The Alaskan Malamute is the oldest native sled dog of Alaska.  Reports tell of bone and Ivory carvings dated at 12 to 20 thousand years old showing the malamute basically as it is today.  The breed was named after the native Inuit Tribe - "The Mahlemut".  The dogs were an essential part of the Inuit life and the affection felt for them by the tribe meant that they were very hard to get hold of by early white man. Reports and pictures show the puppies and children playing together and even of babies nursing from mother dogs.

The appearance of the Malamute is of a powerful and substantially built dog. It has a thick course guard coat to protect a dense woolly undercoat from 1-2 inches in depth when the dog is in full coat. Coat sheds year round and requires substantial grooming at moulting periods.  Colours ranging from shades of Gray/White, Black/White and shades of Red/White. The only solid colour allowed is white.  The tail of the Malamute is well furred and carried over it's back like a plume.

The desired size for a male is 25 inches at the shoulder 85 pounds and for a female 23 inches at the shoulder and 75 pounds. This is considered the ideal freighting height and weight for the job for which the breed is intended.

The Alaskan Malamute is an affectionate and friendly dog with people.  They are not a "one man" dog.  Whilst they may be protective of the children in your family, they are not a guarding breed.  They can be dominant with other dogs and care should be taken to socialise these dogs at a very early age.  Whilst they can be trained to accept family cats, all others are considered fair game. They should be kept well away from other small animals in the family.

There is a saying that an active dog is a happy dog and this is certainly true of the Malamute. They are said to be thick and hard to train, this is not true, the Malamute is highly intelligent, but once it has learnt something, cannot see the reason to repeat it.  Care should be taken with early training as the Malamute learns fast and a bad habit is hard to break.  Activities to do with your Malamute include, Sledding, Weight Pulling, Backpacking, Agility, Obedience and scootering.

The Siberian Husky                                            

The Chukchi people of Siberia bred the Siberian Husky over many centuries as a Winter Sled Dog.  In the summer the huskies had to fend for themselves and thus retained strong pack instincts and a talent for hunting and roaming. They were to carry a light load at a moderate speed over a great distance.

The Appearance of the Siberian Husky's body proportions and form reflect balance, power, speed and endurance.  They have a double coat - medium soft dense undercoat and guard hairs on the outer.  Colours range from black to pure white, some with a variety of markings.  They moult twice a year.  The Siberian's eyes are almond shape blue or brown in colour.  In some one of each colour or part-colour.  They have a Fox-Brush tail which can be carried in a sickle curve or trailing.

The desired height for a male is 21-23 inches at the shoulder and can weigh in form 45-60lbs.  For the female 20-22 inches at the shoulder and can weigh between 35-45 lbs.

The temperament of the Siberian Husky is that they are friendly; interested and even mischievous.  They are not a guard dog. Siberians have a strong desire to run - they are easily lost and at risk on roads.  They are very independent dogs and cannot be relied upon to return on command.  They get on well with other well adjusted dogs but will take on a challenge if it is offered.  They are easy going and enjoy the company of others.

The Siberian Husky is a very robust and athletic dog, which needs plenty of exercise to keep him happy and of course fit (any exercise must be done on a lead).  They can become destructive if left alone for too long. They are not an easy dog to train for Obedience or Agility but there are a couple of  dedicated people in this country who have achieved this.

Activities to enjoy with your Siberian Husky include, Sledding, Backpacking, Canicross, Weight Pulling, Scootering.

There are a few things the Malamute and the Siberian Husky have in common:

• They are honest dogs

• They are excellent travellers

• They do not bark very often however they do enjoy howling.  Particularly at emergency vehicle sirens.  Ours enjoy howling when we return to the house after being away.

• They can jump.  If you decide one of these dogs maybe the breed for you, you must make sure your garden is secure.  It is not unusual for a Siberian to jump over five feet.

• They enjoy gardening but it may not be the gardening you are thinking of.  They dig to keep cool, they dig to keep warm and they dig just for the fun of it.

• As we've already said they do moult and you maybe surprised at how much they moult therefore a good vacuum cleaner is essential.

• You need an understanding vet.  Arctic breeds can be sensitive to certain drugs particularly anaesthetics and sedatives.  Some times their weight can be overestimated due to the bulk of their fur so correct weighing is essential so they are not overdosed.