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Husky Vs Malamute

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  • 02-04-2009 9:57am
    #1
    Vas_Guy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 436 ✭✭


    I was wondering what peoples opinions are of the differences between Siberian Huskys and Alaskan Malamutes.

    I've been told that huskys are more social than malamutes, malamutes are not good in a pack.

    Any views would be welcome.


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    #2
    ISDW
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,378 ✭✭✭ISDW


    I've got sibes and a mal of my own, and had a few of both breeds here to stay.

    My own mal is a bitch, and gets on very well with some of my dogs (male and female) but not so great with a couple of the others (both bitches). However, one of the dogs that she doesn't get on with is a sibe, so I don't know who's 'fault' that is really, they just growl at each other if they have to walk past each other etc. However, they live together every day, and have even been known to sleep next to each other. My mal generally has got on well with the rescue dogs that have come in, and she is playing very, very nicely with a 3 month old puppy, whereas one of my sibe bitches growls at him if he goes too close and doesn't always get on with the rescues.

    One of my sibe males (who I would say is the alpha male in the pack) doesn't get on very well with other dogs, however, he does share his home with 10 other dogs, so he's not too bad. He will sometimes try and go for other dogs though when we're out. I've had him since he was 9 weeks old and he's always been like this, the day that we brought him home, he stood himself in the corner of the kitchen barking at the other dogs (none of whom were going near him, or bothering him in anyway).

    Both sibes and malamutes were bred to pull sleds, mals were just meant for longer distances, more endurance. Both breeds were (and still are) expected to work as part of a team with other dogs. I think that mals can be a little more dominant, and will push their luck with their humans, but if they know you mean no, then, in my experience, they won't argue.

    At the moment I have 3 female mals in rescue, 2 of them mix very well with the other dogs, they spend most of their day out playing in a field, with both males and females. The other one recently had pups, so I haven't integrated her yet, but she used to live with another female mal, sharing a pen with her.

    My own preference is for sibes, just because they are 'my breed' if you like. However, all of the mals that I've met have been fantastic, and I've found them generally to be more cuddly than the sibes. They are apparently more loyal than sibes and slightly easier to train:D My own mal loves her food, so I can get her to do basically anything for a treat.

    I think that, with all breeds, it is the way they are raised that has the biggest bearing on their behaviour. Obviously mals are larger than sibes, and they allegedly don't try to escape as much, although mine used to force her way under a gate until it was reinforced, but that was to get back to me, rather than to run away.


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