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Alaskan Malador Dog Breed Info: Pictures, Care Guide & More!

Written by: Nicole Cosgrove

Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Nicole Cosgrove

Alaskan Malador Dog Breed Info: Pictures, Care Guide & More!

The Labrador Retriever and the Alaskan Malamute are no bony dogs, and they both pack a lot of personalities, so you can only be sure that their offspring is a pleasantly fine family dog!

Also known as Labramute, the Alaskan Malador is a designer dog and the excellent mix of the Labrador Retriever and the Alaskan Malamute, making it a high-tempo breed and a popular pet among dog fanciers.

The Alaskan Malador is a large breed that serves tons of personalities in equal measure and a total “people-dog”. It is always on the go and doesn’t shy from showing affection and demanding the same from the people it loves.

Breed Overview

Height:

22–27 inches

Weight:

60–85 pounds

Lifespan:

12–14 years

Colors:

White, blue, silver, red, brown, gray, black

Suitable for:

Active families, those looking for low-shedding dogs

Temperament:

Loyal & loving, intelligent, easy to train, friendly, gets along with other pets

This hybrid has existed for a few decades, although there’s not much information about it from the records. However, it was just about time for it to find favor among most American homes-it’s almost inevitable when you have the well-loved Lab and Malamute as parents!

Labramutes take the best from their ancestry as working breeds (Malamute side) and as a sporting dog (Labrador Retriever side). These dogs also have a sweet nature befitting a family pet and wouldn’t mind being the center of attention wherever it goes.

What else does this hybrid carry to its name? Keep reading and find out!

Energy
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High-energy dogs will need a lot of mental and physical stimulation to stay happy and healthy, while low-energy dogs require minimal physical activity. It’s important when choosing a dog to make sure their energy levels match your lifestyle or vice versa.
Trainability
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Easy-to-train dogs are more skilled at learning prompts and actions quickly with minimal training. Dogs that are harder to train will require a bit more patience and practice.
Health
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Some breeds, due to their size or their breeds potential genetic health issues, have shorter lifespans than others. Proper exercise, nutrition, and hygiene also play an important role in the lifespan of your pet.
Lifespan
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Some dog breeds are prone to certain genetic health problems, and some more than others. This doesn’t mean that every dog will have these issues, but they have an increased risk, so it’s important to understand and prepare for any additional needs they may require.
Sociability
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Some dog breeds are more social than others, both towards humans and other dogs. More social dogs have a tendency to run up to strangers for pets and scratches, while less social dogs shy away and are more cautious, even potentially aggressive. No matter the breed, it’s important to socialize your dog and expose them to lots of different situations.

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Alaskan Malador Puppies

Taking care of an Alaskan Malador puppy requires patience, consistency, and a commitment to providing the puppy with the care and attention they need to grow into a healthy and well-behaved adult dog. Alaskan Maladors are a large and active breed, so it is important to provide them with plenty of exercise and mental stimulation to help them stay healthy and happy.

It’s important to provide them with a healthy and balanced diet, as well as plenty of opportunities for exercise and play. This breed enjoys being active and exploring new environments, so be sure to provide them with plenty of opportunities for physical activity and mental stimulation.

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Image Credit: Left-  Zontica, Shutterstock | Right – monicore , Pixabay

Temperament & Intelligence of the Alaskan Malador

The Labramute’s powerful lineage makes it a medium-large dog breed and full of energy that warrants an outdoor lifestyle. These dogs are playful, robust, energetic, love to explore, and are at their best when they spend their days hiking or engaging in lots of fun-filled activities like swimming and frisbee.

The Alaskan Malador is also an intelligent, easy-going, and docile breed and wouldn’t care about anything else around him as long as he knows you love him. In addition, they are generally unproblematic, which means occasional barking wouldn’t be an issue.

Are These Dogs Good for Families?

These dogs tend to be friendly, devoted, and loyal to their owners, as long as you give them borderless affection and attention. They form incredible bonds with their family members and rely on them heavily.

Unfortunately, being people-oriented creates intense attachment issues so much that Labramutes are more prone to separation anxiety than other breeds.

Owners can combat this trait by socializing and bonding the dog to all family members adequately during their puppyhood. You can also maintain consistency and keep the dog’s schedule unchanged as much as you can.

Maladors tend to thrive in households with children thanks to their playfulness and mischievous temperaments. However, their sheer strength and sizes can be a threat to young kids, and adults should not leave them unsupervised.

Ensure that you monitor their interaction during playtime to avoid accidents and incidents like your pup bumping into your young child.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

This breed is friendly to humans and other pets alike, so it can thrive in any multi-pet household, assuming you socialize the animal early.

The only caution with Labramutes is that you can expect potential aggression if you pair them with other male canines. They also tend to have a high prey drive and may require keenness when you let the dogs around smaller pets.

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Things to Know When Owning an Alaskan Malador:

Food & Diet Requirements

These dogs are offspring of two robust dog breeds that contribute to their large sizes and unmatched energy levels.

Their sizes, energy, and activity levels make these dogs heavy eaters, requiring about 3 cups of high-quality kibbles, divided into two servings a day. However, the amount depends on the age and how active your pup is. Puppies eat less and only require the regular three meal plan after they are a year old.

A breed that gets this big also requires you to supplement its diet with products like fish oil.  You can also feed your dog cartilage for chondroitin and glucosamine to boost your dog’s nutritional needs.

Don’t undo your healthy feeding efforts by overfeeding your pup, though. Making it overweight predisposes it to medical conditions like hip and elbow dysplasia.

Exercise

Alaskan Maladors are an active and energetic breed, and limiting them to walks isn’t enough to wade off their excess strength. They are renowned for their stamina and would prefer vigorous workout plans for physical and emotional stimulation.

For this reason, ensure that you balance out their physical activity, ranging from daily walks to strenuous activities like hiking, swimming, and running in the park or yard (possibly in other dogs’ company).

The dog is so active and requires not less than 1 hour 30 minutes of physical activities every day. For this reason, it requires a lot of yard space, which means that living spaces like apartments may not be suitable for this well-built pup.

You can also supplement physical activities with mentally demanding activities like obstacle courses and retrieving exercises.

Providing ample stimulation makes this dog docile and well-adjusted. However, an inadequately exercised Malador is likely to be problematic and may start acting out by chewing on furniture and displaying aggression.

Training

You may want to tame this dog’s behavior from puppyhood unless you want to end up with a heavily-built problematic dog.

The good thing is that Maladors are intelligent, eager to please, and active, especially if the Labrador side of him is more dominant. So, expect a dog that’s keen on commands and can adjust to various training tricks you use.

Stay consistent, gentle, utilize reward-based techniques, be in command, and ensure you establish yourself as a confident pack leader if you want to get an obedient and well-behaved dog.

Grooming ✂️

A Malador’s dense coat offers insulation during the chilly winter, but mate, it can shed! This dog generally has moderate grooming needs except when it’s winter. However, it sheds massively during cold seasons, so you may need to find a good pet hair vacuum cleaner.

You may also want to groom your dog outdoors and strip the coat of dead hair twice a day during the shedding period. Also, get your pup used to regular bath times, although you only need to wash it when you must.

Other grooming needs include regular nail trimming and weekly ear-cleaning to curb ear infections. Also, ensure that you brush your dog’s teeth at least thrice a week.

Health & Conditions

It’s pretty tricky to know potential medical issues a hybrid dog is prone to as you can’t predict the most likely gene it’ll inherit. Plus, Malador is a recent breed, and there aren’t much scientific data on their prevalent diseases.

However, there are some issues Maladors have proven susceptible to, and they include:

Hip & Elbow Dysplasia

The Labramute is prone to joint malformations at the elbow and hip (also known as hip and elbow dysplasia) due to its large size. This condition might grow into severe conditions like arthritis.

Your vet may conduct an X-ray or a CT scan to diagnose the condition and advise on the necessary step. Owners can manage the illness from home through lifestyle modification, using joint supplements, and medications like anti-inflammatories.

However, the vet may recommend surgery if the condition warrants immediate attention. Dysplasia may present as limping and a peculiar gait during the onset stages.

Ear Infections

Maladors have floppy ears that attract dirt and debris and cause ear infections if you fail to check them regularly. A vet may recommend ear drops that contain antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and antifungals for your pup.

Bloating

Although bloating is common in all dog breeds, deep-chested dogs like the Alaskan Malador are more at risk. You can know if your dog struggles with bloating issues when it becomes restless, have abdominal bloating, and unfruitful retching.

You should bring your pet to the vet earlier for a better prognosis. Delayed medical attention can cause gastric torsion where the stomach may twist on its axis, prompting immediate surgery and can cause fatalities.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism in dogs occurs when the thyroid glands fail to produce enough thyroid hormones. It mainly affects middle-aged dogs, and you may notice symptoms like severe skin infections, dog hair loss (alopecia), faint heartbeat, and weight gain.

Chondrodysplasia

Alaskan Malador puppies are prone to this genetic disorder at birth that presents as “dwarfism” (abnormal shape and length).

Minor Conditions
Serious Conditions

Male vs Female

Both male and female Alaskan Malador dog breeds make great pets in the home. The only difference between the two is that the male tends to be larger than the females.

And yes, you can always pair a male and female Malador if you want. The only problem comes when you keep two male Malador dogs together, as they tend to display aggression towards each other.

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3 Little-Known Facts About the Alaskan Malador

1. This mix usually has a body type like the Lab…

This dog can inherit any physical trait combination from either of its parents, but it generally looks like the lean and sporty Labrador Retriever.


2. …but their facial features are closer to the Malamutes.

Labramute dog breeds may look like Labrador Retriever, but their facial and body markings tend to lean towards their Malamute parentage.


3. They are not the best at staying alone.

You should blame a Malador dog’s attachment trait and tendency to develop separation anxiety on its Labrador Retriever bloodline.

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Final Thoughts

You should own an Alaskan Malador if you are an active family or person and would like to stay so for a long time. This dog requires attention, meaning you must be willing to spend time with it, and organize daily playtimes, training, and the exercise it needs.

One sure thing is that for all the attention, love, and affection you will give your Labramute, he will give it back with joy. Just ensure you have enough space for him on your lap, heart, and home, and are prepared for the shedding.


Featured Image Credit: Brandy Jones, Pexels

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