Ok I am not meaning to start a war here, I just want to know if anyone on this board owns a longcoat version of these breeds, and apart from the obvious working purpose, what is wrong with them, I saw a longcoat Mal at Aviemore and it was the most beautiful dog I have ever seen, and I was told longcoats crop up even in the best of lines!!

My two Alaskan Malamutes are only 8 months old and are correct coat type, as they are for working and showing. But as yourself , while at shows I have seen a long coat mal. Although they must love their dog, they are really wasting their time and money, and of course come last. The coat is not to the standard. In cold and wet conditions a long silky coat, has no undercoat to stop the elements hitting the skin. So Its a husky thats no good for the purpose it was intended for !! They should not be bred from.

This is interesting, I don't have mals, but my shelties have double coats to keep the elements of their skin. They have the long coarser hair and the softer undercoat. So mals with long hair do not have the dense undercoat then? What a shame, I think they are beautiful.

Carissa

The problem with long coats in Mals doesn't appear to be due to lack of undercoat (as far as I'm aware they are just as likely or unlikely to have undercoats as a Mal with a correct coat length) It's more to do with not being able to shake the snow off.

This is an account, taken from 'The Alaskan Malamute Yesterday And Today', of Will Steger's experience during his TransAntartic Expedition regarding a long coated Mal called Sawyer who was part of the dog team -

"....Sawyer collapsed from exhaustion....
One of Sawyer's problems is his long hair; he looks like a musk ox and ice collects on his inner layer of fur costing him insulation, thus warmth and strength. Eskimos always kill long-haired puppies for this reason, but we had taken Sawyer to Greenland and he had worked out well. Here it is another story. The poor dog is carrying more than forty pounds of ice and snow in his fur....Sawyer will have to be sent out the next time we are visited by a plane."

Another problem with long coats is that they can become frozen to the surrounding snow while the dog sleeps, so trapping them. If they struggle hard enough to release themselves they can rip out huge chunks of coat and skin.

Wow Jacquie!
That is a scary thought, about being frozen to the ground! I can see the part about holding a lot of snow and ice on the coat. Our rough collie has had this happen to him this winter. I've had such fun brushing it out of his coat, ice flying all over the kitchen!

Carissa

Yes, the problem is that long coated mals wouldn't survive in sub zero temperatures, so it is incorrect. But there are many long haired mals out there happily working and being loved as family pets. My dog's litter brother is one - it may have been him you saw at Aviemore :) It doesn't make him less of a dog, just unsuitable for showing and breeding
Joan :)

Well *I* spotted a few over the last year at shows Joan ;) ;) :D

I didn't say they weren't shown, just IMO weren't suitable for showing :) I had an interesting conversation today with a couple who owned a long haired mal but "weren't allowed to show him". It turned out to be from a breeder who "never" throws long haired mals. My lips are sealed ;)
Joan

Ooooh Joan now you got me hooked. I hate people who seal their lips ;) :D

;) I don't like making enemies - especially with the new "job" :D
Joan :)

Hi Bear,
I own a longcoat mal. Both of her parents are Australian Champions and have wonderful lines :) She is doing very well at scootering and her twin sister is one of the best in Aust. So long coats arent a total loss ;) they do well at other things besides showing and not to mention they make wonderful pets. I can send you a couple of pics of my girl Kodi and her sisiter if you want :)
Nikki

Yes I am a proud owner of a "long coat" and her litter sister has a "normal" coat. When out and about 9 out of 10 people always are attracted to my fluffy one as opposed to the short coat and both their temperaments are second to none.

The myth that long coats are rare is certainly not true and many are trimmed to disguise this fact. My main importance is temperament and all my pups were brought up in a loving environment. We kept our fluffy one because she was so much like our Samoyed who died when she was only a few weeks old.

Parka as she is known (remember the mod jackets with fur around hood!) has begun a second career as a visitor to old folks homes and adores children. She is very loving and gentle with everyone she meets and I am certainly not ashamed of her.

Jenny & The Wintersperre Gang.

Wow, a white longcoat Mal! I would LOVE to see photos guys! I thought that some longcoats would have double coats, the dog I saw at Aviemore ( huge black and white dog? ) looked to have a very thick, bear-like coat, tremendous mane, he looked like a lion, I have never seen a more magnificent dog. I would LOVE to have one, but I don't think I could handle a male Mal, and I must admit I like obedient doggies who don't run away LOL!

Hi Bear,

Parka resembles a Samoyed apart from colour she is red & white but I can send you a pic of Parka and her sister Flame if you want to see the difference, just let me know your e-mail address.

Jenny & The Wintersperre Gang.

I would love to see pics, just click on my name and you will get my e mail address from that.
I know what you mean about the longcoats collecting snow, it has happened a few times to my longcoat Shepherds when there has been deep snow, sometimes they get ice balls stuck to them. From a working point of view I can see the point, and I am not suggesting breeders should deliberatley set out to breed longcoat Mals, especially as they are still worked. But I hope in this day and age there is no one out there prepared to cull a beautiful pup simply for not meeting the Breed Standard. Does anyone know who has this black/white Mal that I saw last year? I tell you, he was stunning, and I have wanted a long coat ever since then, I wish they had personalities like GSD's so I could have one! But then they just wouldnt be Mals would they??!!
Does anyone own a Mal who is able to be exercised off lead at all without running away? That is my biggest concern, especially as I live in the country, surrounded by sheep! I have heard Sibes are VERY bad for that, and are just natural killers, but is the Mal the same?

Malamutes and sheep? Oooh err. Malamutes have a very strong prey drive and will chase anything that moves and kill if they catch it. We walk past fields of sheep and ours pull and rear to to try to get at them. Of course the sheep run, and that excites the drive even more and you have to really hang on to the lead. They are not good with any livestock even fish ( do they count as livestock :) ) One of my puppies has cleared a pond absolutely full of fish. :D

Its not only mals do that lol
My sharpei Berry would love a go at the sheep , and had great fun ripping my beautiful six foot sheepskin rug apart.
Dizzy says Sharpei dont do sheep so no surprise I guess
Other then that she is brill with birds cats and other dogs . As a previous G.S owner and always having a special liking for them I too think there is nothing like a snow white long haired G.S , They are magnificent.
I can imagine how beautiful a long haired Mal would look and would also love to see a pic
Mari

Mari i will send you a pic of my long haired girl, Bear im about to send you some pics as well. As to if they are good with livestock? I live on 700 acres in the mountains here in Australia (lol no its not too hot for them here :D ) we have 300 cattle, 4 horses, a goat, chickens and parrots. Kodi is wonderful around them, however she was brought up from puppyhood with them :) suprisingly she is great with my fish too ;) the Koi in the pond are fine, so are my cichlids, tropicals and 12 inch catfish (in tanks inside) :D
Thats aweful about the dogs getting stuck in the snow :(

My eldest will chase anything that runs - as will most Mals. However, at home he plays with the rabbit by sticking his head in the hutch. I often find him there being cleaned by Tufty :) but I wouldn't trust him with the rabbit free to run. He's the same with the chinchilla. The youngest is insane and totally hyper so I keep him well away, he's likely to just leap on top of them and grab a mouthful. I definitely think it's down to the individual dog.
Joan :)

My year old GSD was brought up in the town and whenever we walk past a field of sheep gets very excited and if the poor sheep happen to be too close to the fence he will run at them. Wouldnt trust any dog with sheep really - except for sheepdogs lol!!
But at least my Shepherds come when called, thats the most important thing about letting a dog off lead in the countryside. My mum had a collie once that would not come back at all, he was from strong working lines and should have been a sheepdog, simple as that, but anyway, this dog just disppeared every time she took him out, until eventually he got into a field of sheep, the farmer saw him worrying them and that was the end of that poor soul - very sad.
I believe strongly that people should have dogs that match their own personalities and needs if y'know what I mean, in other words, I like intelligent, willing dogs who love to please - GSD - other people like gentle, cuddly teddy dogs - Newfoundlands, and some people love a challenge - huskies and Mals!! Its hard to say no when I have always found Mals to be the most beautiful dogs in the world, but I just don't think I could ever handle them after having such easy dogs as Shepherds and collies!!

Jenny I just got your e mail and the photos, thanks, your dogs are beautiful - especially the longcoat! Did you breed her yourself?
Nikki, I got your mail but the photos couldnt be downloaded, you have to send Jpg files or so my other half tells me!

Hi Bear,

Yes I did breed Parka but we are mystified as to which line the "long coat" has come from. I am breeding again but with a different sire (although it can't be proven to be his line) and am holding my breath.

I will not breed from Parka and have decided to have her spayed and I have endorsements on the rest of the litter. Although I know I would not have problems homing any future "long coats", as a responsible breeder I realise I have to make sure any "fault" is not carried on and preserve the future of the breed. Not to mention any "witch hunt" I may subject myself to from some of the other breeders out there (mentioning no names at all!!) At the end of the day it's all very political and I can well do without any hassel.

I repeat that temperament is the most important factor, I would rather have a dozen long coats than a dozen bad tempered Mal's.

Jenny.

Kodi is able to be walked offleash on our property and at the dog beach in the city, she doesnt always come back when called but stays in my sight and comes back when she is ready :)
If not raised with livestock a mal will most definatly have a go at them! If you want to walk a mal offleash in the country, make sure the paddock is clear of livestock and rabbits etc, giving the mal no reason to take off, just explore the paddock and go for a bit of a run. ALWAYS have it leashed around roads, they have no road sence whatsoever!
Oh by the way, they take ALOT of time to bathe and brush, you have to set aside at *least* 5 hours to bathe and fully dry, then another few hours to brush and get all the knots out and check for ticks (esp if you live in the country) One of my friends has a mal with the thickest/longest coat i have seen in a mal, it takes her 7 hours to bathe and brush him!

Did anyone see the Long coat Akita at Cruft,They were on the companion dogs,Whow what a stunning looking animal creamy fawn with a jet black mask

Well Taiko is scared of horses,cows and men up ladders. If the window cleaner comes in he's all up for a stroke (Taiko not the window cleaner :D ) but the moment he sees that man go up his ladder, Taiko is pushing the cats off my knee and trying to sit there himself. I've found him hiding from the window cleaner under the office desk and also cowering on the stairs with the cats, all three of them watching the sponge going back and forth on the window. He freaks if he has to walk past workers up ladders on his walks. There is no explanation for it, he has a ladder phobia. Mals are definitely challenging but gauranntee 100% amusement.
Julie :D

Hudson used to be terriried of Motor Bikes ....traffic in general , anything *spooky* , ladders etc etc ...he has (thank goodness) grown out of it now and is fairly bomb proof :) We took him to Nottingham yesterday and he spent a good 10 minutes watching the fountains in the square ..a few months ago he would of been really worried about them :)

Melody

Hi Jenny,

Myself and my partner are doing as much research on the breed as we can, as we would love to get one but want to find out all we can first.

Would it be possible for you to send us a copy of the picture of Parka as we would like to see the differnce between the long coat she has and the correct coat that Mals are supposed to have.

Thanks you,

Phil

ps - Me email address is in my addy - Thanks :-) Hope this is ok

Nikki I got your photos of Kodi - thanks - what an absolutley gorgeous dog! And you have a swimming pool you lucky thing! Does he swim in it? Love that pic of him running along the beach, magnificent, how old is he? Is he your only dog?

Nikki and Jenni, I just got your other photos of your Mals - they are absolutley beautiful, and I really suspect my next dog will be a longcoat Mal, although sadly that won't be for a long time as my GSD is just one year old!
If you want to e mail me again in the future, please try this address - beltane_gsd@yahoo.co.uk as I am having problems with the other one. Thanks!
Just out of interest, what do your dogs weigh and what height are they, they look huge!

Hi Bear, yes Kodi is my only dog so far... mals are very addictive ;) Im on a waiting list with Kodi's breeder for a male to show, it's very exciting :)
Thankyou for the lovley comments on Kodi :) She doesnt like the pool, however she will go up to her belly in our creek and at the beach. She is 2 1/2 years old, stands at 26 inches and weighs 35kg (77lbs) so she is actually pretty small compared to some mals ive seen!
Feel free to email me with any questions you may have or just to chat :)

Hi Bear,

Glad you liked the pics of the "little devils". The girls are about 26"ish to the shoulder in height and weighing between 37 & 40 kilos and Bud around 28"ish plus and weighs 50 kilos no fun when having a sunday snooze and that lot land on you!!

"Long coats" are not usually planned in a litter and occur naturally so I am not planning on any in my next litter and will hold my breath until they are born as I have said before they do occur and many breeders perhaps would not admit to it.

At the end of the day they are all lovely dogs and deserve a happy home and healthy life and that's what we as breeders strive for.

Jenny.