Different strokes for different folks! These are a few pluses and negatives. Everyone wants something different, and so that means there is no right or wrong type of dog, just as there is no right or wrong breed, and no dog is "better" or "inferior" to another. This page is simply a tool to give you some ideas of what to expect within the various types & sizes of Alaskan Malamutes available today, in order to help you make the right descion for your life style.

If you have anything you would like me to add to either list, nicely email me with your suggestions.

Giant Alaskan Malamute:
Pluses:

1. Very goofy, class clown-type personalities.
2. Entertaining to watch.
3. Very easy to get along with.
4. Eager to please.
5. More emotionally in tune with you.
6. Seems to care about you as top priority.
5. Less stubborn.
6. More loyal.
7. More like a Lab then a Northern breed.

Negatives
1. More health problems.
2. Can't run very far or fast after 3 years old.
3. Shorter life span (8-10 years)
4. Pro-longed puppy hood (the larger a dog will be, the longer they take to reach maturity).
5. This means you will be dealing with a gigantic puppy for 3 years and then it will pass at 8 to 10 years.
6. Eats a LOT. Don't be fooled.
A 150 pound dog eats exactly as much as you'd
expect a dog that huge to eat (12 cups a day. So a 40 lb bag will last around 3 weeks)
7. And then they eat so much that they can't do their job.
8. Passes large amounts of gas
9. Clumsy.
10. A lot of grief from the public, police, and neighbors, for no reason what-so-ever, you may not even know the real reason. They may "ooh and ahh" and be all smiles to your dog's face, but behind your back they are probably at town hall meetings discussing how to get you and your giant dog out of their neighborhood.
No matter how gentle your dog is, people simply don't even like the site
of them (after they've walked away & think about it) and will often do what ever it takes to get you in trouble.
It may become depressing when you realize you've slowly begun leaving your best friend out of events,
gatherings, and trips/ walks and more, because you can't take the heat.

Standard Alaskan Malamute:

Pluses:
1. Energetic.
2. Can accomapny you any where.
3. Easier to take along places.
4. No heat from the public (the general public does NOT like giant dogs! Not deep down they don't)
5. Great for ski-jouring, dog sledding, jogging, hiking, kids, ect.
6. Uses common sense.
7. Won't run out on thin ice or off the end of a cliff.
8. Can do what they were bred to do.
9. Odorless.
10. Eat significantly less
11. Agile & quick. This goes for thinking as well.
12. Less "accident" prone.

Negatives:
1. Sometimes too high of energy.
2. Remember: high physical energy means high mental energy, & in the dog world,
that can mean getting into trouble if not kept well stimulated/educated.
3. Stubborn/ hard headed
4. More of a "don't get mad get even" attitude.
5. More destructive. Don't be fooled: the smaller the dog (of nearly any breed) the higher the energy.
And that equals more destruction, chewing, refusal of training, using their waste to their advantage, and so on.
Even though a giant dog has the capability to destroy more things,
they generally don't, because they don't have the energy.