History of the
Alaskan Malamute
including the AKC
Alaskan Malamute
including the AKC
Alaskan malamute, an arctic sled dog named after the Mahlemut tribe of the breed's native Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska. Bone and ivory carvings dated to 20,000 + years ago show ancient malamutes almost identical to today's breed.
The Mahlemuts often neutered all the males except for the lead dog to insure the best breedings. Traits were maintained by the most important criteria - survival. Early writings indicated that the people better cared for malamutes than the other arctic sled dogs, which accounts for their affectionate disposition.
The Alaskan Malamute is a primitive breed. It has been around for a millennia, not just the last few centuries which is the case for the more modern breeds we know of today. It is one of the most unaltered breeds meaning that it is still very much the same dog as it was thousands of years ago. It is still very affectionate and loyal. It's instinctive behavior is still just as strong today as they were when they endured unthinkable hardships and deprivation.
The Alaskan Malamute is a primitive breed. It has been around for a millennia, not just the last few centuries which is the case for the more modern breeds we know of today. It is one of the most unaltered breeds meaning that it is still very much the same dog as it was thousands of years ago. It is still very affectionate and loyal. It's instinctive behavior is still just as strong today as they were when they endured unthinkable hardships and deprivation.
The most important thing about the malamute is the ability to function in harsh environments and used for heavy freighting, pulling thousands of pounds of supplies to villages and camps.
Though my malamutes are registered with the AKC, I do not completely agree with them. The Alaskan Malamute was around thousands of years before. I do think it is important to be registered through the AKC because I think it is important in the sense of record keeping - bloodlines, health, activites and all the other good things they do. Alaskan Malamutes is a member of the Working Group and was first registered with AKC in 1935.
What I disagree with is the AKC standard for the Alaskan Malamute. The original standard called for a smaller dog. The standards for the malamute were created by one person - who had never been to Alaska or the Arctic. I think that says it all !
In the 1950's, the AKC was forced to increase the standard size. There is a natural range in size and many people still don't agree with the AKC standard. In 1994, the AKC standard again was changed. Now including Reds and Sables. There is also a "blue" malamute. The AKC does not address this color. Blue is very similar to the black and can best tell the difference in good lighting. Blue is more of a charcoal gray/blue color.
What I disagree with is the AKC standard for the Alaskan Malamute. The original standard called for a smaller dog. The standards for the malamute were created by one person - who had never been to Alaska or the Arctic. I think that says it all !
In the 1950's, the AKC was forced to increase the standard size. There is a natural range in size and many people still don't agree with the AKC standard. In 1994, the AKC standard again was changed. Now including Reds and Sables. There is also a "blue" malamute. The AKC does not address this color. Blue is very similar to the black and can best tell the difference in good lighting. Blue is more of a charcoal gray/blue color.
Kotzebue were only shades of gray and white. M'Loots included black and white, red and white and shades in between.
Today, most Alaskan Malamutes are the results of mixing two strains, M'Loot, Kotzebue . AKC is heavily influenced by the Kotzebue. M'Loot are much larger. Interestingly enough, most malamutes in the show ring are larger than the standard which calls for 85 lb males and 75 lbs females.
Show breeders focus alot on looks in the show ring. Don't get me wrong, confirmation is important. But what the dog has to go through is in my opinion, no life for any dog. When I look at the pedigrees and see "champions", it saddens me to think what kind of life those dogs had.
I also wonder about the other side of the dogs in the show rings. Ok, so they meet the AKC standard in the way they look and move but what about the temperment and personality. This is not judged in the show rings. You can have a dog that has great confirmation but it can be aggressive or with other bad behaviors. Remember it has been trained to "act" in the show ring.
My other concerns about the AKC is health. Dogs who are sick with diseases can enter a show ring. They do not have to pass health tests to get "show" titles. Many people do not realize that dogs known to pass on health issues can be shown and win even though they are not healthy. A dog who passes down eye disease, cancer or diabetes or thyroid disease can still earn a "champion " title.
IS this right? Does this give people a false sense of security?
So, what does a "champion" title really mean?
All of our malamute bloodlines are influenced by the M'Loot
The Kennel Club - UK
Males - 25-28 in bitches 23-26 in
Weight between (85-125 lbs)
American Kennel Club
Males – 25 inches and 85 pound Females – 23 inches and 75 pounds
Continental Kennel Club
22 - 27 inches
70 - 115 lbs
United Kennel Club
Males 25 in - 85 lbs
Female 23 in - 75 lbs
AKC - SHOW
Alaskan Malamutes
quick general info
Giant Alaskan Malamutes
There is no such thing as a "GIANT" alaskan malamute. There are two different malamutes. The smaller malamutes which is what the AKC standard calls for and the M'Loot which is a larger, heavier, longer malamute. The standard size actually has a natural range in size. The M'Loot is still larger than that.
So why do so many people advertise "Giant" ? Just that, it is advertising, to catch the eye of people wanting a big powerful dog. This also holds true to people who advertise "RARE" reds and all whites or woolies. It is all advertising. These people are more interested in selling a puppy than the breed. It is ok to use these to describe the pup available but should not be used as a marketing tool.
People who really care about the breed would not be using "gimmicks" to sell puppies !
M ' LOOT
History of the M'Loot
The Inuit's sled dogs' were as tall as 35" and weighed over 190lbs. These Malamutes were known to be the largest and strongest sled pullers and pack animals. It should be noted that their service did not effect them maintaining the most sweet and loving disposition. They served their beloved Eskimo owners by providing protection from Polar bears and pulling heavy sleds thousands of miles while enduring 70 degree below zero blizzards. These Malamutes sometimes stayed in the igloos to care for the little children and ultimately made the difference between life and death for their masters in the most harsh and severe of all habitats.
Alaskan malamutes are working dogs in the same context as a draft horse is a working horse. These huge horses (about 1000 lbs. larger than a saddle horse) pulled the covered wagons across America and plowed the fields of the pioneers. Anyone heard to ridicule the owners of draft horses by saying the horse was too big would be considered insane due to the amount of work required by the pioneers to merely survive.The Malamutes were bred to pull the biggest loads over the farthest distance. The Eskimos learned it was better to have one huge dog that could do the work of 3 smaller ones. It was this knowledge that led the Eskimos to practice some of the best breeding practices on earth. They needed such a huge dog to survive and they practiced the best selective breeding program of any place on earth. If the dog did not have the perfect, ideal coat, legs, feet, body, and temperament, he could not survive such a harsh environment. Alaskan malamutes adore children and are the best of family dogs. They have a playful personality and want nothing more than to please and spend time with you, their pack leader. As such, they rely on you for instructions and discipline. These malamutes truly speak to your soul and ARE the Sacred Ones.
Please note this is not intended to criticize people who SHOW their dogs.
I personally know some awesome people who show and work their dogs. I think it would be great if say all working breeds be required to have working dog titles before competing in shows. Just my opinion.
I believe the correct way is ..... There is the Standard (set by AKC and influenced by the Kotzebue). Then there is the M'loot. Anything else is a mixture of the different strains. Yes they are still pure Alaskan Malamute I believe there is now two different malamutes, the standard which was created by the mixing of strains and the M'loot.
I believe the word "giant" is miss leading because one would think they are purposely breeding bigger and bigger when in fact, they have been that size all along.
Our malamutes are a mixture. We are working towards providing both. All of our bloodlines are influenced by M'Loot. Nador being the highest percent of M'Loot. I am currently researching his pedigree to determine if he is PURE M'LOOT.
this page will alway be a work in progress because my research will always continue
Information on this page is from research I have done. Some will be facts and some of it is the conclusion I have come to after researching many different articles.
The AKC standard -
1909 brought about the Commander Robert Peary -Dr. Frederick Cook controversy on who reached the North Pole first. This remarkable exploration was made possible by the sled dogs, and nobody argues this point. Regardless of which man got to the North Pole first, history bears out the fact that the sled dogs were truly the first ones there.The great serum run in 1925 when a group of drivers and their stalwart dogs fought their way through fifty below zero weather and an 80 mile an hour blizzard to get serum to the inhabitants of Nome to halt the march of diphtheria.
It was the Kotzebue size which became a proven factor in all of the Byrd expeditions. This was the size most desired to endure the pace and elements. This is where the size in the breed standard came from. It was the Kotzebue line which was first recognized by AKC as a breed, and later the M'Loots were allowed to be included. Both strains are named for the Eskimos (Mahlemiut), of their region, the M'Loot, and the Kotzebue tribes.
More info below
AS WRITTEN
ACCORDING TO THE AKC
A Look Back
An American breed, the Alaskan Malamute was named after the native Innuit tribe called Mahlemuts, who settled in Alaska. They have always been used as sled dogs for heavy freighting in the Arctic. The breed is cousin to the other Arctic breeds: the Samoyed, the Siberian Husky and the American Eskimo dog.
An American breed, the Alaskan Malamute was named after the native Innuit tribe called Mahlemuts, who settled in Alaska. They have always been used as sled dogs for heavy freighting in the Arctic. The breed is cousin to the other Arctic breeds: the Samoyed, the Siberian Husky and the American Eskimo dog.
MY CONCLUSION
After researching, I have come to my own conclusion that the "real" alaskan malamute originally was and is suppose to be a large heavy freighting dog used to haul heavy loads great distance. It is to have great strength and endurance. They were used in the arctic regions to haul heavy weight such as whale. Big enough and powerful enough to fight off polar bear. There is no argument to this.
The AKC standard came from the expeditions to the north pole and the serum run in the 1920 - 1930's. The sled dogs were so successful, they wrote the standard from these dogs. The serum run was a race to get the medicine to Nome to save the people from Diphtheria. These dogs were not large heavy freighting dogs. The real malamute is not built for speed, it is built for strength and endurance. No where is it written that they are to be built for speed. The dogs used in the serum run had to be fast. The well known race called the Iditarod is a race to honor the great serum run. Most dogs today, used for those races are huskies or husky mixed that have been bred for great speed.
I can only believe the real malamutes were M'Loot and I believe the AKC contradicts itself between the standard size being written for racing/speed and the history stating it is not built for speed but for heavy pulling.
I can only believe that because of the AKC, two types of malamute have been developed, the standard (which is small) and the M'Loot which is much larger.
Their have been many people who have attempted to get the AKC changed to accommodate both the smaller and the larger malamutes but the AKC refuses to change. Maybe someday they will.
More on the M'loot and Paul Voelker's role in the malamute today.
Coming soon !!
