Frequently Asked Questions

Can Malamutes have blue eyes? No. Malamutes have brown eyes, ranging from dark brown through to light brown/amber according to the colour and pigment but blue eyes indicate that the dog is not pure bred and has another breed (probably Siberian Husky) in its background.

Can Malamutes be let off lead? As with anything, there is no hard rule. However, Malamutes have a sense of free will and a high prey drive which can lead them to take off after another dog, small furry, etc. and recall is forgotten. There are some owners who work very hard on obedience and are successful in training their Malamutes to return every time but anyone hoping to own a Malamute with perfect recall must be prepared to put in the work. As a general rule it is accepted that most Malamutes have poor recall and so for their own safety and that of prey and livestock they are kept on a lead at all times.

Is it true that Malamutes don't get on with other dogs? This varies considerably according to how the dog is socialised as a puppy, how training is continued into adulthood, whether the dogs it encounters are polite etc. In general, Malamutes get on with dogs of the opposite sex but their sense of pack hierarchy can show itself in aggression towards dogs of the same sex. As always it is up to the owner to put work in to achieve a good canine member of society. It is generally accepted that purchasing two puppies of the same sex is not a good idea.

Do Malamutes moult much? Oh yes! Twice a year the Malamute will shed it's undercoat, resulting in weeks of fur floating around. Do not underestimate the amount of fur that one dog can shed in one go, at times you can pull handfuls out!  A house dog will often moult a small amount through the year due to central heating.