Alaskan Malamute
Originally bred for hauling heavy freight because they are strong and have a lot of endurance, the Alaskan Malamute eventually turned to sled dog racing.
Because they are such outdoor dogs, they have double coats. The undercoat tends to be oily and wooly and can be as thick as 2 inches. The outer coat is coarse and stands off the dog’s body. They have small ears in proportion to their size and, with their heft, they can be quite a formidable breed.
But because they have had to survive in very harsh environments, malamutes tend to be strongly independent. They’re very fond of people but are known to have a high prey drive and are likely to chase smaller animals.
