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Thread: Maulamute Advice

  1. #1
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    Default Maulamute Advice

    Well, I'm going ahead and writing here because it looks pretty certain (though not totally a done deal yet) that we will be getting an eight year old rescue Malamute Lady to keep our young (and overly active) elk hound company for his middle years.

    The first introduction was done as advised by a friend who does dog rescue by walking them down the path together, wearing them both out and then letting them grrr at each other in his courtyard territory. By the end of it, she was falling asleep between grrrs (it was very cute, she's been a Mommy and lives with an alpha son). So we suspect that while we may have a few weeks doing slow introductions (she's very house trained, well lead trained and is at the age where sleeping in front of the fire is an attractive way to spend the afternoon); it looks like its going to work.

    As soon as husband is back from Sweden (in about two weeks) we'll be taking her for a trial weekend and hopefully moving her in for longer periods until her person has to leave in August. We may speed things up if all adjustments go well.

    She's never been around cats, but didn't seem overly interested and again we plan on the slow introduction (although one of the barn cats came up to say hi and she didn't really seem to care).

    She's originally from the US, and has been in Ireland for a number of years. She had pups when she was about a year old and has always lived with her adult son, who another family is taking. We can't have two alpha males or we might have taken him too; but I haven't lived with serious Wolf-type dogs since I lived with the wolves in Denver in the 1980's and we had those from five weeks of age. Our elkhounds are wolf-dogs but their personalities are frozen at about six months of age and have been bred for thousands of years to love people and be big, fuzzy companions.

    Though are male has been somewhat of a throwback and a bit wild, which is why we had him neutered and why we have been looking for a friend for him, since our older female died. We tried and eight year old elkhound bitch with him, but he just drove her crazy; which is why a dog 1/3 again his size seems like a good idea.

    Anyway, that's sort of the situation; but since we've got a couple of weeks before "Princess" comes to live with us, I thought I'd ask if anyone else has experience with Maulamutes; and also if they have advice for the less experienced dog owner? I'm mostly a cat person, though I did get along well with the wolves and Princess reminded me of them a lot (especially the male wolf who we often called "great big lug"). She doesn't seem to have a nervous bone in her body, which I gather can be a problem with sled dogs. We have no children and she will be on a led or pen when they are around.

    She is also crate trained so we are building her a den under the stairs near my husband's office. My guess is that she's going to pick a family member (wolves do) once she adjusts to being away from her current Mommy (that's going to be heartbreaking but there's no help for it).

    Since she's older and slowly down, I don't imagine we'll need to chain her to logs or do some of the things I've seen sled dog owners do to keep them exercised and entertained, but again I'm open to any and all advice.

    We don't expect the adjustment to be totally smooth and we don't expect the dogs to love each other right away; but anything I can do to make it easier is helpful. We started by sending each dog an old shirt with all the smells on them and they both sleep with their shirts, so that's another good sign.

    I'm looking forward to this, though I feel very sorry for the young women who is having to give up her pets. She's having to leave the country and is moving first to Sweden, where they just are not an option. I'm not sure she could afford to take the back to the US, even if she was going there first. But I know she feels better about them going to good homes.

    Princess visits our kitchen
    expatriate Californian living in rural Ireland with husband, dogs, horses. garden and many, many cats

  2. #2
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    I have an older female Mal. We took her in when my uncle had to move to an Alzheimer's facility. I have known his dog all of her life, so it was an adjustment for her, but not a huge one.

    She is a WONDERFUL dog. The Malamute personality can't be beat. Very sweet and loving dogs. Big teddy bears. They tend to love everybody, so not a watchdog, though their tendency to be silent watchers (most never bark) unnerves a lot of folks when they come to the gate. Howling seems to be reserved for greeting of their packmates (humans too!) and dinner time.

    The females want to be alpha, so they do best with a male or very submissive female. My Mal bitch gets along great with the young Black Lab/Golden Retriever female I brought home a year ago, but the pup is pretty submissive in nature. The Malamute breed is notorious for chasing cats...yet the Mal we have absolutely loves my mother's cat when she stays with my parents. Must say, he is a bold, fearless cat, so gives her no reason to chase him. They play like old friends, cuffing and romping.

    The biggest problem with Mals, and huskies in general, is roaming. I've NEVER known one to stay in the yard without a fence. They want to travel, meet new people, and do new things. They LOVE roaming the woods. This girl we have had never spent a day off-leash until she came here. I have a large fenced back-yard and a doggy door flapping 24/7 to the house, so she is in heaven having that much freedom.

    If I had to guess, the roaming problem would be the one big thing to watch and plan for. And be sure that she is truly indifferent to the cats. Otherwise, you will love the Malamute. :) Sweetest dog on the planet!

  3. #3
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    Oh, lucky, lucky you! I have to say that our Mal (whom we nick-named "Norman Oooh" - the old song, Norman, ooooooo - because she never made a sound except for a low, gutteral oooo every once in a while when getting a good scratching) was one of my favorite dogs ever, and I've had literally dozens. They certainly do love to roam and ours was lucky enough to live with us when I lived in the mountains above town, no fences and few people. Very, very sweet-tempered and high-energy, though not obnoxiously so. One of her favorite things (mine too) was going sledding with us teenagers; she'd race us down the looooooong hill and as soon as we tumbled off (sometimes one or two of us would still be on it!) she'd grab the tow rope and race back up to the top and wait for us to do it again.
    I think you will enjoy having her and while you no doubt must keep her fenced, as long as she can get some good walks in she will likely adapt to her new home well. Good luck with her and have fun!!
    And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I Thess. 5:23

  4. #4
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    Thanks that helps a lot, we know she's likely to be an escape artist and will have to work on the cats. We also noticed the laid back personality, sort of big white teddy bear effect too; so that's great.

    I'll keep folks posted on how it goes,
    DC
    expatriate Californian living in rural Ireland with husband, dogs, horses. garden and many, many cats

  5. #5
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    alder, we had a malamute/husky/wolf dog growing up. he was the best thing in the world. everything you said sounded JUST like our dog (except the watchdog part, he was actually a really great watchdog)

    and the wandering, yes! he was so funny. he wandered EVERYWHERE.

    happiest and best dog i have ever seen
    float like a butterfly...

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  6. #6
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    Looks like Wednesday is moving day for The Princess, just finalizing the details now-her person has to move sooner than expected and her son Harley is already with his new family (including a 12 year old boy who is obviously in love with a dog as big as he is). Will post more when things are sorted and thanks for all the advice!
    expatriate Californian living in rural Ireland with husband, dogs, horses. garden and many, many cats

  7. #7
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    Jan 2011
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    Pretty dog.

    The best of luck, DC. Wish I could give specific advice - I know nothing about malamutes. My personal experience is that adoptions usually go better when there are already other animals in the home - I expect your other pets will make her feel more comfortable. I have found this to work even with rabbits.

    Re the cats, our dog is a shameless cat chaser when out on leash, but is buddies with our own little cat. (BTW, thanks for your post last March on experience with bathing cats) The cat is a huntress, but leaves my half-grown cochin bantams alone - they just seem to know.

    Faroe

  8. #8
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    Hey,

    Can't speak to Mal's specifically, but to dogs in general.

    They have to establish a pecking order. Sometimes that goes really easy, with one dog submitting easily, no problems. At other times, as with our Boxers, it's a fight until one submits. We had a father and son that never submitted, had to separate them.

    Hope yours goes well.
    Wise Men Still Seek Him

  9. #9
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    That's why we did not take Princess's son, Harley because we knew that our Thorulfr would never give in and because of the size difference, one would probably kill the other; since both are very alpha males. As it turns out, Harley, who was thought not to like men has settled in happily with a family consisting of Mom, Dad and 12 year old boy the same size he is. I think this is the result of a very alpha male and a "pack mate" that seems about the same age to him.

    Since Princess is female, we are hoping that she will put Thorulfr in his place without really hurting him. She's about 1/3 again his size, he's not small and he's also an Arctic wolf-type dog (from Norway) but he totally dominated the little female elkhound we tried as our first rescue choice. Her person wasn't used to big dogs and was terrified, I think we could have gotten them used to each other but in the long run it may have been for the best.

    Thorulfr needs a companion, and the first little female might never have adjusted and we'd have been back to the upstairs dog/downstairs dog we had the last couple of year of Skadi's old age. When our elderly female got too old, her lively buddy just got too much for her and we had to mostly separate them, though not all the time. Now, that she's gone, Thorulfr missing both having a female and having a any doggie playmates at all, husband works at home and tries to wear him out, but it just isn't the same.

    Still, we know we are going to have a rough couple of weeks, while our "wolvies" sort things out. The first introduction was on a long walk, we'll probably get back very late tomorrow night so keep Princess in the house and then do re-introductions in the morning. Thankfully, she is used to living mostly indoors with outdoor walks and runs; so we can keep taking her to the back yard on a lead and let them argue about their pecking order, until they settle things.

    My hope is that being an Alaskan sled dog, after she and Thorulfr get used to each other and hopefully "mate" (both are fixed), she will enjoy outside enough to want to spend a lot of time in the court yard, coming inside when she has had enough of the younger one.

    We shall see, tomorrow is pick up day baring something unforeseen happening. I know this is just gut wrenching for Princesses current owner who has had her since she was eight weeks old, but there just is no way for her to take the dog when she moves. And she feels we are a much better choice than the no-kill shelter.
    expatriate Californian living in rural Ireland with husband, dogs, horses. garden and many, many cats

  10. #10
    Sonya_610 Guest

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    Never had a Malamute but have had some macho dogs.

    Understanding canine language helps a lot. First off, it isn't a "fight" until there is blood. Growling, snapping, high drama is an "argument" or a "discussion" so do not confuse the two even though your adrenaline will skyrocket. Doesn't mean do not separate if it was bad and escalating on both parts.

    Learn canine "calming signals". Yawning is a calming signal, averting eyes, turning away from the other is a calming signal. Basically it means "chill out-- I am not being aggressive, I want peace".

    If in doubt give a time out. Also be careful when it comes to toys/chewies/cats/food/other exciting items until things are firmly established.

    Things will probably be fine. Rescue dogs are scared, torn out of their environment and away from their "pack". Give them a safe place, lots of encouragement, and realize when quiet time is needed.

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