Alaskan Malamute question

[Mal]

Hi

I'm new here, so i don't know if this is the right board to ask this question. Forgive me if this is off-topic

I loves dogs, and I'm thinking about getting an Alaskan Malamute, my question is, are Alaskan Malamute loyal?. I heard that they're very friendly breed that like everyone, even thieves that trying to break into your house, is this true?. I need a loyal dog, is the Mal a right breed for me?

thank you for your help

[c0_re]

While there many people on this forum more informed\experienced than me that won't stop me from giving you my .02$

first off I"m new here too, so welcome this is by far the best dog forums on the net and I've done plenty of searching.

My question to you is how much patients\experience do you have with extremely active dogs, how big is your yard, do you have any children, how old are they, how willing are YOU to walk him\her twice every day for ATLEAST 45 minutes a time. Children cannot raise a dog properly, it must first and foremost recognize YOU as his alpha. I'm not expert but owning a dog like a SibHusky or a Malamute is not like having your run of the mill, Lab, retriever, poodle ect.

IMO only serious dog owners willing to invest and sacrifice time and personal freedom in order to provide it with the attention they deserve and need. Not to mention the time needed to research and learn about their personalities\tendencies, exercise, rules, boundaries and limitations. Good luck!


PS....Almost any dog will protect your house from strangers, many people have different definitions of "loyalty" so you may have to be more specific.

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Any dog can be loyal if bonded well, trained well and socialized. Along with whats already been said check out information here as well on deciding what breed of dog would be best. http://www.globalpaw.com/thread13176.html

[Novel]

I can't really add any advice that hasn't already been mentioned, but I did want to tell you I am very happy that you are researching the breed before you get one. There is a dog out there that will fit your needs very very well, you just have to find the right one! Good Luck!

[Mal]

thank you everyone for your quick replies

many people have different definitions of "loyalty" so you may have to be more specific.

Well, I want a dog that would never leave me and know how to protect my house from stranger while I'm gone

[c0_re]

Hmmm I can't comment on protecting the house that really may be a hit or miss.

"Loyalty" to me means the dog stays by side, is extremely obedient and ALWAYS looks to me for direction in questionable\dangerous situations.

The most loyal dog I ever owned was a German Sheppard\husky\lab(mostly GSD) mix she looked like a German Sheppard as far as coloring had the body of a husky and the hair length of some facial features of a lab. Little kids we ran into during our daily walks always thought she was a police dog because of her coloring and how I never used a leash to walk her(not a good idea with 99% dogs, I got very lucky over the 2 year stretch)

And when a stranger came into the house she certainly did a lot of barking growling but I don't think she would have ever attacked. When you talk about dogs that protect you are bumping up against a fine line IMO.

I wouldn't want a protector\police dog living day in and day out with my family unless I was around 100% of the time and that’s just not possible. In my very limited experience protector dogs are what I like call single master dogs and if their master isn’t around some of them can sometimes be unpredictable. Most dogs are taught from puppydom that it's completely unacceptable behavior to ever attack\engage a human being so when you take that black and white distinction away things do tend change.

I hope someone else chimes in that understands this better but I hope what I said helps with your perspective, obviously dogs are not machines, they are living breathing creatures that think and sometimes make decisions on their own so just keep that in mind.

It's great your doing the research, there's deffinetly a dog out there for you somewhere as long as you ahve the time to do it right. Keep asking questions thats how we all learn, personally I make a single topic\reply for about every 100 I read.

[Sayuri]

Hey there, Mal -
I've got a friend in Malamutes and what I've heard from her confirms the opinion that an Alaskan Malamute is more likely to invite a burglar in for coffee than to protect your house from him. This is also a breed I've been told is not the "never leave your side" type - having experience in nordic breeds, I personally am not fond of letting them run offleash, and if I ever chose to get a Mal, the rule would extend to them. Good luck in your search for the perfect dog!

[Mal]

i got another question, hope you guys don't mind

i did a little resreach on the Norwegian Elkhound, and they sound like a very good breed. Does anyone here ever own or experience a Norwegian Elkhound?, if so, how are they?

thanks

[oc_spirit]

Mals are like Sibes, NOT to be trusted offleash, difficult to train, stubborn, independent, but very loveable. A Mal is more likely to defend your home from an intruder than a Sibe but not by much. They will protect you (the owner) though.

My experience with Elkhounds is limited, have only known a couple, but they had the same deal, not to be trusted offleash. Although these guys were more territorial than Mals.

[c0_re]

Hey mal I would read this thread about GSD and what they are like this sounds like the perfect breed for you as long as your willing to dedicate the time and energy into the dog.

http://www.globalpaw.com/showthread.php?t=8882 (Question about German Shepards)

[Novel]

I agree with OC about the Norwegian Elkhound. They are similar to a Mal, but have a bit more of a protective instinct. They are not a very common breed, that I am aware of, so you may want to contact their national club to see if they have more specific information.

www.neaa.net

And here is a page that explains their traits and characteristics. Interesting! http://www.neaa.net/do_you_really_want_to_own.shtml

[IceyBlueSibes]

But also remember.... don't ever solely rely on your dog to be your protection system. If you absolutely need something to protect your home, get an alarm system. Dogs are no match for a weapon that an intruder may carry.

But I agree with the GSD. Very loyal dogs, and can protect you if a situation comes around. They are a very versatile dog.

And, as OC said, Mals as well as the elkhounds shouldn't be trusted off leash. They're stubborn breeds! As I tell everyone else... they're not your family golden retriever!

[Mal]

But also remember.... don't ever solely rely on your dog to be your protection system. If you absolutely need something to protect your home, get an alarm system. Dogs are no match for a weapon that an intruder may carry.

I know, what I'm trying to say is that, I don't want a dog that is tơo friendly to strangers

thank you everyone you guys are big help

[IceyBlueSibes]

That can come with training as well. A GSD would do really well with that... you still need to properly socialize your dog with everyone and everything so it is able to decifer a good situation and a bad one. If you don't train and socialize your dog correctly, you can have a very unstable dog that can become a big liability.

Dobermans are known to be very aloof with strangers, but they are ALOT of work. You have to devote your time to training and socializing the dog. They are velcro dogs and very goofy. There are a few Dobie owners on here, which can give you some good info about them if you are interested in them.

[samans]

Originally Posted by Mal

i did a little resreach on the Norwegian Elkhound, and they sound like a very good breed. thanks

I would not say that the Norwegian Elkhound is a "petdog" it is a pure hunting dog for elk (moose). And off leash - yes definetly, when hunting - how could he find an elk otherwise? They bark and stop the elk, so the hunter can shoot it. But they are very "forest oriented" and do not always like to come back home - sometimes they can bark for a day or two... waiting for the owner to come and get the prey. I wonder what you out in USA or other places have the NE for? Only a Showdog?