Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky" Compare Alaskan Malamute and Alaskan Husky. Which is better: Alaskan Malamute or Alaskan Husky?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Alaskan Malamute	Alaskan Husky
Origins	United States	United States
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Sled Dogs	Sled Dogs
Popularity Rank	59	495
Reviews	3	2
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Other Names	Mal, Mally	Husky (Alaskan)
Breed Type	Purebred	Cross Breed
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1935 as a Working breed.	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Spitz and primitive types group, in the Nordic Sledge Dogs section.	Not recognized by FCI.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club	Dog Registry of America Inc.
Price	$1200-$1500	$1000-$1500

General Appearance - Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky

Size	Large	Medium
Weight	Male: 80 - 95 pounds (36 - 43 kg), Female: 70 - 85 pounds (32 - 38 kg)	Male: 40-60 pounds (18-27 kg), Female: 35-48 pounds (16-22 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 80 - 95 pounds (36 - 43 kg), Female: 70 - 85 pounds (32 - 38 kg)	Male: 50 pounds (22.5 kg), Female: 41.5 pounds (19 kg)
Height	Male: 24 - 26 inches (61 - 66 cm), Female: 22 - 24 inches (56 - 61 cm)	20-24 inches (51-61 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 24 - 26 inches (61 - 66 cm), Female: 22 - 24 inches (56 - 61 cm)	22 inches (56 cm)

Hair & Care - Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky

Coat	Dense Rough Thick Weather-resistant	Dense
Colors	Red Gray White Black	Gray White Blonde Orange Black
Grooming	Average: The Alaskan Malamute requires average grooming effort.	Average: The Alaskan Husky requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Alaskan Malamutes are heavy shedders.	Alaskan Huskys shed moderately.

Characteristics - Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky

Temperament	Affectionate Dignified Loyal Devoted Friendly Playful	Agile Energetic Protective Alert Powerful Sensitive
Intelligent Rank	Average: Alaskan Malamute's has average obedience intelligence.	Average: Alaskan Husky's has average obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Alaskan Malamutes are easy to train.	Alaskan Huskys aren't famous for their trainability.
Playfulness	The Alaskan Malamute is a playful breed.	The Alaskan Husky is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	Alaskan Huskys don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Alaskan Malamutes are average dogs regarding their affection level.	Alaskan Huskys are highly affectionate dogs.
Social Needs	Alaskan Malamutes are a social breed.	Alaskan Huskys need for social interaction is average.
Barking	Low to Average: The Alaskan Malamute rarely barks.	Average to high: The Alaskan Husky is a vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Alaskan Malamutes are one of the best watchdogs.	Alaskan Huskys are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Alaskan Malamutes are extremely protective guard dogs.	Alaskan Huskys are average defenders.
Biting Potential	Moderate The Alaskan Malamute has an average chance of biting somebody.	Moderate The Alaskan Husky has an average chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Alaskan Malamutes have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Alaskan Huskys have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Alaskan Malamutes have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.	Alaskan Huskys have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.
Prey Drive	Alaskan Malamutes have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Alaskan Huskys have a high impulse to chase and catch something.
Apartment Friendly	Alaskan Malamutes are not apartment-friendly dogs.	Alaskan Huskys are not apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Alaskan Malamutes adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.	Alaskan Huskys adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Alaskan Malamutes do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.
Fighting Dog	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky

Stranger Friendly	Alaskan Malamutes are stranger friendly dogs.	Alaskan Huskys are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Alaskan Malamutes are kid-friendly dogs.	Alaskan Huskys are average friendly dogs towards children.
Cat Friendly	Alaskan Malamutes are not cat-friendly dogs.	Alaskan Huskys are not cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Alaskan Malamutes are very dog-friendly dogs.	Alaskan Huskys are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Alaskan Malamute is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Alaskan Husky is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Alaskan Malamutes are usually recommended for elderly people.	Alaskan Huskys are commonly okay with elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Alaskan Malamutes do best when they’re the only pet at the family.	Alaskan Huskys do best when they’re the only pet at the family.
Good For First Time Owners	No Alaskan Malamutes are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Alaskan Huskys are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Alaskan Malamute breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Alaskan Husky breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky

Health Issues	The Alaskan Malamute is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	Alaskan Huskys tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.
Health Problems	Cataracts Chondrodysplasia Hemeralopia Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Inherited Polyneuropathy	Hyperthyroidism Laryngeal Paresis Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	10-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No
Energy Level	Alaskan Malamutes are high energy dogs.	Alaskan Huskys are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Alaskan Malamutes need quite a lot of exercise.	Alaskan Huskys need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	Alaskan Malamutes don't need too much sleep.	Alaskan Huskys are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.
Avg. daily food consumption	Recommended daily amount: 4 to 5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two or three meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Low to Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers cold weather The Alaskan Malamute can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers cold weather The Alaskan Husky can adapt well to harsh weather conditions, and also can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Low The Alaskan Malamute has a low chance of bad smell.	Medium The Alaskan Husky has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Alaskan Malamute is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Alaskan Husky is an average drooler.

Reproducibility - Alaskan Malamute vs Alaskan Husky

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	4-10 puppies	4-10 puppies
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