Living With Malamutes in the House
For someone who loves their Mals as much as I do, there is no other place for them to be! When I get up in the morning and walk towards the stairs there they are looking up at me jumping with total excitement. They follow me around and wait patiently for their food. The look on their faces is so great when I say: "Do you want to eat?" Wolf's head tilts & her ears go straight up, while Timber does what we call the jumping on her toes dance! Upon placing their bowls down, it's a race!-for Wolf that is! No sooner am I back at the sink cleaning up to find Wolf behind me looking for more food. There is no dog, or person who eats faster then her. She then lays down and pretends not to be watching for Timber to finish so she can pounce upon her bowl for any leftovers.
After they eat I usually turn on the computer, they follow and lay down close by. That does not last for long though, they both usually end up under the computer desk and play a game of "teeth", this is a game that looks like vicious fighting but the only thing that gets hurt is me!! (Not on purpose of course.) When I am finished at the computer I sign off and the voice that says: "Goodbye" on AOL alerts Timber & Wolf that it is time to get up and leave the room. Who said Mals are stupid!
When I go out for a few hours, I say "goodbye" and they run to the front window to watch me drive away. One time I went somewhere and then drove past my house and they were still looking out the window! They are precious. "You leave malamutes in the house alone??!!"...Yes! They are fine, and usually do nothing but sleep when we go out. "You don't put them in crates when you go out??" Unlike most people who say their dog's crate is a haven or their own place, our mals hate the crate - (you would hate it also if your first 3 to 4 months of your life were spent in one with very little time out of it?) I won't remind them of the dog store prison they lived in for way too much of their baby months.
"Surely, your dogs must have done some mischief!" Ha!! One morning I came down stairs to find what you see in the picture above! It once was a cute little wreath that hung on the window that they look out of....I think I slept exceptionally late that day and Wolf got tired of waiting for me to feed them so she helped herself to a window snack! The wreath looked so funny when I found it, I could not get mad~nothing they do really gets me mad. Not even the time I came home from vacation to find that Wolf (again!), had eatten apart my living room rug! Not to worry someone was here to watch them while I was away-(I just think Wolf was upset that I was away and ate the rug...hey don't you eat rugs when you get upset? I guess it is a malamute thing!! just kidding!) So, in the picture below you can see how we handled that problem. We bought a new rug and a fence for the living room! We found the cutest little post and rail garden fence that fits perfectly. They can't go near the rug or furniture and we can easily walk over it. Look how totally confused they are by it!
"Do your dogs get to go out side often and exercise?" Yes, Timber and Wolf can go out side anytime they want and they can come in the house anytime they want. They have a huge run around pen where they can run, sleep, play & dig holes till they reach China! I have read that malamutes are great escape artist, and will dig to get under a fence. I truly believe that our mals are so happy and content that the thought of escaping does not occur to them, I think if they were locked in their pen full time, that they just might. What is there to escape to-they already live in doggy paradise. As far as exercise, we attempt to take them for walks every night--correction! They take us for walks. Malamutes have this burst of energy up front with an excitement that would light up the sky and they are off and running whether the person on the other end of the leash is running with them or on the ground dragging behind.!! By time our walk is half way over they have calm down enough for us to be able to hold the leash with one hand!
"What about their coats, don't malamutes who live outside have fuller thicker coats for the winter?" This is true, but our mals are pets, not show dogs or sled dogs. Timber and Wolf CHOOSE to be inside with us, and frankly we are happy about that, because we want to be with them.
The fact that our mals live in the house we get to see every funny thing they do and hear every hysterical song or "conversation" they have. A typical event that happens every day is they will be laying on the floor and all of a sudden Timber will start growling very deeply like a bear while staring at Wolf in the other room, this always means "I feel like playing the 'teeth' game". Sometimes Wolf ignores her!...With two malamutes living in the house there is little need for the television, they can be so entertaining and so very VERY funny! There has not been one day since we got them that we have not laughed less then ten times a day.
"Any disadvantages?" I think the main disadvantage of mals living in the house is trying to eat without them knowing... I have found myself actually hiding a snack under my shirt or behind my back so as not to be caught by them. I have been successful only a few times. One second they are sound asleep, but as soon as they hear something that "sounds" like food -forget it, they are wide awake and at your feet~and since they ACT like they are starving they will stare at you till you give in and share your food. Dinner time is always exciting-so we have lots of baby gates in our house for different reasons, to keep out, AND to keep in. The most important baby gate is the one in the hall that leads to the front door. Everyone who lives in this house or comes to visit KNOWS that gate gets shut first before the front door gets open--not exactly a 10 mile an hour road we live on.
Another disadvantage is the Mal-Bunnies that are everywhere. Mal-Bunnies? An affectionate name we mal owners have given to shedding malamute hair. Vacuuming everyday is a must. There was a time that they were allowed to sit on the furniture but the loose fur was way too difficult to remove, so that little fence I mentioned earlier took care of that! (It's always nice to give out complimentary lint brushes to your house guests at shedding time!)...oh yeah, another disadvantage is when we forget to lock the gate to the pen when it is pouring rain-we then become the proud owners of muddy brown mals! But we don't realize this till they are standing inside the house about to shake it all off!! UGH!!!!!!!!!
Timber is what I call The Perfect Malamute, now Wolf on the other hand....ahhh...she is a typical malamute for her age. Recently I have noticed a lot of my stuff missing!! I usually find the missing items when I go to clean up their pen. I have, or shall I say HAD quite a collection of country rabbit dolls and such. They aren't so easily recognizable though when I spot them outside, they are all ripped to shreds! (Most likely she thinks (or pretends) that the doll is prey and she is hunting.)
As I finish writing this page both mals are fast asleep, Timber on my feet under the computer desk and Wolf out on the throw rug in the kitchen.....what joy!! I wouldn't have it any other way. Missing dolls and all!
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JOURNALINGS
This page is a journal of Timber & Wolf's first year with us.
The info might be useful to new owners or wanna be owners.
Here is a pic of Timber (at 3 months old) and me
What
I have observed so far: As of this writing it has been 2
weeks since Timber Joy has moved in with us. ...no barking, just
yelps. Malamutes absolutely love people. When ever someone comes over her tail
waves around so fast it's dangerous! She is our official greeter. If anyone
wonders if malamutes are good with children, wonder no more-Timber stops
everything when she hears a child's voice and wants to go play. When walking a
malamute the owner can't help but be stopped by folks along the way. They just
have to get a look at the most beautiful breed there is!! I don't know about
other mals, but Timber isn't too fond of the swimming pool, baths or just
getting wet. Mals give the appearance of being stupid, because they seem to not
understand your commands~not so! Mals are very smart, they just decide what they
want to listen to! Oh! Everything is a toy to them, just tonight I was on the
phone and I saw Timber walk by and out the door with the channel changer in her
mouth! I have learned that almost everything I've read on all the web sites
about mals is true.
We are going on week 3 of Timber living with us (she is almost 4 months old)...ah...I have had many thoughts, mainly: "Gee, Why did I ever get a dog!" Failure to do the Crate Training Method has turned my kitchen floor into a huge potty. I just can't put a spirited dog like a malamute in a crate all the time. But, this morning I came down stairs to find #2 on my beautiful living room rug! Needless to say the stakes are in the ground outside, awaiting a HUGE fenced in area for Timber. Behavior: Timber knows when she is doing something she ought not do-when I walk in the room when she is being naughty, she immediately puts her face down between her two paws. She actually listens though, when I say: NO! in a stern voice. Growls at her toys as though they were playing with her! Sleeps right in the flow of traffic. Howls and cries when left alone. Stares at you when you are eating. (We have found ourselves hiding while we are eating!) She is the world's best greeter when we get company-drops me like a hot potato when someone new walks in the room. Decisions: I am planning on going for obedience classes soon!! (For her & me!!) The dog is ruling this household!! Physical appearance: Already she has grown considerably since we brought her home. Her posture is magnificent looking. She does the funniest thing though when she lays down - She just drops! Timmmmmberrrr is a good name for her!
--The 6 foot high chain link fenced in yard is complete. It looks funny seeing this rather small dog in such a towering fortress-but we all know how big malamutes get. Because of teething, she bites a lot- I just say NO! and give her a replacement toy to bite.
7/21/99 Timber has been at our house for a month now. I just removed my living room rug. Just when you think it's safe.....Timber spends a lot of time in her pen these days, but I will not feel secure leaving her there alone until I dig the trenches along the fence and fill them with cement. She digs a little now, but I am sure it will increase. Too bad I can't get her to dig the trenches for me! This dog absolutely cracks me up.
Aug 1, 99 - Last night we took Timber Joy to the ocean. We thought it would be a new experience for her senses - the sand, the waves, the salty air, the sounds.....she was not even interested! -All she cared about was socializing! This dog LOVES people! When it got dark out, Timber stared at an object she saw, (waiting for a reaction from it) like a hug or a pat on her back...it turned out to be a large garbage can! Oh yeah she did partake of one seashore experience-I had to go into her mouth and pull out a huge clam shell full of yucky stuff-Eeeck! Gross!....On our way to the car we saw a beautiful fireworks show - nope! Not even a glance...she saw it as an opportunity to do MORE socializing!
Aug.11, 99 - The older Timber gets the more fun she is! She will be 5 months old in 5 days.
September 11 - What a joy!! I laugh every day from this dog. I couldn't stand the rug not in the living room, sooooooooo I covered it with this strong vinyl and taped it down! I am now able to enjoy my rug and not worry! No, it does not look stupid. Timber is scheduled for her spaying at the end of the month...a lot of her baby teeth have fallen out, I found these cute little teeth all over the place!
Oct.-The shedding has begun! The dust mop has become a permanent feature in my hand these days! [I think shedding is the true test for any new Mal owner, especially if you are a neat freak, LIKE ME!!!!]
Nov.- Timber is almost 8 months old....I am convinced I have the best Mal there is!! Malamute owners can't believe that I go out and leave Timber in the house alone (sometimes for hours-but not everyday) . She watches me drive away from the front window and then goes to sleep the entire time I am gone-when I walk in the door she is sleepily getting up with tail wagging coming over to me to get a hug. I have never found any damage done from being away. She is my sweety! I have one question...WHEN, OH WHEN, is this shedding going to stop!!!!!!!!!!!
Nov. 12th!!!!!!! My husband surprised me with the puppy that I've been going to visit for over a month . Timber and I were sitting out front and hubby pulls up in the driveway, I looked up and saw the little head of a malamute puppy looking out! I ran to the car and whisked her out, (after planting a kiss on hubby's face!) and Timber almost pulled the tree out of the ground that she was tied to, trying to see the puppy.--Well, after 4 days of having her (the new puppy) here, I have come to the conclusion that Timber is still THE PERFECT MALAMUTE and this new puppy is very strange!! She eats poop (not her own!) and she pee's in her sleep, makes weird stretching noises, and howls goofy!! --One of our neighbors drove by when we were taking them for their first walk together and yells out the window: " You got another Malamute? You guys are maniacs!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
Dec. 4th - I am in Malamute heaven!! There is great joy in owning two wonderful malamutes!! I laugh daily, almost non stop when these two are around. Getting Wolf was the best thing for Timber. (and me!) After many vet visits, Wolf seems to be in good health now, (See Puppy Mill Info Page) and those ears finally went up from being floppy! We have noticed Wolf is doing everything Timber did at this age-but has learn the fine art of peeing outside much faster then Timber!...I have witnessed a wonderful site-these two talk to each other, it's the most amazing thing. They are inseparable..they cry loudly when taken from each other....Malamute heaven! I have been blessed! I forgot to mention I was able to take the vinyl cover off my L.R. rug with no problems. :)
Jan. 20,00 ~ Today the dogs experienced their first snow fall! Timber tried to bury a bone in it with her nose & Wolf kept pouncing it. It was great to watch them!
Feb.5, 00~ Timber is almost 11 months old & Wolf is 6 months old. Today we took both dogs to a place where they could be walked in the snow and our daughter could ride her sled. Did you ever see cartoons about dogs pulling their owner down the street on their bottom?...ah..well today that became reality to me! Timber took one look at my daughter going down the hill on the sled and decided she wanted in on it - she swooped me right off my feet, down on my back and down the hill I went dragging behind my crazy loonatic dog! Next time I am holding Wolf and my husband can hold onto Timber! Next week Wolf is scheduled for her spaying....I started the B.A.R.F. diet (Bones And Raw Food) back in December, I feel like I am never going to get the hang of this, but I won't give up. There are enough BARF webring sites to research, to help me out. They love the raw meat & bones & the fruit & vegetables....I have to work more on fazing out the commercial food . P.S. We still have to hide when we eat! and both dogs have decided that they have just as much right to sit on the couches as we do...one day it was real quiet, so I went in to see what they were doing-I found one dog on each couch sitting there watching the tv! ~ Oh there is one other thing that is a scream that they do! Timber will stand still and Wolf will run and jump over Timber's back!
Feb 24 ~ Shedding has begun!!
April 18th ~ When we first got Timber I was really surprised by how quiet she was....then we got Wolf and she made a little noise here & there (howling, never barking)....now Timber & Wolf "talk" to each other all the time.
September, 2000 ~ Timber is 18 months & Wolf is 14 months old. It is amazing how very different these two dogs are. They have completely different personalities. Timber is quiet and reserved, Wolf is what I call: Crazy! I still consider Timber the Perfect Malmute, Wolf will think nothing of grabbing something and running away with it. Remember I said I use to find Timber's baby teeth all over, well I never found any of Wolf's, I am sure she ate them all! When I give them each a marrow bone to chew on, I will later notice that Wolf has horded both bones and guards them by laying on top of them. Timber will eat all her food nicely in one spot, Wolf takes her chicken wings out back and returns later on to finish them! Timber will tap you to continue rubbing her belly or patting her head, and Wolf will just lay down as not to care about such things. Wolf does the funniest thing: she will do movements that of a horse when jumping around-it's a site! ...to be continued.........
October 2002 - Timber and Wolf are wonderful, beautiful and perfect!! Not a day has gone by these past three years, that we have not laughed over something they have done. What can I say, they are absolutely perfect!
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