Alaskan malamutes are not “easy” dogs. They thrive with owners that treat them as partners, but if you believe in “dominance theory” and that dogs are always trying to be “alpha”, this is not the breed for you. 

Malamutes need structure and clear boundaries. Your job is to be their partner. That means ensuring boundaries are clearly communicated so they understand what you want them to do, provide daily mental and physical stimulation, grooming, and management. You will need to learn about dog body language so that you can be an effective partner.

Alaskan malamutes are an impressive breed with physical strength, endurance, and intelligence. In fact, that intelligence can make living with them challenging for folks that are expecting a golden retriever temperament.  Keep in mind the early history of the breed: malamutes pulled heavy weights across snow and ice in blinding conditions. The dogs used “intelligent disobedience” to survive: if their handler told them to turn onto thin ice, the dogs ignored it. 

In a typical pet household, this translates to a dog that makes choices to benefit itself – so be prepared to convince your dog that the choices YOU want it to make are also choices the dog wants to make. Personally, I love malamutes for their physical beauty, vocal “woo woos”, and that very intelligence that can make them so challenging. I have learned so much from them, and enjoy every day they are with me.