# Very excited Malamute. HELP WHAT DO I DO?



## BarbaraT (Sep 24, 2012)

Hi, 
I have an Alaskan Malamute, she is 15 months old and I think, has hit the teenage years. 

We go to training classes and she can sit, lie down, stay ect., When she wants to, but gets board easily then looks at me as if to say "I could if I wanted to, but I don't want to, so I won't". 

She is great out on walks and mixes with other dogs well. I never take her off the lunge line as she would not come back. I know this is a trait with Mals so we don't have an issue, she happily trots off in front and walk at heel along the road when asked.

I walk her twice a day for about an hour and half each time. We use a Canny Dog halti which is great. Reading other threads I think I will buy a harness as well because she can slip her head out of any collar I put on her, even if it is as tight as I can safely do up. 

But when I get home she goes mental, racing around the garden and the house, then jumps onto the sofa that I allow the dogs to lie on and starts to dig. She has ruined one old sofa this way already.

If I tell her to get off she either ignores me or jumps up at me barking. She mouths but never bites. I know she is trying to stamp her authority on me and I don't know how to break the cycle.

I have tried getting her on the ground and lying across her until she calms down and gives out a big sigh. I then get up and calmly walk away. I'm trying to act like the leader of the pack and do what the lead dog would do. But she gets up and goes straight back to what she was doing and we start all over again. 

This goes on until I either give up and put her into her crate for time out or she falls asleep.

I've tried distracting her by giving her a kong ball or bone as soon as we get in, which works for a while then she gets bored and starts barking at my other dogs which are both ten years old and won't leave them alone.

She rules the roost at home and all I want is a happy household, with happy dogs and people in it !

She can be the most affectionate dog in the world and when I walk her to school in the mornings and afternoon all the children run up and make a great fuss of her, which she loves. She adores children and people in general.

HELP.:confused1:


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## Starlite (Sep 9, 2009)

No offence but did you read into Malamutes at all before you got one? 
What you are dexcribing is very normal, they tend to be mad for the first 2/3yrs which is why most end up in rescues, people are just not prepared for the level of energy and independence they have.

please dont ever lie across your dog in such a way, it is totally unecassary and downright dangerous with such a big dog. I dont think you are giving the dog enough exercise mentally or physically which is why the behaviour is high end.
Dominance and leadership training doesnt work well with Malamutes, they never give i they just push back. Mouthing is trying to get you to play and frustration, remove her from the room if she does it till she calms down.

please contact the AMCUK for more detailed advice on dealing with your Mally x


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## Luz (Jul 28, 2012)

Hi Barbara, I am not in a position to help but you can find lots of info on Malamutes and Huskies on this forum. Look for posts by Malmum and Dog sled hotel especially as they are very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. There is also a good thread on adolescent big dogs so you know you're not on your own. Hang in there!


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## sazzle (Sep 10, 2011)

Hi there,

just wanted to say same as above. 

Someone will hopefully be along soon that is more experienced in this breed that can give you more info. 

I dont know too much about this breed to be able to help, but just wanted to give you some reassurance that someone will do their best to help. 

From what I have read they are demanding, cant be let off the lead (as you already know) and they like to dig (as you have found out). :thumbup:

I think our resident Mal experts will want some more info about your pooch, eg is she spayed, how long have you had her, what is her background etc. So be at the ready with your info. 

I will be intersted in following this post and I do hope you are ready for a challenge. :scared:


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## GermanShepardOwner (Aug 20, 2012)

Hi, 
I have an Alaskan Malamute, she is 15 months old and I think, has hit the teenage years.

We go to training classes and she can sit, lie down, stay ect., When she wants to, but gets board easily then looks at me as if to say "I could if I wanted to, but I don't want to, so I won't".

* Mals can be very stubborn, short training sesssions are best*

She is great out on walks and mixes with other dogs well. I never take her off the lunge line as she would not come back. I know this is a trait with Mals so we don't have an issue, she happily trots off in front and walk at heel along the road when asked.

*Very good, even though mals shouldnt been off lead, its good to practice re-call just in case.. i know alot which have accidently got off or lead has broke etc, and luckly the owners practiced recall so the dog came back without any issues.*

I walk her twice a day for about an hour and half each time. We use a Canny Dog halti which is great. Reading other threads I think I will buy a harness as well because she can slip her head out of any collar I put on her, even if it is as tight as I can safely do up.

*The exercise sounds right, but make sure you are doing mentally stimulating activities too. Games in the garden get their mind working and also wear them out! *

But when I get home she goes mental, racing around the garden and the house, then jumps onto the sofa that I allow the dogs to lie on and starts to dig. She has ruined one old sofa this way already.

*Is this when you get home from the walk? If so this is normal for all dogs, exercise releases hormones and when the exercise has finished dogs do get a rush of adrenaline and therefore have a mad few minutes after exercise. This is why you shouldnt exercise dogs too much before travelling, as it can make them more stressed and excited as they have just been exercised so therefore pumped up! I wouldnt allow them on the sofa personally.*

If I tell her to get off she either ignores me or jumps up at me barking. She mouths but never bites. I know she is trying to stamp her authority on me and I don't know how to break the cycle.

*If she does this, say a firm no, remove her from the room for 20-30 seconds and let back in, repeat if needed. Do not shout, that can make it seem like you are joining in and make them more excited.*

I have tried getting her on the ground and lying across her until she calms down and gives out a big sigh. I then get up and calmly walk away. I'm trying to act like the leader of the pack and do what the lead dog would do. But she gets up and goes straight back to what she was doing and we start all over again.

*Nope.. thats a very old method and a method which should not be used. Laying on them is just silly and she may end up resorting to aggression. Leader of the pack is a load of rubbish, they are dogs not wolves, completely different. You are much better off ignoring the behaviour and removing her from the situation so she can not continue. Make sure you are confident and do not let her get away with things. Once shes got away with one thing, she will push and push.*

This goes on until I either give up and put her into her crate for time out or she falls asleep.

I've tried distracting her by giving her a kong ball or bone as soon as we get in, which works for a while then she gets bored and starts barking at my other dogs which are both ten years old and won't leave them alone.

*Dont give a kong or ball etc when you get in, you are providing more stimulation after a walk where she has already been stimulated. Either tell her to lay down, or put in crate or another room untill calm as i said above. She barks at the dogs then remove from room. Also teach a bed command, when i say bed my dogs know that they either need to go and lay in their beds or just lay down and be quiet!*

She rules the roost at home and all I want is a happy household, with happy dogs and people in it !

She can be the most affectionate dog in the world and when I walk her to school in the mornings and afternoon all the children run up and make a great fuss of her, which she loves. She adores children and people in general.

*Mals are not the best pet dog IMO for anyone, they are not like other dogs at all and do need a firm and confident handler. I would do alot more research in to the breed, also a training class would help you alot. Forget the pack leader thing though, all she needs is rules, boundaries, training and confidence from you. Once she is allowed to get away with something she will just keep trying. Also have a read up on body language and dog communication, this will help you understand how to interact with her in different situations. They are not the easiest dog, but these behaviours are actually very normal for this breed, but they do need to be discouraged. They are not breeds which do well in a typical household, which is why they display these behaviours.*


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Although Mals can be high achievers in obdience training, they dont do well with long repetitive training sessions as they soon become bored and dont see the point of doing the same things over and over again. They work best with reward based training using praise and treats when they get it right. If you make things interesting and varied and mix the training with play and do several short training sessions rather then one long one, they respond better, if they get rewarded for doing it right too so much the better. They are free spirits and although can act like the perfect dog at times, years and years of independance and free thinking and primitive drives will kick in at times too.
Understanding them and what makes them tick is everything.

Mals also need early socialisation and training right from the word go, its a two way partnership they have got to respect you as much as you have got to respect them and who they are and understand what makes them tick.

The going mental racing around and digging isnt unusual, it can be either over stimulation but they will also do it when stressed too. Its almost like an adrenaline rush that makes them do it and until they have got rid of the excess energy they wont calm down. That is unless you give them a routine and a way to re-channel the behaviour, trying to get them to stop and forceably trying to put them down will just make them spring back even more. A Malamute has got to want to work for you and comply, forcing them to do things you are just setting up more of a challenge and a battle.

A Malamute especially when adolescent will try and rule the roost and see what he can get away with. The only way to rectify it is give boundaries and training, forget the pack leader dominant stuff. Getting him on side and getting him to want to co-operate is the best way.

Malamutes should be good with people and kids and love attention and affection they thrieve on it.

I got around mines nutty behaviour from coming in from a walk, by using treats and getting them ot channel the energy into something more productive by getting them to sit calmly for a 5 minutes or so, and treating for calm sitting behaviour, focusing on that instead stopped all the wild running about and digging. You can give them wind down time alone with a Kong or chews and then as you have already found out left with no stimulation they just rest and go to sleep after a walk anyway. If you make this the routine every day when you arrive back home then you will find it should soon become an automatic thing.

If you are thinking about getting a harness, the SASS walking tracking harnesses are good, they make them to measure and also fleece line if required. If you use that with a double end training lead with the clips on both ends you can attach one end to the normal collar or head collar and one to the harness giving you more security and control

Tracking harness for dog walking

- SASS Dog Equipment


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## BarbaraT (Sep 24, 2012)

Hi All,

Thank you everyone for all the advice. She is a totally different dog today. Happy, calm and relaxed. Oddly when we went to dog training last night, everyone there said the same as me, their dogs had been awful that day. But she excelled herself at class and while the others were barking and misbehaving, she didn't take her eyes off me and worked really well.

I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions before deciding to share my life with a Mal. 

Every Mal owner must remember their first Mal, how difficult and demanding they were compaired to any other dog. They must of gone through the struggle I am going through. I'm sure they probably at times thought "What have I let myself in for". 

But through forums like this we can help each other through the hard times with good advice. I could of carried on trying to do what I thought was the best way to train her and in the process ruin a beautiful free spirit, but I didn't I realised I was out of my depth and joined this forum for help, which I'm glad to say I have got. THANK YOU.

I love her to bits and only want the best for her, we started dog socialising and training classes when she was eleven weeks old. Some weeks she is great other weeks she puts her fingers up at me and only does what she wants to. I know every day will be different and I will come across different problems along the way.

Like a marrage, we are a team and it's for life. 

I have taken on board all your comments and will not be lying on her again, that book is going in the bin. I have tried moving her out of the room, but now know that I need to keep repeating the process until she gets the message that what she is doing is not acceptable.

I'm going to measure her for a harness and order it today, thank you Sled Dog Hotel for the link. 

She is great on the lead and doesn't pull but I'm worried that the collar could slip over those soft ears very easily and I would be left with a collar and no dog ! It has happened twice so far, when she reversed quickly, leaving me walking forward and her backwards, but she was so surprised both times that she just sat there looking at me, giving me time to get the collar back on.:confused1:

Thanks again everyone. I will report back for help when I come across the next stage of her growing up.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Just a quickie as on my phone but Flynn would do this when young so I'd shut him in the kitchen til he calmed down and then he'd get attention. He'd also run round the garden like a loon after he'd been for a walk- again he'd be put in the kitchen and ignored. I never did and still don't fuss any of the Mals if they are asking me to or woo-ing the house down when I come in. Even at seven they sometimes go silly so get ignored. Lying across her won't do any good, she likely loves this game. They hate being ignored and even more so confined so just pop her in the kitchen and wait til she shuts up!

They do get better with age, mine are little darlings most of the time and very obedient. Just be patient and keep calm around her. In situations you know she may act up put her in the kitchen before she gets the chance to. Baby gates are a great way of segregating her without closing her off completely.


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## BarbaraT (Sep 24, 2012)

Thanks Malmum. 

She did her favourite last night - trying to dig on the dogs sofa, so I shut her in the hall for 30 seconds, then let her back in. Had to do this three times before she realised I meant business. She then fell asleep and was an angel when she woke up.

It's good to know that she will (I hope) grow out of this.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

She will grow out of it don't worry  Flynn was a b*gger for leaping from sofa to sofa at about four months old so he'd either get shut in the kitchen or put on a lead and made to sit next to me while I watched telly, being let off if he behaved or put back on if he didn't. I found the best results from saying absolutely nothing, just getting a slip lead and slipping in on his neck in silence and taking hold in a calm non annoyed fashion - difficult when you want to murder them.  He's such a calm boy now and even when off lead in a field I hire he doesn't run around, just trots next to me and he's just over four, so still a youngster really. Kali and Marty have never been nutty but Flynn made up for both, lol. I don't know why but Flynn, even now sometimes, will run madly round the garden when he comes home from a walk, no matter how long so he has a small patio fenced off portion to cool off in and once settled I open the gate - otherwise I wouldn't have any flowers, lol. He doesn't always do it now but as a youngster did it every time - strange eh? He does love to race about howling though when I get the mover out, mouthing off at the seagulls if they dare fly over his garden - the boy loves doing gardening with his mummy and no one not even the seagulls, are allowed to interfere! 

I know what you mean about collars not being safe for Mals, I don't like them either. With my guys their neck is broader than their head and any collar can slip up and off, coupled with the thick fur it's asking for trouble. I did ask on an American Mal forum what collars they used and a few recommended prong collars  I said I don't like using them and would probably get linched if seen out with one but thanked them all the same. I used a halti harness, which I also use in the car with a halti link attaching it to the collar. The collar can't come off because of the attachment and if by some fluke it did you still have the harness for safety. The Halti non pull harness won't stop a pully dog IMO but it's a nice easy one to put on, slips over the neck and clips at the side. Good for anchoring in the car too.

ETA - Your girl is gorgeous, Flynn's brother Sonny is just like her.


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