( A ) No , Malamutes have dark eyes, except for some Reds with liver pigmentation can have green or amber colored eyes. Siberian huskies however, can have either Blue, Brown or one Blue and one Brown, as to Huskamutes ( Huskamutes will probably have blue eyes or the breeder's will strive to produce pups with blue eyes ).

( Q ) What's the difference between a Malamute and a Siberian husky ?

( A ) Well all I can say here, while trying to keep it as short as possible is ,LOTS ! The Mally and the Sibe differ in physical characteristics and purpose, you can find Breed standards on most websites that concern these breeds, such differences as tail set, ear set, coat length, size, weight.

The Malamute is a much heavier boned dog bred for freighting heavy loads over long distances, while the Sibe is smaller and was bred to pull lighter loads over shorter distances at a much faster pace, for a more complete explanation I recommend buying a good book or two, or surfing the net.

You really should do your home work well in advance of owning one of these breeds, visit a few shows and try and meet a few dogs first, then you will be able to determine the difference yourself in the blink of an eye, and realize the difference in the Mal and the Sibe is as plain as the nose on your face, they are very much the same but very very different at the same time.

( Q ) Do they get hot in Summer ?

( A ) If they have plenty of shade and water, ( I myself also have fans above where they laze ) they will tolerate the summer without a problem. I tend to walk my dogs or let them run in the late evening about eight or nine as it is usually much cooler. The dogs seem to reserve their energy all day when its really hot, and seem to hype up a bit in the evening. I wouldn't take my dogs on a long car journey in the blazing sun, I would choose to travel early in the morning or in the evening. Should you have to take them on a hot day, please be sure to stop often, give them water frequently and put the air conditioning on and leave your windows down so they have plenty of ventilation.

( Q ) Do they eat a lot ?

( A ) Actually and most surprisingly enough, they don't eat that much. Obviously a growing pup will require more food than adult, mine eat very small amounts considering the size of the girls, they have one real meal in the evening, but do have dried food on hand should they want it. They do however, have very dodgy stomach's so you need to be very careful what you give them. My dogs don't do doggy treats in any form or manner, they have pigs feet or fresh roasted sows ears.

They have one or two pigs ears or one large pigs foot a day as a treat, they have one or two cups of dried food ( pascoes ) or similar the museli style mixer, softened with a little hot water with half of a big tin of pilchards mixed in each ( about three whole pilchards each ) and a small bowl of butchers complete ( for puppies up to 18 mths old ) is left to be eaten when they require it. Sometimes though they don't eat the dried food at all, sometimes the boys will eat two medium pigs feet and nothing else. This is a tried and tested menu with my dogs, any deviation from there daily menu causes a reaction that brings new definition to the meaning of deli belly, although they do have an extra special treat once in a while, they love ice cream and ice lollies and I don't mean in a bowl, I mean on the cone or on the stick, you hold it they lick lick lick and they love it :).

( Q ) Are they related to Wolves ?

( A ) Some would say definitely Not ( not as in directly from a wolf ) so really the answer is NO, but I think in the larger scheme of things all dogs are said to come from some intervention of wolves, coyotes and such animals. Who really knows what has gone in the grand scheme of things in years gone by.

I did however read an article once that stipulated that the husky was the nearest domesticated animal that was the closest descendant of the Wolf ( so I think ) if it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck then its a duck , and my Dream Wolf !

( Q ) How do you teach them to pull ?

( A ) On this subject I wouldn't even profess to be knowledgeable and would recommend you contact an appropriate; club; like the AMCGB ( Alaskan Malamute club of Great Britain ) or the SHCGB ( Siberian Husky club of Great Britain ) or one of the working clubs, the above associations can also advise on Showing your dogs and other such related topics.

( Q ) Do they get along with cats ?

( A ) This is a bit like asking how long Is a piece of string, I think it totally unfair to generalize on an entire breed and say that sibes and mals don't do cats. I know a lot of dogs that don't do cats, including 4 of my 6 boxers
( its the whole cat and dogs are enemies thing ) the thing that cartoons and movies are made of ( dogs and cats go like Mice and cats ) I have 2 cats and they all live in harmony, my neighbors between them have at least half a dozen cats that the dogs don't bother with, so I think if they are raised together they will learn to get along just fine and its not a breed thing, its a dog thing, most dogs will chase a rabbit or a squirrel or a bird if they catch sight of it, that's just a dogs nature.

( Q ) Are they good with children ?

( A ) This again in my opinion is a bit like the cat thing, if your dog has never been around small children it may be dubious or wary of them.

And lets be honest, some kiddies terrify adults with their behavior, but if raised with or around children and the children learn to respect the dog, like not being allowed to jump off the coffee table onto the dog while it is sleeping or play take the dog for a walk by his tail or ears, they should get on like a house on fire. And the mal or sibe should brighten your kiddies lives, and the kiddies will brighten your sibe or mals life right back.

However, you must always take into consideration that a mally is a large playful dog and at six months can weigh up to six stone and sometimes can get a bit over excited and be a bit enthusiastic when playing so be careful that accidents don't occur round small children, and if a mally has not been reared or socialized with small children or it is the type of dog that is the owners baby and has been mollycoddled, best to fall on the side of cautiousness.

( Q ) Are they good guard dogs ?

( A ) If you are looking for the rotty or shepherd type of guard dog, notta chance. That's why I have a Bull mastiff ( GODDESS LOVE HER ) though I find my mallies very protective of me and they have on a couple of occasions growled at strange youths when I've been alone in the park, but to be honest the best that you can hope for is that the burglar don't take the dog as well, the only deterrent may be the look of the dog.

( Q ) Do they get along with other dogs ?

( A ) This is another of those questions you tend to hear, about same sex dominance and stuff, but this again is a dog thing, not sibe and mal thing, although you hear all the time that mals don't mix with same sex dogs ( if this was the case how do they have sledge teams and stuff as, they all have to get along and work well together ? )

I myself have found, as an owner of 6 females boxers at one time, that once again its about temperament and socialization, you get some over baring bossy and violent humans at times and sometimes we get a dog that is also very dominant.

Some care and attention should be executed when bitches are in seasons and around food and the like and if your like me and you have several dogs, there must be time out. Dogs must be rotated around, some in ,some out to play, you sleep with this one today, and that one tomorrow, ( after all could you spend 24/7 with the same people day in day out without arguing at some point ? ) its a constant socialization thing. If they don't see other dogs and associate with other dogs, they wont like other dogs.

Consideration to bitches in season should be taken seriously, some of the sweetest natured dogs can became not so nice when in season ( its the hormone thing ) so if you know your dog to be a bit funny at this time and you have a pack, keep her separated from the rest, get her spade, or let someone with no dogs have her.

Integration is the most important factor of co existing in peace, a happy dog is a pleasant dog, an exercised dog is tired dog, and if you have a really naughty dominant dog, it may well be just the specific temperament of that dog. At the end of the day if you have a dog that is too dominant and causes fights, if you want a pack, then the aggressor has to go !

( Q ) Are they easy to train ?

( A ) To this, I would say easier than some breeds and not as easy, as other breeds but where my sibes are concerned I found they learned very quickly and very easily, in fact they learned better than any of my boxers.

The mals learn equally as quick, but can learn a little more, especially the leash, but the problem is, just
because they know the command, don't mean there going to do it, they can be stubborn and suffer from selective deafness. Early obedience training is very important and a good form of socialization and patience
and persistence is the key to successful training, once you lose you patience you've lost the battle.

At the obedience class I went to with my mastiff they had a sibe who went on to win titles in advanced obedience trials. Most importantly, a good treat and masses of hugs, does marvels when they've done good let them know it, as these dogs love to be loved and love to please !

( Q ) Do they howl ?

( A ) Yes they howl, yowl, growl, woo woo, ru ru, scream, serenade, bark and make all manner of noises , but they don't generally do it for nothing, put it this way, all your neighbors will know when you arrive home. Or with some, especially the mals, everyone will know its feeding time, its one of those things if you have one it don't sound that bad, but if you have a few, a thirty second blast of appreciation can seem like an eternity, and no they don't howl at the full moon, but I have noticed that my dogs do get a little hyper at full moon times.

( Q ) Do they need a lot of exercise ?

( A ) They do need at least an hour of exercise a day to remain healthy and happy, but the longer you can give them the more they will love it.

When not exercised properly they get an excesses of pent up energy, they then become bored and if left to their own devices or left on their own for too long without attention or exercise they will became quite destructive, so if you only want a stroll around the park on a Sunday afternoon dog then please don't get a mal or sibe .

( Q ) Do they dig holes ?

( A ) 14 months ago I had a well established mature garden that I had spent the best part of ten years cultivating and tending to, it was my pride and joy, till my dogs got in there and gave me a make over sibe and mal style, with a bit of bull mastiff thrown in for good measure.

The contents of the pond disappeared, as the constant running in and out of it helped the contents to disperse, and then in the middle of the garden was the master piece, a hole the size of crater. I thought a comet had hit the back garden, then there was this heap that resembled something out of close encounters of the third kind.

As for the plants ...  Alan Tismarsh would have paid mega bucks for the use of my dogs, they managed to trim, prune, deadhead or let me re phase that de head and remove whole plants all in a few hours.

So do they dig holes ? They will terra form your garden given half the chance !

( Q ) DO they lose much hair ?

( A ) This again is a yes no kinda question, Yes they do but they have very strange fur that comes off your clothes easy with a damp cloth, it sort of rolls up into a cotton wool kinda substance, but I would not recommend all carpet and recommend laminate and tiles in every area your dog will frequent.

Their grooming requirements is not as vigorous as some breeds, they do shed vigorously in the summer months when they shed their winter coat but it dispenses in large clumps and the process can be made shorter if you apply a daily rigorous grooming at the time of blowing out and this will shorten the time considerably.

With effort it could be over and done with in a couple of weeks, if left alone this can take 6 to 8 weeks if your lucky and possibly longer depending on the length and thickness of the coat in question

But on positive note, these types of dog have proven to have hypo allergenic properties and some allergy prone asthmatics are not effected by the fur of these dogs. People who have allergies to pet dander are often not affected. ( This is according to all reports, please consult with your allergy specialist if you are allergic to dogs, before getting a sibe or mal )

( Q ) How much do they cost ?

( A ) This again is the how long is a piece of string question, but by and large the average price of a K.C registered Siberian huskie is around £650 but you can pay as much as £850 for a show quality pup , Alaskan malamutes K.C Registered go for anything from £750 to about £950 with certain lines and show quality going for even more.

( Q ) What's the difference in show or pet quality ?

( A ) Pet or companion pups generally lack a general something in the physical appearance that the breeder deems important to the breed and the breeds standard, to the novice the fault would not be apparent and would not effect the dogs ability to lead a happy and healthy life, on the other hand a puppy sold as show quality would be considered to be an excellent example and specimen of the breed, so obviously the cost of the pet puppy is considerably cheaper than the show puppy, and often breeders will have a contract to neuter or spay pet quality puppies.

( Q ) How can I get one ?

( A ) IF your reading this you have all the tools you need to find your dream pet
But shop around, check the person out, any reputable breeder will check you out, don't be impatient, sometimes you may have to wait to find what your looking for. So if you've decided you want a black and white male with blue eyes don't take a white with brown eyes because that's what's left, put your name down and wait, for the wait will be by far worth while, when you hold that dream pup in your arms