Alaskan Dog

　　The Alaskan sled dog (detailed introduction) is one of the oldest sled dogs. Its name comes from an Inuit tribe called the Malamute. This tribe lived on the western coast of Alaska, in a place called Kotzebue. Before Alaska became part of the United States, this region was called "Alashak" or "Alyeska" (meaning vast land), named by the Russians who discovered the area. Indigenous people had already been living in Alaska long before these Russian sailors arrived. The Russians were blown to this northern Siberian land during a storm while sailing across the Bering Strait. When the sailors returned to Russia, they told stories of dogs pulling sleds in Alaska.

　　The origins of the native Alaskans and their sled dogs remain uncertain. We only know they have lived in Alaska for many years, but we do not know where they came from, just as we do not know the origins of other Arctic Circle natives.

　　Writers studying the formation of the Arctic Circle have varied opinions on the origins of its indigenous peoples. Some believe there was a land connection between Asia and Alaska during the Ice Age, as well as between Greenland and the Labrador Peninsula. Others claim these people migrated from the Hudson Bay area. Greenlanders originated from Norwegians, and Alaskans originated from Asians. All these events occurred long ago. What we know today is that we discovered dogs in the Arctic Circle. Today, we call the Arctic sled dogs Alaskan sled dogs.

　　The Mahlemuts tribe is a typical Inuit group. Russian explorer’s translations and accounts from British visitors traveling along the Alaskan coast recorded the Inuit people. In the Orarian language, Inuit means "the people." It is mentioned that the Malamutes, using dog sleds, had arrived here the day before. They carried mail north along the riverbanks, where white people lived. When Russians whaled in the Arctic Circle, the Malamutes acted as messengers for them. The Malamutes were good-looking and taller than their Greenland cousins. They were very hardworking, skilled at hunting and fishing, made sleds, and raised sled dogs capable of enduring hardships. These dogs were well cared for by their owners after long runs.

　　These Malamutes, now spelled "Malamute," come from an ancient word Mahlemut (the name of an Inuit tribe, meaning "village" in the Orarian dialect). The Malamutes were highly developed people living peacefully and happily, working diligently, practicing monogamy, and owning very good dogs. Even before civilization, they understood the importance of dog sleds. Without these sled dogs, traveling in such a cold region would be impossible. These dogs are strong, with thick, dense double coats (a tough outer coat and a soft undercoat close to the skin), called seasonal coats. They have erect ears, bushy tails that swing back and forth, tough feet, and their coat colors are mostly gray, black, or white, with great endurance. The Malamutes and their dogs were highly respected by other Inuit people.

　　A Russian translator described the Malamutes as people living in a vast place the Russian sailors called "the end of navigation." This author mentioned the Malamutes’ craftsmanship and their sleds, acknowledging that Malamute dogs and sleds were better than those of the Russians.

　　It has been proven that these Alaskan Malamute sled dogs were used to pull sleds, but they never lost their own characteristics. After the white conquest of Alaska, dogs from the Arctic Circle were crossbred with outside dogs, as was done in Greenland, the Labrador Peninsula, Siberia, and other polar regions. Later, Alaskan racing dogs became increasingly popular, with many racers trying to crossbreed Arctic dogs with outside ones. This period, from 1909 to 1918, is called the "Decline of the Arctic Sled Dog." Fortunately, sled dog sports became very popular in the United States, and starting in 1926, attention began to be paid to developing purebred native Alaskan dogs. After studying all northern dog breeds, the Malamute sled dogs still hold many records in competitions.

　　The Alaskan Malamute sled dog is a native breed of Alaska, related to the Samoyeds of Russia, the Eskimos of Siberia (Kolyma area), and the Eskimo dogs of Greenland and the Labrador Peninsula.

　　The American Kennel Club registered the Alaskan dog in 1935. Winter sports enthusiasts keep them as pets and also use them to pull sleds. These dogs are very popular, especially with children.