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Alaskan Malamute

The Alaskan Malamute was developed by the Mahlemiut people of Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska as a heavy-freight sled dog, distinct from the lighter racing-line Siberian Husky.

Calculate Alaskan Malamute age
Lifespan11.3 yrrange 11–12
SizeLargeWorking Group
Weight75–85 lb34–38.6 kg
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10

Gallery (3)

About

About the Alaskan Malamute

The Alaskan Malamute was developed by the Mahlemiut people of Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska as a heavy-freight sled dog, distinct from the lighter racing-line Siberian Husky. The breed was designated Alaska's state dog in 2010.

Aging

How Alaskan Malamutes age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 11.3 years (n=2,822). Chondrodysplasia (Malamute dwarfism) is the defining inherited concern — near-eliminated by mandatory breed-club DNA testing — with polyneuropathy and juvenile cataracts (OFA moderate) secondary.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 11.3 yr · range 11–12Senior careSenior at 6 · geriatric at 10Common health issues8 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
75–85 lb(34–38.6 kg)
Height
23–25 in(58.4–63.5 cm)
Coat type
Double
Colors
Gray & WhiteBlack & WhiteRed & WhiteSeal & WhiteSilver & WhiteWhiteSable & WhiteBlue & WhiteAgouti & White
Temperament

Temperament

How Alaskan Malamutes tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

affectionateloyalplayfuldignified
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~5 yr

    Hypothyroidism

    Description and veterinary guidance for Hypothyroidism land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Alaskan Malamute physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.