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Breedstandard for Alaskan Malamute
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| General Appearance: |
The Alaskan Malamute, one
of the oldest Arctic sled dogs, is a powerful and substantially built
dog with a deep chest and strong, well-muscled body. The Malamute stands
well over the pads, and this stance gives the appearance of much
activity and a proud carriage, with head erect and eyes alert showing
interest and curiosity. The head is broad. Ears are triangular and erect
when alerted. The muzzle is bulky, only slight diminishing in width from
root to nose. The muzzle is not pointed or long, yet not stubby. The
coat is thick with a coarse guard coat of sufficient length to protect a
woolly undercoat. Malamutes are of various colors. Face markings are a
distinguishing feature. These consist of a cap over the head, the face
either all white or marked with a bar and/or mask. The tail is well
furred, carried over the back, and has the appearance of a waving plume.
The Malamute must be a heavy boned dog with sound legs, good feet, deep
chest and powerful shoulders, and have all of the other physical
attributes necessary for the efficient performance of his job. The gait
must be steady,
balanced, tireless and totally efficient. He is not intended as a racing
sled dog designed to compete in speed trials. The Malamute is structured
for strength and endurance, and any characteristic of the individual
specimen, including temperament, which interferes with the
accomplishment of this purpose, is to be considered the most serious of
faults.
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| Size, Proportion,
Substance: |
There is a natural range
in size in the breed. The desirable freighting sizes are males, 25
inches at the shoulders, 85 pounds; females, 23 inches at the shoulders,
75 pounds. However, size consideration should not outweigh that of type,
proportion, movement and other functional attributes. When dogs are
judged equal in type, proportion, movement, the dog nearest the
desirable freighting size is to be preferred. The depth of chest is
approximately one half the height of the dog at the shoulders, the
deepest point being just behind the forelegs. The length of the body
from point of shoulder to the rear point of pelvis is longer than the
height of the body from ground to top of the withers. The body carries
no excess weight, and bone is in proportion to size
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| Temperament: |
The Alaskan Malamute is
an affectionate, friendly dog, not a "one man" dog. He is a loyal,
devoted companion, playful in invitation, but generally impressive by
his dignity after maturity.
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| Head: |
The head is broad and
deep, not coarse or clumsy, but in proportion to the size of the dog.
The expression is soft and indicates an affectionate disposition. The
eyes are obliquely placed in the skull. Eyes are brown, almond shaped
and of medium size. Dark eyes are preferred. Blue Eyes are a
Disqualifying Fault. The ears are of medium size, but small in
proportion to the head. The ears are triangular in shape and slightly
rounded at the tips. They are set wide apart on the outside back edges
of the skull on line with the upper corner of the eye, giving ears the
appearance, when erect, of standing off from the skull. Erect ears point
slightly forward, but when the dog is at work, the ears are sometimes
folded against the skull. High setears are a fault.
The skull is broad and moderately rounded between the ears, gradually
narrowing and flattening on top as it approaches the eyes, rounding off
to cheeks that are moderately flat. There is a slight furrow between the
eyes.
The topline of the skull and the topline of the muzzle show a slight
break downward from a straight line as they join. The muzzle is large
and bulky in proportion to the size of the skull, diminishing slightly
in width and depth from junction with the skull to the nose. In all coat
colors, except reds, the nose, lips, and eye rims' pigmentation is black.
Brown is permitted in
red dogs. The lighter streaked "snow nose" is acceptable. The lips are
close fitting. The upper and lower jaws are broad with large teeth. The
incisors meet with a scissors grip. Overshot or undershot is a fault.
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| Neck, Topline, Body: |
The neck is strong and
moderately arched. The chest is well developed. The body is compactly
built but not short coupled. The back is straight and gently sloping to
the hips. The loins are hard and well muscled. A long loin that may
weaken the back is a fault. The tail is moderately set and follows the
line of the spine at the base. The tail is carried over the back when
not working. It is not a snap tail or curled tight against the back, nor
is it short furred like a fox brush. The Malamute tail is well furred
and has the appearance of a waving plume.
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| Forequarters: |
The shoulders are
moderately sloping; forelegs heavily boned and muscled, straight to the
pasterns when viewed from the front. Pasterns are short and strong and
slightly sloping when viewed from the side. The feet are of the snowshoe
type, tight and deep, with well-cushioned pads, giving a firm, compact
appearance. The feet are large, toes tight fitting and well arched.
There is a protective growth of hair between the toes. The pads are
thick and tough; toenails short and strong.
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| Hindquarters: |
The rear legs are broad
and heavily muscled through the thighs; stifles moderately bent; hock
joints are moderately bent and well let down. When viewed from the rear,
the legs stand and move true in line with the movement of the front
legs, not too close or too wide. Dewclaws on the rear legs are
undesirable and should be removed shortly after puppies are whelped.
(NB! Removal of dewclaws is not legal in Denmark). |
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| Gait: |
The gait of the Malamute
is steady, balanced, and powerful. He is agile for his size and build.
When viewed from the side, the hindquarters exhibit strong rear drive
that is transmitted through a well-muscled loin to the forequarters. The
forequarters receive the drive from the rear with a smooth reaching
stride. When viewed from the front or from the rear, the legs move true
in line, not too close or too wide. At a fast trot, the feet will
converge toward the centerline of the body. A stilted gait, or any gait
that is not completely efficient and tireless, is to be penalized.
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| Coat: |
The Malamute has a thick,
coarse guard coat, never long and soft. The undercoat is dense, from one
to two inches in depth, oily and woolly. The coarse guard coat varies in
length as does the undercoat. The coat is relatively short to medium
along the sides of the body, with the length of the coat increasing
around the shoulders and neck, down the back, over the
rump, and in the breeching and plume. Malamutes usually have a shorter
and less dense coat during the summer months. The Malamute is shown
naturally.
Trimming is not acceptable except to provide a clean cut appearance of
feet.
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Color: |
The usual colors range from light
gray through intermediate shadings to
black, sable, and shadings of sable to red. Color combinations are
acceptable in undercoats, points, and trimmings. The only solid color
allowable is all white. White is always the predominant color on
underbody,
parts of legs, feet, and part of face markings. A white blaze on the
forehead and/or collar or a spot on the nape is attractive and
acceptable.
The Malamute is mantled, and broken colors extending over the body or
uneven splashing are undesirable. |
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Summary: |
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IMPORTANT: In judging Malamutes, their function as a
sledge dog for heavy freighting in the Arctic must be given
consideration above all else. The degree to which a dog is penalized
should depend upon the extent to which the dog deviates from the
description of the ideal Malamute and the extent to which the particular
fault would actually affect the working ability of
the dog. The legs of the Malamute must indicate unusual strength and
tremendous propelling power. Any indication of unsoundness in legs and
feet, front or rear, standing or moving, is to be considered a serious
fault.
Faults under this provision would be splay-footedness,
cowhocks, bad pasterns, straight shoulders, lack of angulation, stilted
gait (or any gait that isn't balanced, strong and steady), ranginess,
shallowness, ponderousness, lightness of bone, and poor overall
proportion.
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