I read an interesting article in the Sunday Telegraph recently, which discussed the rapid growth in the number of Alaskan Malamute puppies and other so-called wolf-type dogs, which are being bred. Malamute registrations have gone up from just 128 in 2000 to almost 1200 last year, which is a massive rise in anybody’s book. Siberian uskys and Inuits are also becoming a much more regular sight in towns and cities across the country.
Contrastingly, some of the traditionally popular breeds such as the Westie, the Yorkshire Terrier and Golden Retriever have seen massive reductions in numbers being registered. This is all a bit worrying as I feel there is a bit of a fashion element to the popularity of the so called Wolf type dogs, due to films/programmes such as Twilight Zone and Eight Below. Bulldog and Pug registrations have also seen massive increases.
The article quotes one Malamute owner who states they are great family pets, (which they can be) but also quotes Anne Nevinson of the Alaskan Malamute Club of the UK, who whilst promoting the breed at the Kennel Club’s Discover Dogs exhibition, added one or two words of caution. She says, “They are wonderful pets, but they are not your average pet dog. They are a sled dog and still have all those natural instincts. They are very independent and do need canine company. They are less loyal to their master than other breeds are They also have a very high prey drive, so will hunt. You don’t take them to the park and let them run round with other dogs. They can make a good family pet, but you have to have a bit of sense.”
And herein lies the problem of course. Not everyone who acquires these large, powerful dogs has the same committment to training, development and social behaviour as knowledgeable enthusiasts. Apparently, the price of a puppy has risen to £1200 in some areas and this will attract the wrong type of person who will breed puppies with little or no knowledge of the breed.
Some of these dogs are living with families who have busy lives and often the amount of time given to exercising the dogs is just not enough. This is when behavioural issues develop and people like me get involved. We see these dogs being allowed to run free in parks, where their owners have little or no control over them. They can have a heightened prey drive and incidents will occur where other dogs can be subject to over-boisterous behaviour or even aggression. Good breeders will always ensure that new owners are properly briefed on what they should and should not be doing with their new puppy as it gets bigger, but not all breeders are so conscientious.
Most of the Malamute, Husky type breeds are not very easy to train and can be extremely difficult to recall off the lead. Indeed, many of the breed-club websites will specifically advise that they should not be allowed off-lead in public, as the proverbial call of the wild will take over. Some owners get lucky and have one which is biddable and can be allowed off lead without a problem. As a rule of thumb though, they generally do their own thing if allowed off-lead and recall is problematic with most. There are some really great breed clubs which organise events which allow the dogs to take part in activities for which they were originally bred ie sledding etc, so if you do have one of these beautiful dogs I would encourage you to join such a club. If you are thinking of getting one, do your research first by reading some of the excellent breed club websites before you decide that this type of dog is for you.
These concerns were reiterated by a spokesperson from the Kennel Club who wish to discourage this fashion trend for this type of dog. “They can make fantastic pets, but they need lots of exercise, interaction and stimulation.”
I have already seen several of these dogs in a professional capacity for a variety of problems including dog aggression and dominance issues and unfortunately I can only see this trend continuing if they remain as popular or even moreso than they already are. Rescue organisations will also start to have more of these dogs coming in, unless a responsible approach is taken. Potential puppy buyers need to be realistic as to their ability and availability to give an appropriate level of care, exercise and interaction with this type of dog and breeders have a massive role to play in vetting potential buyers.
Films and tv programmes which portray a particular breed, even in a good light, can be a real problem. They can lead to massive booms in popularity, not always with the right type of person. My breed, the Rottweiler suffered a massive increase in popularity and also notoriety following its portrayal in The Omen film in the late 70’s and we have been stuck with the ‘Devil Dog’ term ever since.
Peter Mounsey, Ashclyst dog training Devon,
15th November 2010.