real careful with him around people in public, but he was an awesome, intelligent and hysterically funny guy. It was sad when it was time to put him down.

carriem73

If you are set on a pure bred, and can't find one in a shelter, do a web search for a rescue by breed- my family has adopted 4 weimeraner's thru breed specific rescues!

MariaAlbinaxoxo

Those dogs are GORGEOUS. I, on the other hand, have a 6lb Papillon. haha. (:

hollyeverhart

Adopt!!! All breeds are loving and need homes. Just go around to your local shelters! You shouldn't support breeders

quarkenstein

I heard that malamutes are great fence climbers...even 8 ft fences sometimes have trouble keeping them in!
I don't know if you have a fenced in backyard, but it's something to consider!

JamieDD

I will say that most "husky" breeds are runners. They like wide open spaces. Some can also be cat killers. I didn't have any problem with my Siberian husky in that respect. But he was a runner...could disappear for days. I would have a very well fenced yard.

jlvalenzuela

I second the suggestion to visit your local shelter/pet adoption center. Most of the lonely dogs there are already well socialized because they are around people and other dogs all the time. Oftentimes they are already house trained because their previous owner already did the work for you! I have two rescue dogs, one is a chihuahua mix and the other is a herding dog mix about 45lbs. Dogs are great -- they really keep you active!

lunula76

Socialize socialize socialize! They are very sweet talkative dogs. Don't be fooled into thinking the shedding is only 2x a year - the massive blizzard is 2x a year but the shedding is consistent. Seasonal professional grooming to blow out the coat helps a lot.

drog2323

yep...before I met my wife, I thought all dogs at SPCA and rescue's were BAD cases. She showed me some rescues and really did open my eyes at how many good family dogs are there !!!

Rescue/shelter dogs all being bad and horrible behavior issues, It's SO not the truth. our current dog is from a rescue ( Lab/Golden X) and she is an awesome dog. no issues (except for her constant shedding! LOL).

our other dog was SPCA and was severley abused and beaten from his previous owner (ooo and starved), but he was a GREAT dog too. and he was the "dreaded" pitbull - but mixed with Shar-pei.

I would definitely get an idea of what "type" of dog suits your activity level, personality etc - and I would recommend looking at some shelters and rescues. even if you are SET on a particular breed, there are loads of rescues around with specialized breeds.

anyways, just my two cents.

they are a big committment, but SO worth the work and time AND money. lol

LorinaLynn

I second the notion of looking into a rescue. Check Petfinder. If a dog is in a foster home with a rescue, you'll know everything you ever wanted to know about his personality.

I have a rescue Pekingese. Prior to him, my family had mutts exclusively. I'm partial to big dogs, but my husband loved Pekes, so we have a Peke. And he's perfect for us.

songbyrdsweet

I second the suggestion to visit your local shelter/pet adoption center. Most of the lonely dogs there are already well socialized because they are around people and other dogs all the time. Oftentimes they are already house trained because their previous owner already did the work for you! I have two rescue dogs, one is a chihuahua mix and the other is a herding dog mix about 45lbs. Dogs are great -- they really keep you active!

Awesome to hear about another rescue! My Margo was already potty-trained, name-trained, crate-trained...and it took no time at all to teach her to 'wait', 'sit,' 'stay', and 'quiet'. She does have a fear of men from her previous experiences, but that can be trained as well, and the more confident she becomes, the less barking she does.

bluegirl10

Please adpot if it all possible... I have had dogs all my life and I have to say each breed will have it's own personality and traits. It's good to research and know about the breed you are getting, but of course be prepared for your dog to have it's own personality. The main thing would be to make sure you have enough space for your dog to run and play along with enough time to spend training and exericsing your dog. Good Luck!

KrisKros6212

My fiance and I recently rescued a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Mix...best dog I have ever owned! I would vote to rescue too!!!!!

mallorybriann

I would go to your local shelter or a rescue Just think, you can get one that is already trained lol.
I have a Shih Tzu mix and a German Shepherd that was a stray a friend found.
My German (Brock) is an AMAZING dog! I am so lucky to have him. He is protective, loyal, goofy, a big softy and great with our Shih Tzu who is 6 lbs compared to Brock who is 85 lbs!
The shedding with him is pretty manageable. But so annoying! I bought a Furminator for him.
I have to exercise him a few times a week, if not daily.
But Alaskan Malamutes are great dogs A lot of large dogs have joint issue however.

Great info. Love this show.
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/dogs-101-alaskan-malamute.html

songbyrdsweet

Please adpot if it all possible... I have had dogs all my life and I have to say each breed will have it's own personality and traits. It's good to research and know about the breed you are getting, but of course be prepared for your dog to have it's own personality. The main thing would be to make sure you have enough space for your dog to run and play along with enough time to spend training and exericsing your dog. Good Luck!

Love your 'pack', very cute!

paladeac

Echo all of the rescue suggestions. There are breed specific rescues.

I used to live next door to a guy who had an Alaskan Malamute. Sadly, he kept him tied in the front yard much of the time, so I volunteered to walk him.

They are great dogs to go running with - if you're fast! He was also a very sweet dog.

amymeenieminymo

I hope you can find a rescue! I volunteer at my local shelter all the time, and there are soooooo many lonely dogs there. They are so happy to get a little bit of love, and you can see the sadness in their eyes when you leave. While some breeds have general traits, every pup is an individual and will have its own temperament and personality. I used to work at a kennel and have seen show dogs and mutts of all types. Malamutes are quite talkative which can be good or bad and their coats require a good bit of maintenance, especially if they're outside a lot.

I own a beagle/jack russell mix from my shelter. She totally picked me!

Yes, I should have mentioned we plan on adopting from a rescue. We found one located in the same city my husband's grandpa lives in, so we'll get a dog and a visit with grandpa

songbyrdsweet

I hope you can find a rescue! I volunteer at my local shelter all the time, and there are soooooo many lonely dogs there. They are so happy to get a little bit of love, and you can see the sadness in their eyes when you leave. While some breeds have general traits, every pup is an individual and will have its own temperament and personality. I used to work at a kennel and have seen show dogs and mutts of all types. Malamutes are quite talkative which can be good or bad and their coats require a good bit of maintenance, especially if they're outside a lot.

I own a beagle/jack russell mix from my shelter. She totally picked me!

Yes, I should have mentioned we plan on adopting from a rescue. We found one located in the same city my husband's grandpa lives in, so we'll get a dog and a visit with grandpa

Wonderful! Careful though, they are addictive haha...I can't wait until I have more money for a second pup!

Saffyra

I have a friend who rescues/fosters Huskies and Malamutes. She mostly complains about the shedding and how much food they eat

She has a small child and they've all been fine with him.

They also need a lot of exercise but shouldn't really be off leash since they do like to run. She has a huge backyard so they can run around.

And they howl/talk which I think is fun but she says can be annoying at times. She doesnt have close neighbors so its never been an issue.

Other than that, they're great companions, cuddlers, friendly (yeah, I may have been almost knocked over a couple times) and very happy dogs.

KayakAngel

Definitely have to be dominant with the Malamutes. If the dog starts to take over, they become extremely protective and territorial, which is so dangerous for your neighbors and other animals. They are great dogs, though the grooming would put me off a bit. I always adopt from rescue agencies or shelters, and I've had such great luck with my dogs. My sweet little chocolate lab has gorgeous amber eyes and the best disposition of any dog I've ever had. Never was a fan of labs, but now I'm a convert.

erh20000plus

We got our Mojo, mastiff mix (with what we do not know - looks just like a full blooded), from the animal shelter. He is the best dog ever!! He sheds (a lot) but hardly drools and is a couch potato. This was actually the third shelter he was in due to having an eye issue and needing surgery. He topped out at 135 which is small for a mastiff but we never had an issue with small kids, our cats, and other dogs. Now that he is getting older (we think he is around 9), he is more vocal and more protective of our children. If you do decide to get a big dog, please talk to your vet about glucosamine supplements. Mojo has been on them since we got him at 2 and it has made a world of difference according to the vet.

Good luck!

Frappuzzino

Why don't you guys take a trip to your local shelters and look around for a dog when you're ready to get one? It might not be a Malamute, but you might find a dog that captures your heart and who really needs a home. Or if you're really stuck on getting a Malamute, maybe you can find a Malamute rescue in your area too.

_Khaleesi_

I am sure someone has already mentioned it, but malamute's are WORKING dogs. In caps. They need a ton of exercise and a lot of them need a job to be happy. That means getting them to pull things, do agility work, etc. Lots of energy in these guys and they are bred to go the distance. As long as you are prepared to offer that, then cool. Without it, the exercise/ work that they need, they can get destructive or challenging.

MrsCon40

I have had 2 malamutes in my family. They were both raised from pups but were not related at all. They both turned very agressive when they began to lose their sight and hearing and had to be euthanized.

People that know me, know that this was not a result of poor training, lack of exercise or socialization.

They are working dogs and need A LOT of exercise and quality training. I don't think I would recommend them for anyone other than experienced dog owners.

ETA: I am currently in Golden Retriever mode and can't say enough good things about the breed. Sweet, smart, active yet calm - and patient as all get out.

koosdel

I usually just go to the pound, and whichever one won't leave me alone comes home.

CakeFit21

I have a GSD and they do that twice a year, coat shed thing too. Let me tell you, that is serious business.