Before you decide you want to share your life with a Malamute, you need to do your research. You need to get out there and meet as many Mals as you can. In the winter months there are rallies held all over the UK where you can see the dogs working. In the summer there is the show circuit and you will often find people who aren't showing that day and who are willing to talk to you about the breed. Don't let your first visit to a breeder be to one who has pups, you will never be able to resist a Malamute pup. Instead take your time to visit several breeders and spend time with their adult dogs. In a few short months your bundle of fluff will be a large, powerful dog, so you need to appreciate fully grown Mals. The breeders will be willing to answer any questions you may have and more importantly, tell you about the negative sides of owning this wonderful breed.

So, you have visited breeders and spoken to several owners and are still adamant you want a Mal. Now is the time to think about approaching breeders with the view to going on their list. Even if you only want a pet you want a dog that is going to live a long and healthy life, one that has a great temperament so now you need to get yourself to some shows and rallies to see what type of Mal you like. Showing enables breeders to see how closely their dogs fit the breed standard, even if you do not want to show yourself, you still want a dog who resembles the breed you are looking for. I personally would be very wary of a breeder who did not show. How do they know their dogs are good enough to breed from? If you go to a show then buy yourself a catalogue, mark down the dogs who catch your eye and then look at the breeders. You may find you have identified several dogs who come from the same breeder so then you can start by either contacting the breeder or finding a breeder who breeds from those lines.

However looks aren't everything - temperament should be at the forefront when a mating is taking place so you need to ensure the dogs being bred from have good temperaments. Ask around, what do others think about the lines you have chosen - who would they recommend? Obviously you need to appreciate that people will have their own idea of what constitutes a good breeder but hopefully by talking to people in the breed you can be steered away from those who solely breed for profit, neglecting the health and temperament of the dogs they produce. Up there with temperament is the health of your dog. They will be your companion for 10 - 12 years and you want to give them the best chance you possibly can at living a healthy life. Don't simply go to the breeder who won that day, or people who are currently doing well. Sit back and look at the dogs, do they have the temperament you want in your dog, what is their health like? The Kennel Club have included a searchable database to their website so that you can see what health tests a particular dog has had. All breeding stock should be hip scored and have a current clear eye test certificate, both of which you will be able to check on the link below:

KC Health test result finder

So by now you have hopefully visited several Mals and got a real feel for the breed, visited shows and rallies to find out what type you like then found a suitable breeder (or two) whose list to go on. The waiting time for a Malamute has dropped considerably in the last few years however if you want a good, well bred pup then you need to be prepared to wait. A good breeder will only breed when they want one to keep themselves so you might be in for a bit of a wait. Don't be tempted to rush straight to the next breeder who might have a litter of pups sooner, stick to your original choice and you won't be disappointed - remember the old adage 'the best things come to those who wait.'

To pass the time you can check out the books below:

THE ALASKAN MALAMUTE - Yesterday and Today by Barbara A Brooks & Sherry E Wallis (ISBN: 0-931866-96-0)

Sadly the above book is now out of print - it was one of the best Malamute books written so if you see a copy I would snap it up quick!

THIS IS THE ALASKAN MALAMUTE by Joan McDonald Brearley (ISBN: 0-87666-650-0)

This is another good malamute book and the one I would recommend new owners (or prospective new owners) purchase.

THE NEW COMPLETE ALASKAN MALAMUTE by Maxwell Riddle & Beth J Harris (ISBN: 0-87605-008-9)

The above book gives you a great insight into the history of the breed.

The following books are lighter reads but don't go into as much detail:

A NEW OWNERS'S GUIDE TO ALASKAN MALAMUTES by Mary Jane & Al Holabach (ISBN: 0-7938-2789-2)

ALASKAN MALAMUTES - a complete pet owners guide by Betsy Sikora Siino (ISBN: 0-7641-0018-1)

ALASKAN MALAMUTES by Bill Le Kernec (ISBN: 0-87666-711-6)

ALASKAN MALAMUTE - a complete canine compendium by Thomas Stockman (ISBN: 1-902389-03-4)

You might also want to check out our Links pages for some other reading material.