The time that the puppy leaves its birthplace to go to a new home is both a physical and emotional stress to his young system. He will have changes in his physical layout, as well as his emotional needs. Remember that he has had his first set of shots only a few days ago, and that his immunity is not at its best level. If possible, avoid too much contact with other dogs, etc., until he has had time to adjust to his new home and build up a safe level of immunity to everything he will encounter. I know you would just love to show off the new little tyke, but remember, just you and your home being new and strange to him are about all he can handle at one time. Most puppies need a full week to adjust to new surroundings, new people, new water, different feeding schedules, possible new animals, as well as new sounds, smells, carpets, the great outdoors, car rides, and a host of other things that are very strange. Also, for the first time, he has to meet all these challenges without the back up support of his litter mates, his mother, his aunt, or whatever else he has learned to depend on.

The smaller number of new things that are introduced to him during the first week, the quicker he will learn to cope with each new one. Be prepared for him to be not so bold as he was at his home place. Be prepared for some possible mild tummy upset (diarrhea) as a result of the stress of new surroundings and water, and most of all be prepared for a couple of noisy nights as he voices disapproval of being on his own.

 

Many blessings with your pup, and if any questions or problems arise, do not hesitate to contact us, and we will help wherever we can.

Intro

The adoption of an alaskan malamute as a companion dog will hopefully be part of your household for many joyful years. The reasons for wanting a dog are numerous . You may want a friend to go jogging with you in the wee hours of the morning or just want a couch potato like yourself. You may want a a protector for your home and family or a playmate for your children . You may have dreams of showing your dog or entering into obedience trials or agility competitions.

Your reasons for wanting a dog as a pet will help you make a choice in the type of dog you really want and should consider. Before acquiring an alaskan malamute ,please consider hard these issues. There are all types of dogs. There are large ones and small ones and everything in between.Some breeds are good at sporting events while others are great for working and some yet for outdoor activities such as sledding .Some are just plain great for sitting on your lap and lavishing you with their love. Some breeds demand a lot of on time because of their high energy needs ,training and attention.

Cute cuddly puppies will eventually grow up . So before you choose a breed that is suitable for your needs and your lifestyle. Don't choose a large breed if you live in an apartment . A better example is don't choose and alaskan malamute if you live in a side by side townhouse. Your neibours will hate you . You may enjoy your malamutes lovely howls but your neibours won't . You will likely have to move or place your dog up for adoption. This is only one example why choosing the right breed is important .You must take the time to evaluate all reasons and scenarios and adaptations for life now and should any occur in the future. Remember your choosing a friend not a stuffed toy. Make sure you have the time and the room for a dog in your life . Please also remember a dogs love and loyalty will reward you in many ways ,it is a gift from the grand creator himself. A pet will always likely give you more out of the relationship than it receive's itself. It seems that is how God designed it to be ,so by way of thanks and gratitude we should do our best to take care of His wonderful creations.

Other things to consider when buying a pet is your location as mentioned before . Look at your home ,is it more suitable for a Pekinese than an alaskan malamute. Are you in a bachelor apartment 10 floors up?? Think how you will exercise your new friend and where .Also consider how much time you have to devote to your new friend. Do you work ,do both husband and wife work and the kids in school .

Maybe a dog is not in the picture at the moment.A puppy in training needs much of your time in his / her early life to be taught the rules of life and what is expected of him/her. While consistent training and handling is important , No puppy should be crated all day . I have been asked several times for advice in e-mails from people who have purchased a malamute puppy from an other breeder and are desperately seeking advice about crate training their puppy all day as it does not seem to be working. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure what the problem is.

All day crated ,all night crated then let out a few hours in the evening for fun . Does this seem right to you . Why some people see no wrong in this is beyond me. Some have even said they contacted their breeder who said that all seems ok basing that comment on the fact that the recommended crate size should be sufficient to hold him at length. I am very bewildered by that answer. I get this type of call for help often. So it seems to be a lack of knowledge on the breeders part or maybe just plain outright lack of care and concern for the dogs well being . To give such advice is awful as terrible .

Many people who own alaskan malamutes should not own an alaskan malamute. Many breeders are giving false hopes and information about this breed . Some people have called me to hopefully purchase a malamute and are surprised that when I turn them down. They received other information about the breed that is not truthful and all rosy. Breeders do a big disservice to the breed by doing so. I have seen some breeders websites advertise how well malamutes get along with other breeds and animals and go as far as calling it a myth that malamute is anything but a wonderful pet with all creatures including their own kind. Hog Wash I say to that. I too can raise a malamute pack family that tend to generally get along . But that is unique, not only is that unique , it takes skill and knowledge.

Most people are not going to own 5 malamutes or more and raise them together while young to form a pack relationship ,and even in that relationship there can be scuffles that will terrify the novice. These breeders leave the general public thinking that if they purchase a malamute that their malamutes are the norm and will get along just fine with all dogs , "WHY BECAUSE THEY SAY AGAIN MALAMUTES NOT GETTING ALONG WITH OTHER DOGS IS A MYTH".What a dangerous statement and shame on those breeders for not knowing the breed enough or not willing enough to give an honest rendition of general malamute disposition.

Many sledders know that malamutes tend to be the most dog aggressive in the bunch . Believe it or not a malamute is not for the faint of heart or for the person or family who is not organized and disciplined. Yes they are wonderful companions , and other owners make it look easy ,but deep down they had what it took to raise such a dog to where it is truly a lovely part of the family and a wonderful addition to society. And before I scare you too much , yes , with training and many times lot's of it , a malamute can get along with your jack Russell or even your cat, but I can't stress enough the training relationship in all of this. Some malamutes are very dominant in their personalities which may make this difficult , some are more middle of the road. If you have a pet already ask your breeder to choose for you an alaskan malamute puppy that is not of the dominant alpha type. Trust the choice the breeder makes for you . So it is important that you choose a breeder that you can feel has your best interest at heart and is not only interested in your cash !!

But for every good story ,there are also bad ones. I am sure by this time you are thinking that I am saying that malamute ownership is just not a good thing . That is not so . It is a wonderful thing for the right type of people . An alaskan malamute can make your life a real pain and hassle if you are not prepared . They chew ,and heavily ,it can be cars ,siding ,houses anything . I am telling you the truth . Just go visit my "damage page " article.

Raising a malamute can be very rewarding and yes it can get along with your other family per if you have one ,but as said before ,it's all in the training, ,training ,training............. I can't say enough about it .

Last but not least you must consider the financial cost that dog ownership requires of you .Below are a few examples.

1. Indoor bed
2. Crate.
3. Outdoor kennel
4. collars , leashes ,ropes ,toys
5. training
6. damage to furniture and outdoor setting by chewing or digging
7. food and treats
8. Spaying and neutering
9. vaccinations and general vet care
10. Emergency vet care , this can be costly ,pet insurance is a good thing for this.
11. Grooming , clipping
12. Your own brushes and combs
13. Fencing

And as stated above damage control. Puppies, especially large ones like the size of alaskan malamutes can do considerable damage. Not even the vinyl siding on your house is safe !!! Don't forget the sheep next door who may accidentally meet your lovely malamute!! It has happened and the outcome is not pretty . Malamutes are very prey oriented ,so be careful with your neighbours cat. Warn them if they have a cat that your dog may treat it like prey . One day your malamute may be fine with your friends cat but that cat may decide to run and if it does for many malamutes that clicks off something in the brain that says chase it ,hunt it down. They won't eat it likely but it is a thrill kill and believe it or not ,a perfectly normal canine attribute. We just don't like to see it. To lessen this we can expose our malamute puppy when young to small animals in hopes that it will curb this drive to a lesser extent. I myself raise many of my pups with cats . Some readily adapt and treat them as friends as they get older but for some the drive is too strong . So sometimes it may work and sometimes not !

Also be prepared to know that your lovely alaskan malamute is quite capable of killing the neighbour farmers sheep if you live in a rural area , which is why you should never allow your dog to run at will even in the wide open spaces of Kansas!! Your malamute may not only cause damage but also may be shot or hurt himself. Many a malamute who have been allowed to roam have been shot because of the fear that they may be a wolf or coyote hybrid. Where I live we have many farms and many coyotes and yes even the "Big Bad wolf resides not far off , but really they are not bad at all . They just do what comes natural . Coyotes are abundant where I live and many are shot because they are doing what they should to survive , kill and eat . We also have packs of wild dogs ,so many farmers are on guard here and I am sure it is the same for many other rural areas . Your malamute if allowed to roam will maybe one day do what comes naturally for it, and also pay the price for your mistakes . The farmer has a right to shoot if his livestock is in danger and who can blame him ,though not a pretty thought at all. If you think that your dog is not capable of such a thing then you don't know enough what a dogs natural instincts are.We as humans try to train and suppress much of that for our own enjoyment of dog ownership . But It is always better to be forewarned and prepared then to be taken by surprise. I have heard of wild dog packs with poodle mixes so it's not just wolfs coyotes or malamutes who have these instincts ,it's all dogs and it is better to remember that . ]

Now that you know some of the uglies of dog ownership , their is an abundance of wonderful ]reasons why a dog is a great addition to the family . These are easy to see. They are friendship and love, sharing with your dog life's trials and joys . Loneliness can be made less lonely ,a very good shoulder to cry on indeed. A playmate for your children , heck a playmate for yourself! Young or old all need to play . Animals of all kinds can teach us much about ourselves life and God . So if you are ready and willing to learn and teach , then your ready to embark on this new adventure.

The Herger's

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