# Alaskan Malamute SOS!



## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Ladies and Gents,

This is my first post so apologies if this has been asked before.

Basically I brought a 2.5yrs old Mal female a couple of weeks back.

The owner hardly knew much about her and told me that she had to get rid of her due to her GSD being "jelous" as the mal was around the owner too much. She also cannot remember the previous owners contact details either so im screwed in knowing anything about her.

The problems I have had with her are as follows:

*If you lay down next to her and put your head near her, she sometimes growls and shows teeth.

*She dislikes 50% of childen and all other animals from what I have found.

*Today she was laying in the garden and I told her to come in, she then layed on her back and would not, so i tried to move her by giving her a very gentle nudge to move and she barked and snapped at me - did not bite but almost....

I don't know what to do as this dog she seems a lovely girl 99% of the time, will sit, laydown, give paw etc, but seems to lose her temper or dislike certins things.

She has not been neutered and is 2.5yrs old, would doing so help this?
She is an extremly fussy eater.
She howls if left down stairs by herself when I go bed bed, so have to have her sleeping on the floor in my room.

Can you help?

Thank you.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Ive a feeling the person you brought her from cant have had her long, if the GSD was a female especially? I can see why they might not have got on Mals
can be same sex agressive, especially as you have said shes not good with other animals too, I could well imagine their was possible friction between the two dogs, plus the previous owners knew nothing about her either, and hadnt any re-collection about the people they got her from very odd and maybe a bit too conveinient. She may have even had more homes then that , Mals have got popular and being brought on looks alone and because they seem to be the dog of the moment without research so its not unusual for Mals or siberians to be brought and passed around like pass the parcel.

Early socialisation and training is vital in owning a Malamute. Many think because they are a large breed they have to do all the Alpha dominant rubbish using rough handling techniques, but that is asking for trouble they are a primitive breed and setting up a challenge and a battle with them is the worse thing that you can do. They will try and see what they can get away with but they need firm but fair handling and training, and be convinced that 
being co-operative and doing things is much more rewarding.

You have only had her two weeks, usually with in the first week or so they are working out where they fit is and sussing things out, usually its after about 2/3 weeks personalities and things will be seen more clearly.

You dont know her history and how she has been handled, so firm but fair handling rewarding her for doing as you ask is probably the best and safest way to go, whilst also establishing boundaries as you do it.

At the moment I wouldnt lay down next to her growling and showing teeth is a way of asking for space and telling you shes not comfortable with the situation. Push it she will likely go to air snaps and as you dont know her history pushed too far she could bite.

If she doesnt like all kids then dont push her at the moment with them either.
Kids can be murder for running up after dogs, getting excited and being too full on themselves and it can unerve a dog, hyper exciteable kids can hype them up and they can be unsure too wanting to stroke the dog and then doing the hand forward quickly withdrawn, hand forward again hesitant jerky movements that also unerves a dog. You may find the kids she is OK with are the calmer confident ones who approach slowly.

In the garden when she rolled on her back without seeing her its hard to say what she was doing, if she rolled on her back, exposed her stomach and raised a leg to show her genital area it could be submissive behaviour, or if she just rolled on her back she could just be being a stubborn Im not moving Mal. If you nudged her to move her and she snapped, depending what she did before it she could have snapped because she was unsure or just to say Im not moving and digging her heels in. Didnt see what actually happened so hard to say.

As you dont know her history are you in a postion to have a one to one behaviourist/trainer out to assess her and then give you a plan to work too,
with unknown history and if you dont know the breed thats probably the best way. CAPBT - COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers should find behaviourists in your area if you can speak to a few and find ones with Malamute experience in particular even better.

In the meantime, I would work with her with training, they are a very intelligent breed and Ive found with mine are responsive to training, start with the basic commands and build up using praise and reward as re-enforcers
several short sessions a day is better then for long periods as they dont get bored with it all that way, they dont always do well with long repetitive training sessions.

If you want her to move, also practice a mini recall getting her to come to you for a treat instead of trying to nudge and shift her. With the training it should also build a bond and trust and she should start to realise that doing as you ask is more productive as it gets her attention and treats.

Hope this is some help.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Massive thank you for that post.

Would neutering her help with her temperment?

I totally agree with you and feel this dog has been passed around to people who has know knowledge of Mals. Lucky for her I will never give up on her


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Massive thank you for that post.
> 
> Would neutering her help with her temperment?
> 
> I totally agree with you and feel this dog has been passed around to people who has know knowledge of Mals. Lucky for her I will never give up on her


At 2 1/2 she is certainly mature and it would be OK to get it done, however having said that it depends on why she is doing unrequired behaviour in the first place. If she is just being a typical Mal who has had a lack of early socialisation and no training and allowed to get on with things then yes it could help, maybe after letting her settle in a little longer and getting adjusted before shes wizzed off to the vet and has to go through being in there and the op and re-couperation before she is throughly settled and trusting of you. Doing it too soon especially as she had upheavals already and we dont now her history or really how many homes shes had although its obviously counting the breeder and yourself at least 4 now by the sounds of things. I wouldnt put her through it just yet.

If her behaviour is because of anxiousness/stress even fearful behaviour then I would deffinately want to get her sorted out and assessed before she went in for spaying, if it is or a lot of it is for these reasons then it could make her a lot worse.

A lot of what she does is probably not her fault for whatever reason. I would deffinately get her spayed whenever the time is right without doubt but depending on the situation its a matter of sooner once settled of a bit later depending the causes of her problems and what needs to be done.

As said not knowing the history and if this is your first Malamute then I think the best way would be to get a behaviourist preferably with Malamute experience and to assess her, find what makes her tick, and start working on her problems and retraining and take it from there.

Might even be worth you speaking to Malamute rescue, not only do they rescue and re-home Mals they maybe able to reccomend someone in your area or a behavioursist or trainer with Mal experience to assess her and help with re-training. There is phone numbers and contact details on the link below
AMCUK Rescue - Home


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Shame you got her from such an unreliable and dodgy source, for them to 'not know' her previous owner/breeder is all very suspicious and would seem that they don't want you to know where she is from or don't want the breeder to know they have got rid of her.

From living with three Mals myself for over seven years I can honestly say they are not the most affectionate of dogs, unless of course you have food in your hand. Everyone knows how food motivated this breed is and quite often the only way to get them to respond to commands is with food as treats. I doubt very much that I would lie down next to a Mal I didn't really know, not for a long while because they can be very grumpy and an entire female may have hormonal changes going on which could make her even more so. I have two boys and one girl - all neutered - and I would definitely trust the boys more than the girl, be it with food, other dogs or possessions such as toys.
None of my Mals are keen on children but they don't live with them so I don't expect them to be. They never see children in their house and don't like the noises they make in the street, all three are very wary and i wouldn't let any child stroke them because I really don't know what they would be like and wouldn't take any chances tbh.

All three are difficult around other dogs, it's a breed trait and affects many Mals but my girl is aggressive to my own dogs too, she is separated from all but Flynn (her son) and has caused many fights over the years, even with my little dogs so because of her strength I don't allow her to mix with the dogs other than Flynn. Same sex aggression is a known trait but I know a few people who think the females are far worse than the males, something I too have found.

All my dogs are raw fed and I found many on a Mal forum I belonged to did well on a raw diet, you may find her fussiness is simply a dislike of the food she is on and a change could turn that around completely. There is a Malamute facebook group which started up once the UK forum closed down and for more advice it may be worth joining them.

As for moving her physically - no matter how gentle you do it Mals will never allow you to nudge them out of the way, they are more likely to push against you than give in to physical pressure. Verbal commands is the way forward and if you combine that at first with treats for obedience she will soon learn. They are not thick, not at all but they are very stubborn.

Last thing, please take extra care around children, so many people love the look of Mals and the last thing most want is too much attention before they actually know the person so a 'hands off' approach is the best form of approach as they can do immense damage should they feel threatened.

Well done for taking her on and I am surprised the last owner said the gsd was jealous as I find my Mals to be rather possessive over us humans and none more so than Kali and I bet the real reason behind the re homing was aggression, most likely instigated by your girl too.


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## Guest (Aug 27, 2012)

Dear Bear... You are new here, but you have 2 very wise people who are advising you. Not only do they know and own your dogs, but I hope in reading them, you do realise this is all quality advice. If you could pick the best 2 here to advise you, it is probably these 2.


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## Big bully (Aug 7, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Ive a feeling the person you brought her from cant have had her long, if the GSD was a female especially? I can see why they might not have got on Mals
> can be same sex agressive, especially as you have said shes not good with other animals too, I could well imagine their was possible friction between the two dogs, plus the previous owners knew nothing about her either, and hadnt any re-collection about the people they got her from very odd and maybe a bit too conveinient. She may have even had more homes then that , Mals have got popular and being brought on looks alone and because they seem to be the dog of the moment without research so its not unusual for Mals or siberians to be brought and passed around like pass the parcel.
> 
> Early socialisation and training is vital in owning a Malamute. Many think because they are a large breed they have to do all the Alpha dominant rubbish using rough handling techniques, but that is asking for trouble they are a primitive breed and setting up a challenge and a battle with them is the worse thing that you can do. They will try and see what they can get away with but they need firm but fair handling and training, and be convinced that
> ...


Fantastic advice from someone who clearly knows what they talking about.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> At 2 1/2 she is certainly mature and it would be OK to get it done, however having said that it depends on why she is doing unrequired behaviour in the first place. If she is just being a typical Mal who has had a lack of early socialisation and no training and allowed to get on with things then yes it could help, maybe after letting her settle in a little longer and getting adjusted before shes wizzed off to the vet and has to go through being in there and the op and re-couperation before she is throughly settled and trusting of you. Doing it too soon especially as she had upheavals already and we dont now her history or really how many homes shes had although its obviously counting the breeder and yourself at least 4 now by the sounds of things. I wouldnt put her through it just yet.
> 
> If her behaviour is because of anxiousness/stress even fearful behaviour then I would deffinately want to get her sorted out and assessed before she went in for spaying, if it is or a lot of it is for these reasons then it could make her a lot worse.
> 
> ...


Many thanks SDH!
She does walk around he house with ears down quite a lot it seems. She seems to love one of my 10yr old neice, but hate the other 10yr old and it does make me worry, although the one she does not like will not come down anymore due to this.
Money is really tight at the moment but in the next month or so I will try and get a behaviourist and her neutured.
It's just pretty stressful at the moment as she seems to hardly eat, I have tried different foods but am going to either get her fish4dogs, applaws, skinners or arden garange although I can see her turning her nose up at this too! lol


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Some useful links

BARF Diet and your Mal - MALAMUTE.org.uk

http://www.polarbreezemals.com/feedingraw.htm

This is just a general site:
What food to feed my Alaskan Malamute dog - BARF, RAW or Kibble - Purebred Alaskan Malamute Puppies

BARF fed dogs are far less hyperactive, have less skin and allergy problems and have a better immune system as well as strong healthy white teeth. It could be that a change of diet from commercial with all it's additives may go a long way to seeing her improve in many ways, she could be far more content in herself generally and much less moody if the cause is dietary related. It doesn't necessarily have to show with skin problems.
Mals are very food orientated but if they don't like it you'll not get them to eat it, no matter how many different varieties you try.

Many folk on here who have changed a hyperactive dog to raw have seen a huge difference. Good luck and there is a member on here who has a Mal kennel of workers - if you want advice from her I'm sure she wouldn't mind a pm.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> Shame you got her from such an unreliable and dodgy source, for them to 'not know' her previous owner/breeder is all very suspicious and would seem that they don't want you to know where she is from or don't want the breeder to know they have got rid of her.
> 
> From living with three Mals myself for over seven years I can honestly say they are not the most affectionate of dogs, unless of course you have food in your hand. Everyone knows how food motivated this breed is and quite often the only way to get them to respond to commands is with food as treats. I doubt very much that I would lie down next to a Mal I didn't really know, not for a long while because they can be very grumpy and an entire female may have hormonal changes going on which could make her even more so. I have two boys and one girl - all neutered - and I would definitely trust the boys more than the girl, be it with food, other dogs or possessions such as toys.
> None of my Mals are keen on children but they don't live with them so I don't expect them to be. They never see children in their house and don't like the noises they make in the street, all three are very wary and i wouldn't let any child stroke them because I really don't know what they would be like and wouldn't take any chances tbh.
> ...


Thank you very much for the post Malmum!
Yep, so unreliable that the previous owner does not have her microchip data . Also the dog came with to small bite marks on her muzzle which apparently were caused on a fence....
I totally agree with you.

I would love to feed her raw but could only afford about £30 per month and im guessing I'd need another freezer?

Do you have any other advice on Do's and Don'ts with mals?

How would you move a stubborn mal thats on its back in the garden and will not respond to me? Strange thing is shes very responsive to me for exmaple she will sit, give paw, lay down etc on command.

One more thing, new people and other people she knows (well known these past 2 weeks), she will jump up to and put my paws on there shoulders, but she will not do it to me, does she hate me do you think?

All I want to do is give this dog a loving home, take care of her and make her very happy and give her the attention she deserves


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

househens said:


> Dear Bear... You are new here, but you have 2 very wise people who are advising you. Not only do they know and own your dogs, but I hope in reading them, you do realise this is all quality advice. If you could pick the best 2 here to advise you, it is probably these 2.


Totally agree!
Fantastic people!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Thank you very much for the post Malmum!
> Yep, so unreliable that the previous owner does not have her microchip data . Also the dog came with to small bite marks on her muzzle which apparently were caused on a fence....
> I totally agree with you.
> 
> ...


Its sometimes hard with Mals because they tend to do happy ears as well, when you are stroking them and they are happy they will tend to swivel and fold the ears. If she walks around with them down though assuming she hasnt got incorrect ears which Ive seen on Mals that dont stand up at all, then it sounds like she may have periods of uncertainty.

Was thinking about the why they became absent minded about the previous owners details last night so conveniently and was wondering did you pay for her or waas she free to a good home. If you paid for her then im wondering if they got her from a free to a good home, and then if you paid obviously they wouldnt want you getting in touch. You do see mals on the internet sites often free to good homes, so if you did pay that might explain it.

If she is deffinately microchipped the vets should be able to read the chip and number and the company the details are logged with there is I think several petlog is one but Im pretty sure there are different ones. if the vet gives you the chip number and the company then you may be able to contact them or email or write to them and find out, but bare in mind it can sometimes open up a can of worms and the original owners who had her chipped may have moved and not renewed details anyway.

Dont worry she doesnt hate you, if Mals respect you they wont jump up and flatten you, mine dont jump up on me when I come home, they come to greet me and want a stroke but dont flatten me where as in excitement they will sometimes forget their manners if not reminded and jump up to greet new people or try too especially if the people are a bit exciteable and immediately make contact themselves.

You can or should be able to stop a lot of that by instructing people to not immediately pay her attention, ignore her completely at first, if she goes to jump up tell them to fold their arms turn their back to her and stay still, then when she has four feet on the floor and is calmer then pay her attention. You can help the situation too, by teaching her a reliable sit then build into a sit wait, so you can then practice once realiable to do controlled introductions getting her to sit wait when she meets people and before she gets attention. Then any only then when you have her under control can they pay her attention, with enough repetitions she should get it, it will take a bit of time as I did all this as soon as i got mine as pups before they got into the behaviours. As said before its not her fault she hasnt had anyone bother to give her the early training when she was a pup and young by the looks of things.

Ive found the best way to shift them is to make it worth their while probably the best bet with her as I said before as you dont know her history, so best way if to make her want to work for you as its rewarded by praise and treats when she gets it right. You only need to use treats a lot at first once the commands are in place and they are more co-operative you can start tapering them off and you should find eventually they are happy to work for your praise and affection with the odd treat re-enforcer. I would start training her with the commands and work on a recall or come on command using a treat as the motivation and reward while she learns the command.

I had a similar thing with mine last night, there was a fox in the garden or had been it had been chased off by my boy, but he decided to keep patrolling and marking the parameters and was loath to come in until satisfied it had gone. Dont forget too they are a primitive breeds with drives.
They are not territorial and guarding against people or shouldn be but they are territorial against animals and dogs that may envade their territory.

There is a very good book that explains what makes the Mal tick called The Alaskan Malamute Yesterday and Today by Barbara A Brooks and Sherry E Wallis. Its an old book and I have one of the original copies but Im pretty sure it was re-printed not so long ago. Well worth getting. The only comment I would make as its an old book the thoughts on training are on a lot of the old dominating methods so ignore those but as for explaining the Malamute and what makes him what he is its fantastic. You may even be able to get a 2nd hand copy on Amazon or similar.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Couple of things I meant to say and forgot looking back over the posts has reminded me.

Regarding the neutering, as you dont know what stage she is in the cycle anyway and as I said before I would wait and get her settled in more and preferably assessed and trained a bit more and bonded anyway.

It would be best to let her have another season first, and then spay around 12/13 weeks after the start of the next season. The reason for this is that then you know that the reproductive tract is in a resting state again and the raised hormone levels that occur during a season have returned to normal levels. The reasons also is that spaying at the wrong time can increase the chances or urinary spincter incompetance in spayed females, this means that the weakened urinary spincter can leak when they have a full bladder when they are asleep usually, athough there are medications to stop it they are not ideal and have to stay on them for life, so far from ideal situation although it fixes it. Also spaying at the wrong time while there are still internal changes and raised hormones can increase the chances of bleeding during the operation. So not only for the other reasons mentioned I would wait for this time as well, although I would deffinately as I said get her spayed when the time is right.

It might be an idea when you can afford it too to get her a vet check up and orthopaedic examine too, making sure she is in good health and has no joint problems, not only for your piece of mind but if dogs are below par in health or have any discomfort from joints that can make them a bit reactive too.

Another thing when you can afford it it might be worth getting her a thyroid panel Blood test done. Hypothyroid is common in the Malamute and Siberian Husky, Ive got a husky with it and my husky Mal cross has it too. My Malamute Boy thankfully is normal Iv e had him routine tested to make sure, but as well as causing health problems it can also be the cause of agression and bad behaviour. With thyroid testing though again you need to do it it anestrus after a seasons finished so you could get it done later as you dont know where she is in the cycle at the moment anyway.

One thing I would say, big dog big vet bills, and especially as you dont know her history or lines she is bred from I would get her insured asap. Before you need to go to the vets and ideally before you get a vet check. Bare in mind that you are not covered for the first 14 days against illness in that time although some cover accidents from day one. Make sure whatever you do its a life time or life long policy as some cheaper ones are only limited in time as reagards to how long they will pay out for per condition usually a year or very limited in the amount of money per condition, so ensure you get a life time of lifelong with the best amount of cover for vet bills you can afford. If you need more help on that let me know.

Ive probably still forgot something, but if you have anymore quesstions or worries and I have missed somthing just remind me and Ill try to help as much as I can.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Thank you very much for the post Malmum!
> Yep, so unreliable that the previous owner does not have her microchip data . Also the dog came with to small bite marks on her muzzle which apparently were caused on a fence....
> I totally agree with you.
> 
> ...


Firstly to get her to respond to you you need to find a food she loves, just tiny tiny pieces so as she always wants more. Try various things from human foods, I like the little packs of six cheese blocks for £1.60 that you get from Asda, they're called snack packs and have a variety of cheeses because believe it or not they can get bored with the same old stuff, very choosy dogs, lol. Only a tiny piece at a time and you can integrate the cheese with other treats, say a piece of cheese two pieces of sausage or biscuit and only use one snack sized block in a training session Also tinned hot dogs are a good tempter, a trainer of Mals that I knew used to use hot dogs and she would cut just one sausage into 100 pieces  never managed that myself and with Flynn he'd laugh at such a small portion but when feeding treats it's best to deduct just a small amount of the daily intake in case she puts on too much weight - as a fussy eater though she probably won't. I make 'cookies' and if I use sardine paste they are quite smelly, also good for training and the recipe is here - very simple!
http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/183101-made-cookies-today-had.html

So if she were lying down and ignoring me I would approach in a very happy jolly way, all excited like and put the treat swiftly to her nose, immediately remove it and say 'come' while moving away from her but in a kind of silly, playful way. If she doesn't move let her have a piece but get her to do something for it even if it's just 'look' at you, any excuse for her to try the tasty treat but not get it for nothing if you know what I mean - nothing is free!
When you do training or tricks with her start incorporating treats as well, get her used to gaining something from the training and once you find things she likes you can start upping the ante and get her to do more for you.

As for jumping up, it's a no no for me :nono: I love all dogs but I don't want to wear any of them. I knew a guy on the old Mal forum who had his Mal seized due to him jumping up at a passer by and causing a nasty scratch with the front claws - easily done. Admitted his dog had done it TWICE before but he was kennelled for five months until the court case came up. Long story short he was eventually let free but to be muzzled in public at all times. The Dangerous Dogs Act is very strict and you have to be prepared for the general public who DON'T like dogs as well as those who do. If a Mal jumps up at a child, even in a friendly way, you could be in real trouble and in certain circumstances your dog taken and destroyed. None of mine stand up at us and it's really something they have never even tried to do but I would have stopped it had they done. My trainer would not allow that and they are a good school who although don't believe in the dominance theory they do believe in dog manipulation and Flynn is not allowed even to stand in front of me while training, it has to be by my side. He can be behind or next to me but not in front in class. 
Home - Billericay Dog Training School, Basildon, Essex
So to stop her jumping on people tell them to ignore her completely, don't talk, touch or look at her while she is excited. You tell her to sit and when she does treat her (that's why you need to get her to focus with treats in training) if she gets up tell her 'sit' and treat and so on. Don't get impatient, these dogs try your patience so much but once they cotton on they are great guys, even with their doggy faults and high prey drive.
I expect you know not to let her off lead as their recall is pants, add to that their prey drive and anti dog issues and you'll understand why. If they see a rabbit they will travel to the end of the earth to catch it and bugger you, lol! 

So at last I come to raw feeding. There is no cheaper way to feed - honestly! With one dog you may well be able to make space in your freezer for her food, as long as it's all bagged and you can then cover the bags with bin liners it will be okay. TBH I can't see what we can actually catch from a frozen dog food but some things like whole rabbits, pig tails, trotters, lamb backs, etc may not be appreciated by other family members, lol. I fail to see how if properly wrapped it is any different to any other meat, it's frozen and therefore unable to transmit any bacteria from what I can tell. A small second hand freezer should be around £20 in your local rag or advertise for one and you may get it free - say it's for dog food storage. You could try 'Freecycle' if you have something you don't want that you can swap. 

So my order from here: Suppliers of Raw Dog Food | Tripe | Chicken Mince | Beef Mince | Lamb Mince | Whole Rabbit
Is around £45 and I then go to my butcher for pig tails and little extra's including a 15kgs box of carcasses for £6 which contains around 40 carcasses, three will be a meal for my 60kgs boys and they are fed twice a day and the second meal would be around half a pound of frozen mince with lots of chunky fresh veg. Veg is not needed and not even digestible in the chunky form but I only give it for them to chew and they love their veg - 
http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/255832-subtle-request.html#post1062231345
Mals don't need lots of food and with raw because they digest every piece, no waste products of grain etc, they need even less than with commercial food. There is a BARF calculator: Calculate but with Mals you need to adjust this as they gain weight very quickly - hard to imagine with your girl eh?
I am not good with weighing food as I don't go by weight I go by the look and feel of the dogs, mine are a bit heavy though! 
So back to cost, my order from the DFC is around £45 add to that what I buy from the butcher, say £20 a month and I would have about six weeks of food for all six dogs - weighing, two @ 60kgs, one at 50kgs and three between 8 - 10kgs. I don't know what your girl weighs but I would think somewhere in the region of 40kgs because my Mals are rather big and from large lines.
For one Mal I would say you'd spend around £20 -£25 a month but you'd have to have a trial run. They tend to love raw and will eat far too much if you let them so you have to get the amounts in proportion and I bulk up meals with raw veg because they would otherwise seem too small.

Phew - hope that's all understandable and I bet I forgot something, lol! :

ETA - Having read sled dogs post I absolutely agree with insurance. It may seem expensive but my boy Flynn had very bad hip dysplasia and at eighteen months had a hip replacement then another at just over two years old, the cost in total for all medication, both op's and hydrotherapy, cost £14,000. Without insurance he most likely would have been PTS as he was in so much pain.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Its sometimes hard with Mals because they tend to do happy ears as well, when you are stroking them and they are happy they will tend to swivel and fold the ears. If she walks around with them down though assuming she hasnt got incorrect ears which Ive seen on Mals that dont stand up at all, then it sounds like she may have periods of uncertainty.
> 
> Was thinking about the why they became absent minded about the previous owners details last night so conveniently and was wondering did you pay for her or waas she free to a good home. If you paid for her then im wondering if they got her from a free to a good home, and then if you paid obviously they wouldnt want you getting in touch. You do see mals on the internet sites often free to good homes, so if you did pay that might explain it.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your message Malmum.

Could I possibly send you a picture or 2 of her to see if she has correct ears?

I brought her online on a website called "preloved"

Ah yes, I contacted PET ID and they told me to take her to the vets so I can obtain the number to contact them with in order for me to transfer her details. I took her to pets at home today on the way of her 6 mile walk and she weights 39.6kg, is that about right for a 2.5yrs old mal female? For all I know the lady may of lied about her age...maybe I have a grumpy 15yr old! :scared:

I am giving the raw diet ago, raw chickin wings + bones + blood = sniffed, looked a bit confused then she laped that up! While I was in pets at home they had a freezer of raw tripe, mince etc i think 89p for 400g, wonder if thats any good or maybe just buy the stuff at tesco?

This was quite confusing a couple of days ago she would not eat her food, so I put it on a plate instead of her bowl, she then decided to eat some!

In seems that she will sit, give paw, come to me, stay and lay down on command, but if theres a stranger or a dog in sight, it usually goes ut the window.

I find with her if a dog growls/barks at her, she wants to leap at them, if a dog stays quiet, she seems ok. This one small dog, when my girl saw her, she layed down, as low as the floor she could get, then when the dog came over to sniff her, she jumped up.

Great stuff, I will have a look at that book. She's a wonderful dog, I instantly fell in love with her, but I think shes has a bad up bringing and passed around, but no more, thanks for all your help and SDH, really appreciated!


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Couple of things I meant to say and forgot looking back over the posts has reminded me.
> 
> Regarding the neutering, as you dont know what stage she is in the cycle anyway and as I said before I would wait and get her settled in more and preferably assessed and trained a bit more and bonded anyway.
> 
> ...


Many thanks for the message SDH, really helpful stuff.

If it helps, the lady said she just came off her season so im guessing approx 3 weeks ago now.

Regarding the pet insurence, which would you recommend for a mal?

Thanks again!


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> Firstly to get her to respond to you you need to find a food she loves, just tiny tiny pieces so as she always wants more. Try various things from human foods, I like the little packs of six cheese blocks for £1.60 that you get from Asda, they're called snack packs and have a variety of cheeses because believe it or not they can get bored with the same old stuff, very choosy dogs, lol. Only a tiny piece at a time and you can integrate the cheese with other treats, say a piece of cheese two pieces of sausage or biscuit and only use one snack sized block in a training session Also tinned hot dogs are a good tempter, a trainer of Mals that I knew used to use hot dogs and she would cut just one sausage into 100 pieces  never managed that myself and with Flynn he'd laugh at such a small portion but when feeding treats it's best to deduct just a small amount of the daily intake in case she puts on too much weight - as a fussy eater though she probably won't. I make 'cookies' and if I use sardine paste they are quite smelly, also good for training and the recipe is here - very simple!
> http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/183101-made-cookies-today-had.html
> 
> So if she were lying down and ignoring me I would approach in a very happy jolly way, all excited like and put the treat swiftly to her nose, immediately remove it and say 'come' while moving away from her but in a kind of silly, playful way. If she doesn't move let her have a piece but get her to do something for it even if it's just 'look' at you, any excuse for her to try the tasty treat but not get it for nothing if you know what I mean - nothing is free!
> ...


Great idea on the cookies, I will have to try that!

Hot dogs - I could manage maybe 10 peices with her lol

So treat under dogs nose and tell to come eh? I think that would work with most men! lol

Ah fantastic, 100% raw it is, esp at those prices! 60kg? thats not a mal, thats a bear! lol...she seems quite "long" and seems to have to areas to fill so I'd like her to be a bit more chunky!
£14,000 :scared:....think I will need to sell a kidney on e bay! lol

Yeah every time I take her out and see a child, I make sure shes on a very short lead until the child passes. She seems to adore my 10yr old neice (well one of them lol), is it most mals just dislike children or is it just when kids are all loud and in their faces?

What collar/Lead do you recommend? She only pulls when she sees another dogs she dislikes, other then that shes pretty good. Maybe the first few mins out she pulls a little with the excitement of WALKIES!

Oh before I forget to ask - while I was walking her today, about 3 miles in she decided to bite her lead and look at me for about 30 secs, then she stopped. She also did this when I took her running, wonder what shes telling me?


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> Firstly to get her to respond to you you need to find a food she loves, just tiny tiny pieces so as she always wants more. Try various things from human foods, I like the little packs of six cheese blocks for £1.60 that you get from Asda, they're called snack packs and have a variety of cheeses because believe it or not they can get bored with the same old stuff, very choosy dogs, lol. Only a tiny piece at a time and you can integrate the cheese with other treats, say a piece of cheese two pieces of sausage or biscuit and only use one snack sized block in a training session Also tinned hot dogs are a good tempter, a trainer of Mals that I knew used to use hot dogs and she would cut just one sausage into 100 pieces  never managed that myself and with Flynn he'd laugh at such a small portion but when feeding treats it's best to deduct just a small amount of the daily intake in case she puts on too much weight - as a fussy eater though she probably won't. I make 'cookies' and if I use sardine paste they are quite smelly, also good for training and the recipe is here - very simple!
> http://www.petforums.co.uk/dog-chat/183101-made-cookies-today-had.html
> 
> So if she were lying down and ignoring me I would approach in a very happy jolly way, all excited like and put the treat swiftly to her nose, immediately remove it and say 'come' while moving away from her but in a kind of silly, playful way. If she doesn't move let her have a piece but get her to do something for it even if it's just 'look' at you, any excuse for her to try the tasty treat but not get it for nothing if you know what I mean - nothing is free!
> ...


Malmum - I think my dog will love you after finding me that site, great prices.
Sorry I'm being a pest now with all these questions! :laugh:...

So if shes weights basically 40kg, how much do you think per day I should feed her raw?
What do you think are the best raw foods on there I should feed her?

I need to work out a meal plan to make sure shes getting everything she needs - maybe either carcass or necks or wings for AM and either tripe or mince in the PM and either heart or liver once per week, or does that look terrible? :confused1:


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Many thanks for the message SDH, really helpful stuff.
> 
> If it helps, the lady said she just came off her season so im guessing approx 3 weeks ago now.
> 
> ...


Kobi My full Malamute is now with Petplan £6000 per year for vet bills life time cover meaning that each year no matter what claims I have had the previous year as long as I renew they re-instate the whole £6000 each and every year
Ive just had a nearly £800 claim in the last few weeks and they have paid out minus the excess which every policy has with pet plan his excess is £100

Nanuq my Malamute/Husky mix is with Animal Friends she has been since 12 weeks old and shes now 3 yrs 8mths. her cover is £6000 per condition life time
cover. They have been really good shes had several claims one that was just over £1600 and in addition to that shes had hypo thyroid since two years old meaning medication for the rest of her life and blood tests. They have paid everything without quibble excess on her policy is £69.00 with her regular vet bills its paid back to my bank account in a week to 10 days of them receiving the form so all in all I cant fault them at all. Her actual cover is better then Kobis as well. Nanuqs on their Platingum cover for life.

Both do different policies too with different cover and different premums but as explained before whoever you go with make sure its life time/life long cover.

If you are unsure about anything before you take it out and want to check just sing out, pet insurance can be a mine field.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Many thanks for the message SDH, really helpful stuff.
> 
> If it helps, the lady said she just came off her season so im guessing approx 3 weeks ago now.
> 
> ...


Just noticed that you said the woman you got her from said she has just come off a season. The GSD they had that they said she didnt get on with, do you know if it was a male or female and by any chance if it was male was it neutered.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Just noticed that you said the woman you got her from said she has just come off a season. The GSD they had that they said she didnt get on with, do you know if it was a male or female and by any chance if it was male was it neutered.


Just contacted the lady....basically she said:

Shes had the dog for 1 year approx.
Does not have previous owners contact details.
The GSD she did not get on with was female but apparently they got on during the end...i dont see how the when the had 2 obvious bite marks on her muzzle area :confused1:
She also told me she use to mix dog biscuits with meat pasta from asda :mad2:

Do you think she might be pregnent?


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Something I forgot to ask was when i'm sitting down at the computer, she will sit next to me and want me to put my arm around her so her head is resting on my arm then will basically try and make her head weight my arm down by leaning all her head weight into it, strange or very mal like?


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

You will need to start on one meat at a time, preferably chicken as it's well tolerated. When she first had chicken wings you have to hold them in case she swallows them whole, either that or smash a hammer over them the first few times. So with chicken for a week then add half of another meat to her meals, like tripe mince (awfully smelly but great for them) and when she is used to that add another meat. Offal like liver is needed at least twice/three times a week but at first in small palm sizes portions because they can give them the runs and if she doesn't like it raw you can flash fry it for say 30 seconds each side.
Don't mix raw with kibble as they digest at different rates and can cause tum upsets by retaining the raw in the gut for longer and allowing bacteria to grow and take hold. Raw digests faster than cooked/kibble so it leaves the gut before any bacteria gets a hold, also the dog gets hungry quicker and for that I give whole raw carrots, mange tout, swede, peas, sweetcorn (not on the cob as it can adhere to intestines and cause blockage) an apple, pear - just about any veg or fruit without stones, just to keep bringing up yellow bile between meals. A pigs tail is great for keeping hunger at bay and deduct from the meal later bulking up with veg if you like. 
Of course onions, grapes and raisins/sultana's etc are poisonous to dogs so never give those.

Here is a rough guide of what Kali will have but you may need less for your girl at each sitting or more depending on her exercise. This would be for a 45kgs medium exercised female Mal - ie: Kali, lol! 

Weekly diet.
1) AM. 1/2lb chick mince, 1/4lb liver - raw veg (carrot, mange tout, sweetcorn, swede etc.)
PM. 1 pigs tail or 2 chicken necks - one apple.

2) AM. Meaty lamb bone (or pork ribs) around 1lb in weight.
PM. 1/2lb lamb+tripe mince - 1/4lb heart&kidney - raw veg.

3) AM. 1/2lb tripe mince - 1/4lb liver - mixed raw veg.
PM. 2 chicken wings - 1 whole raw carrot - small bowl goats milk, no egg.

4) AM. 1/4lb beef chunks - 1/4lb heart&kidney - tin sardines in tom sauce (mine like tom sauce ones)
PM. 1 pigs tail or 2 chicken necks - mange tout - carrot - sweetcorn nibblets.

5) AM. 1/2rabbit mince - tin sardines - mixed raw veg.
PM. 2 chicken carcasses - small bowl goats milk+ 1 egg yolk.

6) AM. 1/4lb venison mince - 1/4lb heart - mixed raw veg.
PM. 4 chicken wings - 1 whole raw carrot or pear or apple.

7) AM. "Sunday special lunch"
1/4lb chicken mince - 1/4lb kidney - 1/4lb heart - portion of lamb breast or couple of pork ribs (around 4 ozs) - mixed veg.
PM. 1 chicken wing - 1 carrot small bowl goats milk, no egg.

If they have a whole wild rabbit that is a whole one days meal and they get half their normal amount of food the following day.

The goats milk is not needed and neither is the veg but I like them to have it sometimes but if i'm a bit skint the 'menu' is more basic. Tough times call for pig heads that the butcher charges 50 pence each for and chops them into four but they are very bony so I have them only rarely, also they spit out the teeth which I have to collect and that makes me cringe - but a hell of a cheap meal for this lot who love them. One head makes a days meal for all six if the butcher chops it into enough pieces with just a carrot and goats milk later. Mine tolerate cows milk too so I can use semi skimmed cows milk to save money. Careful though in case it gives her the runs.

When feeding raw you need a good deal of meaty bones, around 60-70% of the diet actually so if I give a carcass meal I like to give a small amount of mince later or one day is a rib/carcass or wing day and the next minced meat which I give frozen to keep the teeth healthy and give them something to chew on. Bones must have meat on them, ones you get from the butcher that are completely free of meat are okay now and then and as long as the meal after is a meaty one then it balances it out but bones should always contain meat too. Remember it's a guide only and you don't have to stick rigidly to it but variety is excellent and all meats contain different vitamins etc. so they will all be beneficial in the own way.

Any probs put up a thread or pm me. Loads on here feed raw and are more than willing to help.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Just contacted the lady....basically she said:
> 
> Shes had the dog for 1 year approx.
> Does not have previous owners contact details.
> ...


Ill admit it did cross my mind, when you said that the previous owner had said that she finished a season 3 weeks ago and at that stage not knowing if the GSD was male or female and if it was neutered or not. I was just being careful your behalf thats all. If the GSD was female it figures Mals dont always do well with the same sexes especially if same or similar large breeds.
As I said just being careful it has happened in the past females being passed on in whelp but if she was a female then you should be OK.

Just keep an eye on her, a bitch in pregnancy will usually show an increase in appetite, weight and nipple size although you can get whats caused a phantom pregnancy where they can exhibit all the signs of pregnancy and even nest and produce milk as well. She should be OK but better to be aware just in case.

If the other was female and your girl did have a season that possibly figures as well bitches when one is in season can be really uppity and have fights even ones that are OK the rest of the time. Sometimes its the one in season that starts or it can een be ther other starting on the one that is.

Doesnt sound like they had a clue does it. Shes deffinately lucky you found her.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Something I forgot to ask was when i'm sitting down at the computer, she will sit next to me and want me to put my arm around her so her head is resting on my arm then will basically try and make her head weight my arm down by leaning all her head weight into it, strange or very mal like?


very Mal Like, they often like to sit or be with you with their heads touching or in your lap both my Malamute and my Malamute/siberian mix does it, my Mal/sibe is more Malamute in her ways anyway.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Something I forgot to ask was when i'm sitting down at the computer, she will sit next to me and want me to put my arm around her so her head is resting on my arm then will basically try and make her head weight my arm down by leaning all her head weight into it, strange or very mal like?


Flynn used to do this and two different trainers told me to ignore him as he's trying to get my attention away from what I'm doing - in other words calling the shots. Best to ignore and carry on so as she learns she gets attention when *you* want to give it and not when she wants it. Hard I now and now Flynn lies by my feet, he was a devil though and would push my arm right up in the air. Foolishly this made me laugh!

I don't suppose you know if she was KC registered and what her pedigree name is if she was? I have a few Breed Record Supplements with Mals bred over some years and may be able to find her original breeder through them. Just a thought.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> You will need to start on one meat at a time, preferably chicken as it's well tolerated. When she first had chicken wings you have to hold them in case she swallows them whole, either that or smash a hammer over them the first few times. So with chicken for a week then add half of another meat to her meals, like tripe mince (awfully smelly but great for them) and when she is used to that add another meat. Offal like liver is needed at least twice/three times a week but at first in small palm sizes portions because they can give them the runs and if she doesn't like it raw you can flash fry it for say 30 seconds each side.
> Don't mix raw with kibble as they digest at different rates and can cause tum upsets by retaining the raw in the gut for longer and allowing bacteria to grow and take hold. Raw digests faster than cooked/kibble so it leaves the gut before any bacteria gets a hold, also the dog gets hungry quicker and for that I give whole raw carrots, mange tout, swede, peas, sweetcorn (not on the cob as it can adhere to intestines and cause blockage) an apple, pear - just about any veg or fruit without stones, just to keep bringing up yellow bile between meals. A pigs tail is great for keeping hunger at bay and deduct from the meal later bulking up with veg if you like.
> Of course onions, grapes and raisins/sultana's etc are poisonous to dogs so never give those.
> 
> ...


Brilliant Malmum, thanks for that!
haha I love to see peoples faces around yours while picking pigs teeth up on the floor! 
Opps I did give her raw mince today so I was a bit naughty! I will buy chickin wings for the next week and feed her them alone if you think thats best. Would this be ok for her too as a sub to chickin wings:
mySupermarket.co.uk - Compare supermarket prices | Online supermarket shopping | Save Money on Top Offers

Oh so I can just give her a frozen block of mince, no defrosing needed and she will be fine?


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Ill admit it did cross my mind, when you said that the previous owner had said that she finished a season 3 weeks ago and at that stage not knowing if the GSD was male or female and if it was neutered or not. I was just being careful your behalf thats all. If the GSD was female it figures Mals dont always do well with the same sexes especially if same or similar large breeds.
> As I said just being careful it has happened in the past females being passed on in whelp but if she was a female then you should be OK.
> 
> Just keep an eye on her, a bitch in pregnancy will usually show an increase in appetite, weight and nipple size although you can get whats caused a phantom pregnancy where they can exhibit all the signs of pregnancy and even nest and produce milk as well. She should be OK but better to be aware just in case.
> ...


Oh god, I hope shes not pregent, her nipples feel quite large compared to a chocolate lab that I give frequent belly rubs too, but she is only half the size mind.....

Totally agree, on the phone she came across like a mal was no different to any other dog.

Thank you  I will spoil her rotten

Not yet but in a couple of years I was planning on getting 1 or 2 male puppies, possibly akita or rott, since they would be boys do you think she would be ok or is it more of a each mal is different kind of thing?

Lastly mals + cats = bad idea? Or can they be trained to get along?


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> Flynn used to do this and two different trainers told me to ignore him as he's trying to get my attention away from what I'm doing - in other words calling the shots. Best to ignore and carry on so as she learns she gets attention when *you* want to give it and not when she wants it. Hard I now and now Flynn lies by my feet, he was a devil though and would push my arm right up in the air. Foolishly this made me laugh!
> 
> I don't suppose you know if she was KC registered and what her pedigree name is if she was? I have a few Breed Record Supplements with Mals bred over some years and may be able to find her original breeder through them. Just a thought.


I have to admit, she makes me laugh when she does that too!
Although yesterday when she put her head under my arm, I ignored her as I thought it might be a calling the shots thing, then she walked off looking all soppy so I called her back then gave her a cuddle...im too weak!


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> Flynn used to do this and two different trainers told me to ignore him as he's trying to get my attention away from what I'm doing - in other words calling the shots. Best to ignore and carry on so as she learns she gets attention when *you* want to give it and not when she wants it. Hard I now and now Flynn lies by my feet, he was a devil though and would push my arm right up in the air. Foolishly this made me laugh!
> 
> I don't suppose you know if she was KC registered and what her pedigree name is if she was? I have a few Breed Record Supplements with Mals bred over some years and may be able to find her original breeder through them. Just a thought.


Opps forgot to add - she was advertised at £400 "with all her papers", then on another later add it was £150 with papers and bascially I brought her for £100 and told her I dont care about the papers as I dont want to breed her then after when something clicked, I asked for the papers and pay her for them but she conventialy lost them like the PET ID and previous owners contact details...hmm...


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Oh god, I hope shes not pregent, her nipples feel quite large compared to a chocolate lab that I give frequent belly rubs too, but she is only half the size mind.....
> 
> Totally agree, on the phone she came across like a mal was no different to any other dog.
> 
> ...


If her nipples seem quite large Im wondering if she has had pups in the past then
Possible I suppose.

Mals can be same sex agressive. My Boy lives with two girls and loves his girls but I know he wouldnt tolerate a male in his house, not a large breed anyway.
My girls need watching at times, but with them its only ever one thing discarded chews or food, so thats easy to avoid, they dont get anything unless supervised and when they are unattended they dont have them, or when they discard them they get picked up and put away. Its the only thing they squabble about luckily.

Akitas can be selective who they live with, dont think I would chance a male rot and a male akita together. Ive even known akitas who dont like opposite sexes either or ones that live together OK but dont like any other dog. Malamutes somtimes can start on opposite sexes of their own type too and other dogs ask Malmum.

As i think you said she can be funny with some dogs anyway or at the moment a you would just have to see how she goes with time.

Dogs together and even bitches together can get on but come adolsecence and seasons can be a different story. These two were fine until the younger was 9mths and had a first season, then the old girl who I wouldnt mind had been spayed for over 10 years started on the younger one. I had to watch them when she was in season like a hawk, after the season it calmed down, and then I got the younger one spayed at a year because she had an infection on a first season as well. They are OK now though apart from discarded food or chews.
Ive known males to be OK and then start competing and fighting once they are adolsecent and the hormones start kicking in. Especially if you have got 2 breeds that are known to be possibly fiesty in the first place.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> I have to admit, she makes me laugh when she does that too!
> Although yesterday when she put her head under my arm, I ignored her as I thought it might be a calling the shots thing, then she walked off looking all soppy so I called her back then gave her a cuddle...im too weak!


To be honest mine do it, but I have an off switch they get a fuss but are trained that when I say enough they stop. Kobi has a fuss every night before bed, but once I say sleep he wanders off and goes to sleep. Same with Nanuq.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Opps forgot to add - she was advertised at £400 "with all her papers", then on another later add it was £150 with papers and bascially I brought her for £100 and told her I dont care about the papers as I dont want to breed her then after when something clicked, I asked for the papers and pay her for them but she conventialy lost them like the PET ID and previous owners contact details...hmm...


Have you tried putting the phone number in google if the number was on the ads and see if it comes up with any other dogs for sale.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Brilliant Malmum, thanks for that!
> haha I love to see peoples faces around yours while picking pigs teeth up on the floor!
> Opps I did give her raw mince today so I was a bit naughty! I will buy chickin wings for the next week and feed her them alone if you think thats best.
> Oh so I can just give her a frozen block of mince, no defrosing needed and she will be fine?


Lol, I feed all the Mals in the garden and with pigs heads or bones it goes straight on the grass so no washing up, then they have a whole carrot or apple chucked out too.

As for the chicken wings - no you can't just feed them for a whole week, that would be too much bone and could cause constipation. You need either bones on one day and meats the next or one bony meal for the first feed of the day and a meaty one later. For instance, my dogs got a pig tail mid morning then this meal this evening.










Venison (road kill from my butcher) and beef chunks and tomorrow they will have these carcasses because tonight's meal was a heavy meat meal.










I don't give marrow bones because I learned my lesson once when I allowed Flynn to eat a whole knuckle and he ended up not being able to poo and had to have an anaesthetic, manual evacuation and an enema to remove the shreds of bone that had impacted inside his intestine and formed a solid block. If the butcher ever gives them to me now I let them have the bone until they have chewed off the sinew and take them away after about 30 - 45 mins, depending on how much has been eaten. Also very large weight bearing bones like cow joints and shins are not good as they can damage their teeth on such tough old bones. All other bones such as chicken, lamb, pork etc. are okay.



Bear1980 said:


> I have to admit, she makes me laugh when she does that too!
> Although yesterday when she put her head under my arm, I ignored her as I thought it might be a calling the shots thing, then she walked off looking all soppy so I called her back then gave her a cuddle...im too weak!


Nothing wrong with that later on but you haven't had her long yet and you really do need to let her know that you are in charge. In fact what you did there was fine, she didn't get her own way and when she was good and left you alone you then called her back on your terms and gave her affection for being a good girl.  I am ultra dodgy of bitch's and even with all my other dogs, most who have been males the four bitches I have had have always been a little hostile to other dogs in some way no matter how small - none like Kali though. My son never ever turns Kali away when she asks for a fuss and because of that she will not allow any other dogs (including Flynn who she usually loves) near my son when she is being petted by him. She is extremely possessive of him and much as I tell him it's not good he thinks it's quite okay for her to threaten all the other dogs, which makes the rest of us (four daughters) blinking mad tbh, because the other dogs will never do such a thing. I fuss over Flynn always, always have since he was three weeks old BUT he is not predisposed to jealousy and once you know your girl you will know how far you can trust her and what level of affection you can give.
She would NEVER do that when I'm fussing another dog, she would be 'ON THAT BED' in no time because I just won't have it and if you are considering getting another dog in the future you will need her to be well balanced and not possessive.
By the way a Mal, Rottie and Akita is NOT a good idea no matter what sex. If you do want another dog make it just one because even Kali was better when I just had Marty but once Flynn arrived she worsened and him being her son most likely made it all the worse. As I said earlier females are not same sex aggressive, they tend to be any sex aggressive if you have an 'iffy' one and even focussed workers have started fights during a race while harnessed to the same rig. Many people with multi Mal households have 'two packs' and from those I know of all are due to females being aggressive and not males.

Personally I don't think you can get a better mix than a small dog for Mal company. These two boys of mine are inseperable.



















So much for same sex aggression eh?


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Have you tried putting the phone number in google if the number was on the ads and see if it comes up with any other dogs for sale.


Yep, only thing that came up was 2 ads for the dog, different prices and different description regarding kids - one said "dont get along with kids" and the only said "not sure about kids" , but when I rang the lady, a kid answered...

darn I was hoping my mal girl and a male rott in the future!


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> Lol, I feed all the Mals in the garden and with pigs heads or bones it goes straight on the grass so no washing up, then they have a whole carrot or apple chucked out too.
> 
> As for the chicken wings - no you can't just feed them for a whole week, that would be too much bone and could cause constipation. You need either bones on one day and meats the next or one bony meal for the first feed of the day and a meaty one later. For instance, my dogs got a pig tail mid morning then this meal this evening.
> 
> ...


Opps I must of read it wrong, I thought you said just to give chikin wings for the frist week to it does not cause the runs...thats why I shouldnt read posts very late at night! lol...until the guy from the raw meat website contacts me, would chickin thighs/wings + mince be ok?

It's great to see her eat and enjoy her food for once, although she still isnt greedy, today shes had approx 200g mince and about 300g of chickin wings.

Ah I brought her a "postmans leg" bone which I believe is a cows leg or part, I better throw it out.

What if it was a male rott and female mal?
My aunt brought in her male shih tzu, I think he's approx 3-4 months old and I had to hold her back and she was barking and trying to lunge.

Wonder if a Kayla and a pomeranian would get along, that would be nice!

P.S I want Flynn!


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## Snuggles (Nov 17, 2008)

You've had some great advice on this thread, so not much to add. 

Just take your time to build a bond and gain her trust. It will make life a lot easier when you are making descisions on her behalf in the future.



Bear1980 said:


> What if it was a male rott and female mal?
> My aunt brought in her male shih tzu, I think he's approx 3-4 months old and I had to hold her back and she was barking and trying to lunge.
> 
> Wonder if a Kayla and a pomeranian would get along, that would be nice!
> ...


For now, I would concentrate on settling your girl in, but adding a dog of the opposite sex isn't out of the realms of possibility in the future.

A Moot and a Pom is a possible combo...


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Yep, only thing that came up was 2 ads for the dog, different prices and different description regarding kids - one said "dont get along with kids" and the only said "not sure about kids" , but when I rang the lady, a kid answered...
> 
> darn I was hoping my mal girl and a male rott in the future!


You have plenty of time and you wasnt thinking about another for a long time yet anyway. Main thing at the moment is getting her settled and well adjusted and sorting out any issues she may have with training and bonding, and then take it from there.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> You have plenty of time and you wasnt thinking about another for a long time yet anyway. Main thing at the moment is getting her settled and well adjusted and sorting out any issues she may have with training and bonding, and then take it from there.


Definitely! If I were to get another dog, it would be a good 2yrs away at least.

Thanks again to you and Malmum, you've both been great!


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Snuggles said:


> You've had some great advice on this thread, so not much to add.
> 
> Just take your time to build a bond and gain her trust. It will make life a lot easier when you are making descisions on her behalf in the future.
> 
> ...


Lovely dogs you have there!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Definitely! If I were to get another dog, it would be a good 2yrs away at least.
> 
> Thanks again to you and Malmum, you've both been great!


Your very welcome, if your worried about anything or have any more questions just ask.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Keep us posted on your girls progress and you know where we are if you need any advice. Balance discipline with affection and you won't go far wrong. Enjoy getting to know her and I wish you both loads of luck, she is so lucky you have found her and will repay ten fold in the future for your commitment. 

One last thing - Mals are prone to bloat so don't exercise her too soon before or after a meal, give it at least an hour and a half both ways to minimize the risk.
http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Quick update -

Shes doing great! Seems much calmer and in the short time I've been with her I think I've come to understand her personality much better now.

Last night she had a nice treat, raw chickin thighs in the back garden at 2am lol I just sat there and watched her eat, was really nice! 

I noticed her biting the bottom of her back, near the begining of her tail and she seems to have some dandruff there (I think), What dog shampoo would you advise as I have tea tree and aloe vera I think (its for dogs).

Hope everyone is well!


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> Keep us posted on your girls progress and you know where we are if you need any advice. Balance discipline with affection and you won't go far wrong. Enjoy getting to know her and I wish you both loads of luck, she is so lucky you have found her and will repay ten fold in the future for your commitment.
> 
> One last thing - Mals are prone to bloat so don't exercise her too soon before or after a meal, give it at least an hour and a half both ways to minimize the risk.
> Bloat in Dogs


Once I start my legal job I might have a problem with this as I'd be up at 6am take dog for 1hour walk/jog, then i'd have about 15mins to feed her and as you said the bloat issue, if this cannot be helped, should I feed her one big meal instead of 2 in the evening so she has a few hours until her walk? Tricky situation!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Quick update -
> 
> Shes doing great! Seems much calmer and in the short time I've been with her I think I've come to understand her personality much better now.
> 
> ...


Has she been flea treated since you have got her? if she hasnt and the previous people didnt do her either then it might even be flea bites. See if you can see any little blackish gritty bits anywhere. If you can brush them onto a white piece of kitchen towel and drop a few drops of water on them. if they disolve into a reddish/brown blob them its flea dirts dry blood from when they feed.

Sounds like shes getting a lot more relaxed now and beginning to settle in more.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Has she been flea treated since you have got her? if she hasnt and the previous people didnt do her either then it might even be flea bites. See if you can see any little blackish gritty bits anywhere. If you can brush them onto a white piece of kitchen towel and drop a few drops of water on them. if they disolve into a reddish/brown blob them its flea dirts dry blood from when they feed.
> 
> Sounds like shes getting a lot more relaxed now and beginning to settle in more.


Hope your well SDH! I recall the previous owner saying she was fleed and wormed a month ago and is due soon but I'd take that with a pinch of salt me thinks!
I will give this a go, thanks very much!


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

It could also be that her anal glands need emptying if you don't think it's fleas. Not hard to do yourself if the vet will show you how to do it. I have to empty Kali's regularly ad she gets anal gland abscesses and have ruptured three times in the past. 

With regard to feeding - I would rather feed once daily than risk feeding too near to exercise and particularly as you wouldn't be there to spot it. Have read about two Mals having bloat on the old Mal forum and both lucky to have survived due to quick action by the owner. Both had emergency surgery.


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## Guest (Sep 2, 2012)

In summer, you might be able to freeze some oily fish/chicken necks in an empty 4 litre ice cream container, that has been near filled to the top with water. then frozen solid. Any gaps in freezer, use these. The fuller your freezer, the cheaper to run. In hot weather, it will help your dog feel cooler, licking fishy ice block and will take a 1/2 hour to melt. If you are wanting to maintain weight, just mix a tablespoon of cat food, (smellier) in hot water, then put in 4 litre ce cream container, fill with water and freeze, as normal, tip out on lawn, on hot day, in shade.


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Malmum said:


> It could also be that her anal glands need emptying if you don't think it's fleas. Not hard to do yourself if the vet will show you how to do it. I have to empty Kali's regularly ad she gets anal gland abscesses and have ruptured three times in the past.
> 
> With regard to feeding - I would rather feed once daily than risk feeding too near to exercise and particularly as you wouldn't be there to spot it. Have read about two Mals having bloat on the old Mal forum and both lucky to have survived due to quick action by the owner. Both had emergency surgery.


Hi Malmum! Yeah I think I will need to learn to empty them, sounds lovely lol.

Each day after feeding her raw i've found sick and diarrhea in the back garden. She seems to be off her raw today so I feed her a tin of pilchards and a banana as she wouldnt each her regular food 

I've ordered a sack of skinners duck and rice in the mean time just in case.

I was just thinking my dog has black markings on her snout, i dont think ive seen a mal with this, wonder if its a pure breed?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> Hi Malmum! Yeah I think I will need to learn to empty them, sounds lovely lol.
> 
> Each day after feeding her raw i've found sick and diarrhea in the back garden. She seems to be off her raw today so I feed her a tin of pilchards and a banana as she wouldnt each her regular food
> 
> ...


Any chance you can post a photo? Not sure what you mean by black markings on the snout but they can have different facial markings.

They can just have a cap of colour that just covers the top of the head and ears and otherwise white faces.

Goggles, dark areas under the eyes extending sideways,

Bar, Dark dark area extending from the centre pint of the cap down the nose.

Eye shadow, dark martings under the eyes which dont extend out to the cap.

Star, a small white spot in the centre of the forehead.

Blaze, A white mark extending from the centre point of the cap back up the forehead, width and length can vary.

Closed face, a cap covering the head with no other markings on the face.

Full mask, Combination of cap goggles and bar.

Mask a combination of cap and goggles.

Nose and eye rims can be solid black, but in the Reds they tend to be brown/liver coloured. Eyes should be dark brown except in the reds where eyes tend to be lighter brown or amber.

You can also get a snow nose black with a pink/lighter centre and some times in the lighter centre can can get black markings of flecks.

Malamutes dont have blue eyes, if they have then they must have siberian Husky someone in the heritage or be a cross.

This may help too
Alaskan Malamutes - KalaMals Kennel


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Any chance you can post a photo? Not sure what you mean by black markings on the snout but they can have different facial markings.
> 
> They can just have a cap of colour that just covers the top of the head and ears and otherwise white faces.
> 
> ...


I have no idea how to post pictures , could I e-mail you a couple maybe? 

Edit - uploaded a display picture but maybe too small to see!


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## Bear1980 (Aug 26, 2012)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Couple of things I meant to say and forgot looking back over the posts has reminded me.
> 
> Regarding the neutering, as you dont know what stage she is in the cycle anyway and as I said before I would wait and get her settled in more and preferably assessed and trained a bit more and bonded anyway.
> 
> ...


I will be getting her insured ASAP - is it best to insure then get her neutered or neuter then insure? Not sure if this affects the policy etc??

just checked petplan -
4k or 7k or 12k per year for vet fees, depending on which one I take out.
£75 excess for all 3 policies.
complmentry treatment 1k or 2k - 2k is for the most expensive policy.
all 3 covered for life

I was thinking the "classic" one, £7000 for vet fees, per year (I think this is for all conditions in that paticular year?)
Or do you think own a Mal, the 12k per year is needed based on the kind of problems they can get?

Many thanks!


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> I will be getting her insured ASAP - is it best to insure then get her neutered or neuter then insure? Not sure if this affects the policy etc??


Ive only insured the last two dogs, and they were not spayed/or neutered when I took out the policy but then again as pups of 11 and 12 weeks they would be too young anyway, although they were spayed and neutered later.

If its an adult dog you may but you would have to check, get the policy loaded as a bitch especially can be prone to uterine infections and reproductive tract problems and things like Mammary tumours Im not sure as said but they may take that into consideration on your premium.

Its catch 22 though and baring in mind that anything in the first 14 days isnt covered although some will cover accident from day one. if they get anything in the first 14 days then usually its classed as an exemption, as would be anything thats already on her records claimed for or not previously. Insurance companies also tend to group types of illness too, so say a stomach upset is classed as disorders of the digestive tract meaning anything digestive is thereafter excluded. The thing is if you wait until shes spayed and she gets something in the meantime or heavens forbid the vet finds a problem then you are going to be scuppered there after and have to pay the full bill.

To give you an example Kobi had a lump off his leg a couple of months ago
and that with meds came to just over £650. He then got a reaction and abcess to the antibiotic injection they gave him after the op. That had to have the pus drawn off and a different lot of antibiotic tablets then another vet visit after that by the time it had all finished that came to about £800.
All I had to pay was the £100 excess. I personally would get her insured sooner rather then later. You can ring for quotes and tell them she will be spayed but you have only just got her and she isnt yet and see what they say.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

I had Kali and Marty insured before they where neutered and once they had been done phoned both insurers - Homebase & Argos - and was told it didn't make any difference to the premium other than there were now certain things they couldn't get, such as pyometra, testicular cancer etc. I actually thought it may bring the premium down - silly me! 
Your girl looks like she just has a cap - like Marty, because a bar is very distinctive and is dark. Like Flynns brother Sonny.










Found this one of Flynn's sister (right) also with a bar and his brother with just a cap.










A bit difficult to tell with your girl because of the angle of the pic. She does appear to have some shading but don't think it would be considered a bar. None of mine have bars, just caps.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Bear1980 said:


> I will be getting her insured ASAP - is it best to insure then get her neutered or neuter then insure? Not sure if this affects the policy etc??
> 
> just checked petplan -
> 4k or 7k or 12k per year for vet fees, depending on which one I take out.
> ...


Kobis is with pet plan now and his is 6K life time cover, looks like they have increased the cover now to what it was a couple of years ago.

Nanuqs with animal friends and hers is 6K per condition and its life time, its an old policy now they may have changed the packages since though.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Have a look at this link, it has all the different markings in Mals. Should be able to find something on there. 

WorldMals.com - Alaskan Malamute Color & Marking


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