| We recommend puppy kindergarten classes. This is a great start for training Alaskan malamute puppies. Teething:- Teething pups try to bite everything(fingers shoes ), and those teeth are sharp as Needles. Puppies bite because they are teething just as any breed of puppy does. They are not biting because they are aggressive . Be firm tell them no take away what every they are chewing on that you do not want them to be chewing on. Give them something they are aloud to chew (bone,toys ). They will understand that they are not allowed to chew on and what they are allowed to chew on but it will take time. BONES AND TOYS WILL HELP WITH THIS. Brushing Teeth:- Use a toothpaste formulated for dogs, since people toothpaste can upset stomachs if swallowed. (besides dog toothpaste usually has a meat flavor and you'll get more cooperation). Instead of brushing every day, we give lots of large knuckle bones, rawhides. Do they make good house dogs? They can be good house dogs . Malamutes require quality time from their owners and should belong to someone willing to devote that time for socialization and training. They need to be a part of the family as any other family member and should be treated as such. They are great companions when living in the right environment. Devoted, intelligent, goofy -- what more could anyone ask for in choosing a dog? So yes they make great house dogs but do need to be trained. Howling at night in the crate: We have always used the crate training method, you will hear your pup howl to get out. IGNORE IT They will get over it in time.The first few days will be the worst they will stop and really enjoy their crate at night in time. Do not give into him or her if you do you will have to start all over again. They will think every time they howl your going to give in and let him or her out.As your puppy grows and gets older they will want to go into the crate to sleep . They will sleep all through the night but it will take time. I HAVE FOUND TOYS HELP IN THE CRATE . THEY ALSO HAVE TOYS CALLED KONGS WHICH CAN BE FOUND AT YOUR PET STORE THAT YOU CAN FILL WITH TREATS. YOU CAN FREEZE THEM AFTER YOU FILLED THEM. WHEN YOU PUT YOUR PUPPY IN THE CRATE, IT KEEPS THE PUPPY BUSY TRYING TO GET the Treat OUT. House breaking: Take the puppy outside immediately after he or she awakes in the morning and after all nap your puppy will have to go to the bathroom within 15 minutes after eating and drinking so always take outside after eating and drinking. Always watch for signs (walking around sniffing the floor etc) sometimes they go to the door . Take your puppy out side right away. Puppy proofing your home: You must put the puppy where either it cannot do any damage, or you do not care about the possible damage. Puppies can eat and chew anything. The puppy may well injure itself with wires or something small or sharp. Puppy proofing your home is the same thing as child proofing your home. Training - The Alaskan Malamute learns very quickly, however, possesses a short attention span (bores easily). We have found that training is best kept to 15-20 minutes in length, but, that training "sessions" may take place as often as you have time. Commands should be kept simple, i.e., "sit", "down", "walk", or "stay," and must be consistent. The use of hand signals together with verbal commands is recommended as well. The Alaskan Malamute is extremely eager to please and, therefore, it is important that your puppy/dog is praised vigorously when he/she obeys your commands. Personally, we use treats as a training tool only occasionally (and only in the beginning) ... we prefer the praise method. The most important thing is to remember that YOU are the alpha the leader of the pack. Puppy Kindergarten is the first step in training. Local Petsmart and Petco offer Puppy Kindergarten classes and so do Petco pet stores. Remember that you are training your pup, every day! Don't allow behavior now that you do not want in an adult dog.. THIS IS NOT A BREED YOU CAN LET RUN AND EXPECT TO COME BACK. They were bred to run for 100's of miles. Their job was to lean pull and run and pull and run. They don't know anything about cars . They will run right in front of a car. If you leave a Malamute loose in your neighborhood, your dog will go out in the neighborhood. He will chase down and kill neighborhood cats, chickens etc. He WILL get on the roads. And get hit by a car so please do not let your Alaskan Malamute out with out a leash! The stay command Teaching your puppy the "stay" command is important to your puppy's safety, and is useful in daily activities. It is used with other commands, so it's necessary to have first trained your puppy the basic commands such as "sit" or "down." The "stay" command teaches your puppy to remain where he is until he's told by you he can move. The benefits of this command are many. For example: you are out walking your puppy and are stopped at a curb waiting for a safe time to cross the street. You ask your puppy to "sit" and he does, but he is then very quickly up again on all fours, pulling at his leash. With the "stay" command your puppy gets additional information – he understands that he is to hold his position until you tell him it's okay to move, regardless of the distractions around him. The "stay" command is also very effective at reminding your puppy that you are the one in command. This is important because to be contented and well behaved, dogs need to know who their "pack leader" is. How to train your puppy to "stay" Leash your puppy. Hold his leash and, standing in front of him, give him the "sit" command. When your puppy is sitting, give him the "stay" command. To do this give your puppy the "stay" signal and the verbal command "stay." The signal used is one most of us are already familiar with to mean "wait" or "stop." Raise one hand and, palm out, hold it in front of your puppy's nose. As you give your puppy this signal look at him and say "stay" in a clear voice. Holding his leash, walk backward from your puppy, still saying "stay." If he keeps his position for a few seconds return to your puppy, give him the release word you have chosen, and praise and reward his behavior. Continue this training daily for short intervals of about 10 minutes. As the training progresses, gradually build up the time your puppy remains in the "stay" position until given the release word. Don't advance too quickly. Start at 5 or 10 seconds in the sit-stay position. When he is comfortable move the time up to 30 seconds, then 1 minute and eventually 2 or 3 minutes. Only increase the time when your puppy is comfortable holding the current sit-stay time. Once your dog understands the "stay" command when leashed, practice it unleashed in a safe area. The next step, once your puppy is comfortable with the sit-stay command, is to add other commands into the training sessions, such as "down-stay." Keep in mind that at first the "stay" command may be a more difficult command for your puppy to learn. In other commands he may be able to recognize a definite action he is expected to perform. For example, when he is given the "sit" command he places his backside on the ground. When he hears the "come" command he moves towards you. But the "stay" command can be used with many other commands. It is basically telling your puppy to hold whatever position he is in, rather than to perform a certain action, and your puppy may have trouble grasping this concept at first. Be patient and your puppy will gradually understand the "stay" command – and you will have a well-behaved and safe dog. Training gone wrong Training your puppy to understand the "stay" command will fail if you expect too much from him. Be reasonable. Don't expect your puppy to hold the "stay" command for long periods of time. If you give him the command and then leave him unattended don't expect him to keep his position. Remember that he is a puppy. Puppies get confused about what behavior is expected from them when their owners aren't consistent. For example: you're out walking your puppy and you run into someone you know. You stop to talk to them and give your puppy the "sit-stay" command. You get involved in your conversation and your puppy doesn't stay seated but, because your attention has shifted to your conversation, you don't correct your puppy. This sends him mixed messages – training can only work when it is consistent. Food rewards and praise are important to communicate to your puppy that he has pleased you. However, as the training progresses, food rewards should be used less frequently – maybe every third time. Verbal praise should be used regularly, but if food rewards are used constantly your puppy may eventually refuse to obey the command unless a food reward is given. How are they with cats? If raised with cats, Alaskan Malamutes can become very close, loving and protective of them. If not raised from a young age with cats (the critical time being between eight weeks and six months), many Malamutes will be dangerously predatory toward them - hunting and killing them as if they were a squirrel, rodent or small animal. Malamutes that grow up with one or more cats will usually consider them part of their pack, be protective of them, play nicely and cuddle with them and generally enjoy their company. Not that every cat is so trusting of the Malamute. If you have or intend to have a cat EVER, it is best to obtain your malamute as a puppy and socialize it to the household cats young. It is best to have the cat first, as the cat will always think of itself as the alpha/dominant creature, and if a young malamute puppy is brought into the home at a young age and introduced properly, he will accept this. Things to consider strongly if you choose to have Alaskan malamutes and felines: (1) Introduce the dog as a young puppy if possible (2) allow both species a way of getting away from the other (3) supervise and allow NO predatory chase games. (4) If you have indoor cats, don't automatically assume your malamute will be good with outdoor cats unless socialized to them as a puppy. How are they with children? We have three children and they have been great for each other our malamutes have always being very gentle with our children. But you also need to teach your child how to interact with dogs. We always welcome you to bring your family to our kennel and visit with our malamutes . Enjoy both your children AND your Malamutes!! Feeding your puppy Puppies require nearly double the amount of nutrients per pound of food than do older dogs. Puppies need higher levels of nutrients that are not available in regular dog food. Because of their special nutritional needs, your puppy should only receive puppy food for the first year. Most dog food manufacturers offer a special formula for puppies that is higher in protein and enriched with the fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, minerals, fats and other essentials your growing puppy needs .Feeding For the first few days, it is a good idea to continue feeding the same type and brand of puppy food and use the same feeding schedule the puppy was on before he came to you. Then you can slowly start using the food you have chosen. Mix 25% of the new with 75% of the old for several days. Then make it 50-50 for several days, then 75% new to 25% old. Type of foods We never recommend canned food or the semi-moist fake meat burgers. Canned foods are typically higher in calories and fat and are usually 80 to 83 per cent water. The semi-moist foods are about 55% water and use high salt or sugar levels for preservation. Puppies don't need the salt and sugar. Dry foods are only 9 to 11 percent water and are made of the same quality ingredients as the other types. They are more economical, easier to use and better for your dog. Dogs on dry foods typically have fewer intestinal upsets. They have fewer problems with unwanted weight gain. We see no advantage as far as hair coat or skin quality is concerned with those on canned foods. Probably the most important advantage of using dry foods and feeding them dry is that the abrasive action of eating them is good for the dog's teeth and gums. Dog's that constantly eat any of the softened foods always have more dental problems ranging from tarter and plaque build up, abscesses, tooth loss and gum disease. Any or all of these cause bad breath. Dry food is the only food choice that helps control plaque while it is being eaten. It's also the only food that helps satisfy your puppy's need to chew. Feeding your puppies from the table teaches them the bad habit of begging and may make house training more difficult for you. Table scraps should never account for more than 10% of your mature dog's diet. No chocolate, no bones that splinter easily, and keep your dog away from high-fat,greasy foods. Cow's milk We consider milk just another table scrap. Cow's milk has the sugar lactose. Dogs do not have the enzyme lactase that is necessary to digest it. That is why they often develop diarrhea or softer stools when given it. Most humans produce this digestive enzyme. Those that don't are said to suffer from milk intolerances or allergies. When you see milk or milk by-products listed as ingredients in pet foods, lactose bacteria have been used to break down the sugar into easier digestible forms. Dogs do not need fresh milk. Feeding schedule * You should not leave food out for the puppy so that it can eat it whenever it wants. You need to be there for the feedings because you want the puppy and its entire body on a set schedule. This is best accomplished by feeding the pup what it will eat at specific times on a specific schedule. * Puppies under six months of age should be fed three times daily; between six and twelve months old, two times daily; and once per day after twelve months of age. * Puppies maturing into adults will naturally decrease the number of feedings per day on their own. * By feeding on a set schedule, the dog will then go to the bathroom on a more set schedule and make house training easier and faster. Make it a habit to give the puppy some quiet time after the meal. Don't let the children romp and play with it for the first hour to an hour and a half after eating. This can lead to some stomach upsets that can sometimes be very serious. The puppy will probably need to go to the bathroom, however. Amounts to feed Place an ample amount of food down for them and then after 10 to 15 minutes it is picked up. You'll soon learn to judge how much they need and, depending on how fast they clean it up, when they need more. Remember to have water available with or immediately following the meal. The growth rates and appetites of young animals on a good quality food are primarily dictated by their genetics. Don't try to make your dog grow faster than it should or into something it isn't. This will only cause problems. Artificially accelerated growth leads to bone and joint disorders. Feed them the amounts they want and let their bodies dictate their needs. Treats: Treats should never account for more than 10% of your puppy's caloric intake Your puppy's food is its sole source for the nutrition it needs so don't "fill up" your puppy on treats before meal time. Liver products are great treats because they provide nutrients your puppy is unlikely to obtain from any other food source. Hard chew treats keep your puppy entertained and improve dental health by exercising the gums and scraping the teeth. It also satisfies your teething pup's need to chew. Treats can be used during training to reward good behavior, but be careful not to overdo it. Rawhide bones: Pet owners have a lot of questions about rawhide. Whether or not chewing rawhide is healthy for puppies. The chewing of rawhide has the beneficial effect of removing plaque from the animals' teeth and keeping them cleaner. This is significant because periodontal disease is a real problem in many adult dogs. It will not only satisfy your pet's natural urge to chew, it will also help keep him healthy. Water Puppies may seem to drink large quantities of water. They need it and it cannot be deprived of it. A dog can starve and lose almost all of its body fat and half of it protein mass (muscle) and still survive. However, if this dog loses 15% of its body water, it will die. Water is the most important nutrient of all. For dogs of any age that eat dry food, water will be needed to rehydrate it in their stomachs for digestion. Puppies also need more water per pound than adults do because they are growing. Growth comes through very active metabolism at the cellular level. These processes produce many wastes and by-products that are excreted into the blood. It requires plenty of water to carry these substances to and be flushed through the kidneys. It is okay to schedule when your puppy drinks, but on a daily basis you must allow them to consume what they want and need. Providing fresh water is important. This greatly reduces the risk of disease and therefore keeps your pet happy and healthy. Feeding your adult malamute Dog food companies have truly become the experts on canine nutritional needs. A brand name dry food will contain all the nutritional needs of the dog, possibly with the exception of fats. Polyunsaturated fats (one tablespoon) will supplement this requirement. If changing brands of dog food, do not suddenly substitute with the new food. Instead, gradually add increasing amounts of the new food with the old until the change is complete. Table scraps are not a suitable diet and should not be used to constitute a whole meal, though they may be added in small amounts, approximately 10%, to the dog's dinner. The amount of food each dog requires is determined by size, age, and level of activity. Young puppies are usually fed three times a day, while an adult needs only one meal a day. Despite their size, an adult Malamute has modest dietary needs. * Its a good idea to feed your Malamute two small meals to lessen the chance of bloat, a tragedy which can affect all large, deep chested breeds. Provide plenty of fresh water at all times, especially in warm weather, and remember to clean all food and water bowls daily. Dog chew toys Puppies chew when they are teething or bored and older dogs chew mostly out of boredom. Kongs It is a bounce toy, that you can fill with you dog's favorite treat, biscuits, peanut butter, cheese, etc., and it will give your dog hours of chewing fun and exercise. Also while your dog tries to get all the goodies you have stuffed into his Kong. Kongs are made of natural, puncture resistant, Ultra flex rubber and come in all sizes to accommodate all dogs. Stuffed Kongs are a great diversion for many puppies when you leave them alone for awhile. Usually they get pretty tired and fall asleep after using all their energy to get the "stuff" out. Nylabones Nylabones are great for dogs especially when your puppy is teething. They come in all sizes and flavors and last a long time. Rawhide Checking with your vet is always a good idea. Pressed rawhide sticks dissolve quickly in their stomachs. Braided rope toys Braided rope toys can help your puppy through his chewing phase. A word of warning though, don't let your dog eat the rope. It could be harmful to your puppy. The rope can get twisted in your dogs intestines which you can imagine would not be pleasant. Pig ears and Calf hooves are okay occasionally but once again we recommend you ask your vet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Spay/Neuter: There are numerous benefits of performing this surgery at six months of age. Unspayed females are subject to mammary and ovarian cancer. 'In order to prevent mammary cancer she must be spayed prior to her first heat cycle. Later in life, an unspayed female may develop a pyometra (an infected uterus), which is definitely life. threatening. Spaying is performed under a general anesthetic and is easy operation. The young dog. As you might expect it is a little harder on the older dog, but that is no reason to deny her the surgery. The surgery removes the ovaries and uterus. It is important to remove all the ovarian tissue. If some is left behind, she could remain attractive to males. In order to view the ovaries, a reasonably long incision is necessary. An ovary hysterectomy is considered major surgery. Neutering the male at a young age will inhibit some characteristic male behavior that owners frown upon. I have found my boys will not hike their legs and mark territory if they are neutered at six months of age. Also neutering at a young age has hormonal benefits, lessening the chance of hormonal aggressiveness. Surgery involves removing the testicles but leaving the scrotum. If there should be a retained testicle, then he definitely needs to be neutered before the age of two or three years. Retained testicles can develop into cancer. Unneutered males are at risk for testicular cancer, perineal fistulas, perianal tumors and fistulas and prostatic disease. Intact males and females are prone to housebreaking accidents. Females urinate frequently before, during and after heat cycles, and males tend to mark territory if there is a female in heat. Males may show the same behavior if there is a visiting dog or guests. Male or Female? There are many breeds in which the sex of a dog makes little difference to the pet owner. We would not say this is so in the case of the Alaskan Malamute. While both the male and the female are capable of becoming excellent companions and are equally easy to housebreak, do consider the fact that a male Malamute will mature to be considerably larger than his female litter mates. He will weigh a great deal more and in most cases have considerably more coat to deal with. These are factors which should be taken into consideration, as they require more physical strength-and greater maintenance time on the part of the owner. There are other sex-related differences to consider as well. " While the Malamute is one of the cleanest and easiest breeds to housebreak, the male provides a sexually-related problem in that. respect. The male of any breed of dog has a natural instinct to lift his leg and "mark" his territory. The amount of effort .that is involved in training the male not to do this varies with the individual dog, but what must be remembered is a male considers everything in the household a part of his territory and has an innate urge to establish this fact. This unfortunately may include your designer drapery or newly upholstered sofa. If you already have a male dog in your household or are thinking of becoming a two-dog family at some point, you should purchase a female. Two Malamutes of the same sex can be a problem. Malamutes are a dominant breed and extremely territorial. Fights can occur and trying to remove a fighting Malamute from the scene can be both difficult and hazardous to your well being. Females, on the other hand, have their own set of problems. Females have their semi-annual heat cycles once they are over a year of age. During these heat cycles of approximately 21 days, the female must be confined to avoid soiling her surroundings with the bloody discharge that accompanies estrus. She must also be carefully watched to prevent males from gaining access to her or she will become pregnant. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Both of these sexually related problems can be avoided by having the pet "altered". Spaying the female and neutering the male saves the pet owner of all the headaches of either of the sexually related problems without changing the character of the Malamute. If there are any changes at all in the altered Malamute, it is in making the dog an even greater companion. |
| Feeding, Training & More |
Alaskan Malamute Puppies
Missouri Malamutes
Missouri Malamutes
Alaskan Malamute Puppies
Missouri Malamutes
Missouri Malamutes
| Jeff and Beth Chandler ~ Viburnum, MO 65566 573.743.3507 ~ 573.604.1290 beth@missourimalamutes.com |
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