Often I get emails from potential Alaskan Malamute owners regarding raising a puppy.
It can be a challenge, but if you follow a few general rules, you will have a healthier relationship with your dog when it grows up.
1.
Can I allow my Alaskan Malamute to share my bed and still be considered alpha to him/her? No, not for sleeping.
It is OK to let him up on the bed IF you can tell him when to get off or move.
If the dog gets snarly or stubborn, no more bed until the attitude improves.
Feel free to get physical and PUSH them off if necessary - it's not OK to ask fluffy get off, fluffy get off, fluffy please get off? - fluffy will not respect you.
Tell fluffy off once, and push her stubborn butt onto the floor! 2.
How long should I take off work to stay home with the puppy initially? The more you're home, the faster potty training will go, as well as establishing your role as pack leader.
At least a couple of weeks is good, more if possible.
Remember, a puppy can only hold it for as little as 2 hours for the first 2-3 months and a little longer after that.
Some puppies potty train quickly, others can take up to a year to be reliable.
Make sure your family is on board with the rules.
If you allow the dog on the bed and another family member does not, you are going to confuse the puppy and potentially cause aggression from not being consistent.
It is better to be stricter when young, than allow some behavior to get out of control (such as nipping and growling).
Rule of thumb: If it's not something you want a 90 lb.
malamute to do when it's an adult, don't allow it as a puppy! A snarly biting adult is not cute, though it may be cute and funny in a puppy.
Correct it or you will have a snarly biting adult.
Most bad habits are established in the first 6 months of life.
3.
Do you recommend obedience classes for socialization purposes? Yes, as long as the trainer does not use yanking and jerking methods.
It must be 99% positive reinforcement - praise, treats, pets.
Malamutes will either ace the class as a child prodegy, or embarrass you to death.
Be prepared for both scenarios! (And remember, the prodegy may come home and get into tons of trouble and conveniently forget everything learned.
) 4.
Should I immediately begin bringing the puppy around other dogs to get her used to them as playmates and not enemies? Yes, look for as many friendly dogs as you can find.
Avoid aggressive dogs.
Dog parks are a bad idea, since more structure is better.
Some good scenarios are being supervised in a neighbor's yard, walking with other dogs on leash, or a puppy kindergarten class.
Also, a Malamute should never be off leash in an unfenced area.
They are totally unreliable in this way.
I have a friend with many obedience titles on her Malamutes and she spent one weekend chasing them around a park because they wouldn't come.
5.
Do you recommend free feeding or scheduled feedings? Free feeding will cause most Alaskan Malamutes to weigh 900 lbs.
They are terrible free feeders and will gorge until there is no food left.
I have a couple that might be able to do it (they are really picky eaters!), but most do not do well free feeding, especially with other pets in the house.
Put the cat food up high, or they will eat it all.
Expect starving desperate looks even if they are well fed, and many have been known to eat whole bags of dog food when it was left out (terribly dangerous, as the food can swell and they will die of bloat - within MINUTES).
They are NOT starving, but will attempt to convince you they are.
You must be tough.
When you give a treat, give a TINY piece, not a whole biscuit.
You do a dog no favors getting him fat.
Curiously, it seems the fatter they get, the more they act like they are staving.
6.
What do you feel is the most effective positive reinforcer for good behavior? Food - occasionally praise.
Mostly food.
Food.
More Food.
Of course, the problem becomes, how do I praise a dog that is 900 lbs? You have to find something else that pushes his buttons.
Every one is different.
For some dogs it is praise, others it may be a walk, a squeaky toy, or for some it is just pleasing you.
You have to get to know your dog to know which buttons work best.
For example, one of our dogs, Jazzy, is a sucker for attention - she likes being first to get petted and lots of praise.
She loves being allowed to cuddle on the bed.
She likes to feel important.
That's her button.
She will gladly take food of course, but it is not really as effective as attention for her.
7.
How do you balance showing your dog unconditional love while at the same time maintaining your alphaness? Make rules and stick to them, dogs do not want unconditional love - that is a people thing.
Your dog wants to please you because you are the boss.
So act boss-like (be confident, follow through when you ask him to do something).
Make the rules, enforce rules, expect obedience (not that you will get it).
He wants to serve (when he doesn't have his own agenda).
He doesn't want you fawning all over him for nothing.
If you give unconditional love, you will never get it.
Your dog must do something for every pet, every tidbit, every thing you do with him or he will think he is the alpha and never respect you.
If you want to give unconditional love, give it to your kids.
(They won't appreciate you either, but you can try).
Owning an Alaskan Malamute is a step up from the average dog - it means you will need to learn more about pack behavior and hierarchy than you planned.
However, the benefits are enormous.
Malamutes are intelligent, funny, and a very special breed.