Siberian Husky vs. Alaskan Malmamute

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Siberian Husky vs. Alaskan Malmamute

Many people mix up the Siberian Husky with the Alaskan malamute. It's an easy mistake to make because the two breeds are very similar in apearence. well, he's where you can find out the differences between the Malamute and Husky

Alaskan Malamute

TEMPERMENT

Alaskan Malamutes are a very people friendly breed and demand a lot of attention. They are often described as "big teddy bears"because of their love of attention. They are a very pack-oriented breed and therefore do best when included in the family rather than shut outside away from the rest of the "pack." Since they are pack oriented, Malamutes are generally not "one-man" dogs.
They are an extremely intelligent breed that can be very stubborn and easily bored. They are not typically recommended to a first-time dog owner as mistakes are easy to make and sometimes hard to correct unless you really know what you are doing.
They can be a challenge to train, due to their stubbornness. It is said that to teach a Malamute to do something once or twice is very easy, because they are quite intelligent and quickly learn new tasks. To get them to repeatedly do something over and over again is much more challenging, due to their stubbornness and the fact that they become easily bored. This trait is quite common in all of the northern breeds. The sheer size of the Malamute can become an obstacle to novice dog owners. Many Malamutes end up in the pound and even destroyed because an owner fell in love with the cute puppy but could not control the large, stubborn, powerful adult.

Owing to their strong pack nature, Malamutes can be more aggressive towards other dogs than other breeds. Because of this, great care should be taken on the part of the owner to socialize their Malamute puppy as much as possible with other dogs.

Due to the character of the Malamute, they should never be actively trained to be protective, vicious, or aggressive. Their very nature makes them lousy watch dogs. It is against their instincts to make them into watch or guard type dogs. It has been tried in the past with disastrous results. They are a visual deterrent only, as the uninitiated may be hesitant to approach property or family
in the company of such a large, impressive looking animal. However, Malamutes are as likely to greet a potential thief as warmly as a trusted family member. This is part of what makes a Malamute a Malamute.

BARKING, TALKING and HOWLING

Alaskan Malamutes are rather quiet dogs. They generally do not bark at all. They do tend to "talk," however. The best way to describe the talking is to recall Chewbacca, the Wookie in the movie "Star Wars." It is sort of a soft "woo woo woo" sound. Malamutes can howl the roof right off of your house however. Owners of multiple Malamutes have noticed that when their dogs
howl, they will all stop simultaneously. Again, this behavior is due to the fact that they are a very pack-oriented breed.

HISTORY
Alaskan Malamutes originated with a group of native Innuits known as the Mahlemiut. The dogs of that time were very large freighting dogs capable of pulling heavy weight in extreme conditions. The Mahlemiut people mainly inhabited the upper part of the Anvik river in Alaska, but were 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 gold rush of 1896
created a high demand for these dogs.

Today, there are essentially two different "kinds" of Alaskan Malamutes. One line is referred to as the M'Loot and the other is the Kotzebue. One difference between these two lines is the size of the dog. M'Loot Malamutes are larger than the Kotzebue's. Inaddition, true Kotzebues have only wolf-gray coats, whereas M'Loots come in a variety of colors, including wolf-gray, black and white, sable and white, seal, blue, and white. Kotzebues also tend to be less aggressive than the M'loot, however they can be more hyper. The Kotzebue line is essentially due to Arthur Walden, and Milton and Eva Seeley. In fact, it was Milton and Eva that got the Kotzebue line recognized and registered by the AKC in 1935. Paul Voelker developed the M'Loot line. Paul did not register his dogs, but he sold them to people who eventually did. Amongst breeders, there is some argument as to which is the "correct" Malamute. In spite of this, Alaskan Malamutes are credited as one of the few breeds that is very close to its original form andfunction.

Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is, and has for centuries been, a purebred DOG -- not a wild, half-wolf, cross-bred creature, as the uninformed may suggest. The breed was originally developed by the Chukchi people of northeastern Asia as an endurance sled dog. In 1909, the first large numbers of these Chukchi dogs were brought to Alaska to compete in the long-distance All-Alaska Sweepstakes races, and the Alaskan dog drivers quickly recognized the ability of these huskies from Siberia.

In the winter of 1925, when a diphtheria epidemic broke out in the isolated town of Nome, Alaska, a relay of dog teams brought life-saving serum from distant Neana. The heroic endeavor earned national prominence for the drivers and their dogs. One of these drivers, Leonhard Seppala, brought his team of Siberian Huskies, descendants of the original imports from Siberia, to the United States on a personal appearance tour. While in New England, he competed in sled dog races and again proved the superiority of Siberian Huskies over the native dogs. The New England drivers and pioneer fanciers acquired foundation stock, earned AKC recognition for the breed in 1930, and founded the Siberian Husky Club of America in 1938.

The Siberian Husky has a delightful temperament, affectionate but not fawning. This gentle and friendly disposition may be a heritage from the past, since the Chukchi people held their dogs in great esteem, housed them in the family shelters, and encouraged their children to play with them. Today, it is charming to observe the special appeal that Siberian Huskies and children have for each other. The Siberian Husky is alert, eager to please, and adaptable. His intelligence has been proven, but his independent spirit may at times challenge your ingenuity. His versatility makes him an agreeable companion to people of all ages and varying interests.

While capable of showing strong affection for his family, the Siberian Husky is not usually a one-man dog. He exhibits no fear or suspicion of strangers, and will greet guests cordially. This is not the temperament of a watchdog, although a Siberian Husky may unwittingly act as a deterrent to those ignorant of his true hospitable nature. If he lacks a fierce possessive instinct, he also lacks the aggressive quality which can sometimes cause trouble for the owner of an ill-trained or highly sensitive guard dog. In his relations with strange dogs, the Siberian Husky displays friendly interest and gentlemanly decorum. If attacked, however, he is ready and able to defend himself, and can handle the aggressor with dispatch.

The Siberian Husky is a comparatively easy dog to care for. He is by nature fastidiously clean and is free from body odor and parasites. He is presented in the show ring well-groomed but requires no clipping or trimming. At least once a year the Siberian Husky sheds his coat, and it is then, when armed with a comb and a bushel basket, that one realizes the amazing density and profusion of the typical Siberian Husky coat. Some people feel that this periodic problem is easier to cope with than the constant shedding and renewal of many smooth-coated breeds.

Chewing and digging? Siberian Huskies have been known to do their share. The former is a habit that most puppies of all breeds acquire during the teething period, and it can be curbed or channeled in the right direction. Digging holes is a pastime that many Siberian Huskies have a special proclivity for, but in this, too, they may be outwitted, circumvented, of if you have the right area, indulged.

The Siberian Husky is noted as an "easy keeper," requiring a relatively small amount of food for his size. This trait, too, may be traced to the origins of the breed, as the Chukchis developed their dogs to pull a light load at a fast pace over great distances in low temperatures on the smallest possible intake of food.

There is one final characteristic of the Siberian Husky which we must point out -- their desire to RUN. There are many breeds of dogs which, when let out in the morning, will sit in the front yard all day. Not the Siberian Husky. His heritage has endowed him with the desire to run and his conformation has given him the ability to enjoy it effortlessly. But, one quick lope across a busy street could be the last run that he enjoys, ever.

In addition to the Siberian Husky, there are two other Arctic breeds, the Alaskan Malamute and the Samoyed, recognized by the American Kennel Club. These three recognized breeds are to be distinguished from the various cross-breds known collectively as Alaskan huskies.

From the Siberian husky Club of America

This is Rosey

Is she part Husky and Malamute??