Alaskan Malamute 168

With ancestry relating back to the wolf, the Alaskan Malamute is a striking breed and is the largest of the Arctic sled dogs. Originating in Alaska, the Malamute get their name from the Inuit tribe that settled in the Kotzebue Sound area in northwestern Alaska thousands of years ago, the Mahlemiut, and the sled dogs from which the modern Alaskan Malamute descended.

The Malamute’s brawn and stamina make them ideal freighter sled dogs, built for pulling heavy loads over great distances. Along with Siberian Huskies, the dogs gained popularity during the Gold Rush and expanded into other areas from there. Some Malamutes even joined Admiral Richard Bird on his Antarctic expedition in 1933. The AKC recognized them in 1935 as a member of the Working Group.