Alaskan Malamute Background

Through the ages, the native people have depended on dogs as draft power in their struggle for survival. In the southern territories, these dogs were replaced by hoofed stock; in the north, where climates are severe and life is a constant battle against the elements, these dogs remained an important companion to man, far into the 20th century.

Chief among these breeds are the SAMOYED and the SIBERIAN HUSKY, both developed among indigenous people on the Siberian plateaus, and the ALASKAN MALAMUTE, born among the Mahlemuit Inuit in Alyeska long before Russia sold this magnificent, brutal land to the U.S. government.

The Mahlemuit people mainly inhabited the upper part of the Anvik river in Alaska, but were also spread over a wide region. The Malamute was used to haul food back to the villages. It was used as a heavy freighting dog, able to pull a tremendous amount of weight over long distances at a steady pace. The Malamute dog is sturdy, intelligent and has great endurance.

The Mahlemuit people were kind and gentle to their dogs, so the Malamutes had to contend only with the harsh climates and not the cruel practices of some other Arctic natives.

Females in heat were sometimes staked out for wolves to breed and the toughness and adaptability of the Malamute stock was replenished. The success of the hunt determined the amount of food necessary for both humans and dogs; in times of scarcity, the dogs often battled each other for the meager scraps
that were available.

The gold rush of 1896 increased the use of sled dogs and races were held to emphasize their value. The need for speed jeopardised the Malamute, for this was a heavy draft dog, capable of pulling great weights but not built for swiftness, so the Mal was crossbred with a variety of lighter, faster dogs and purebreds were almost lost.

Today there are essentially two different "kinds" of Alaskan Malamutes. One line is referred to as the M'Loot and the other is the Kotzbue. One difference between these two lines is the size of the dog. M'Loot Mals are much larger. True Kotzbues have only wolf-grey coats whereas M'Loots come in a variety of colors, including wolf-grey, black and white, sable and white, seal and blue and white.

Amongst breeders, there is one argument as to which is the "correct" Malamute. In spite of this, Alaskan Malamutes are credited as one of few breeds that is very close to it's original form and function.