Dog breed guide
Alaskan Malamute
A large, strong spitz-type dog with a thick double coat. Regular brushing keeps it clean, but during the seasonal coat drop daily brushing with an undercoat rake is needed, and the coat should never be shaved. Owners must be prepared to spend plenty of time exercising it, and Dogs Victoria describes it as unsuitable for apartment living.
Alaskan Malamute at a glance
- Adult weight, male
- 36 to 45 kg
- Adult weight, female
- 29 to 39 kg
- Size
- Large, 25 to 40 kg
- Height
- 58.5 to 63.5 cm
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Coat
- thick, coarse guard coat over a dense, oily, woolly undercoat
Ratings
Petboost editorial ratings from 1 to 5, drawn from the breed standard text under Sources. A breed with no basis in the sources for a rating shows none.
- Shedding
- Grooming effort
- Energy
- Suits an apartment
5 means it sheds heavily
5 means it needs the most grooming
5 means it needs a lot of exercise
5 means it copes best in a small home
Next steps
- Find a local groomer or daycarePet businesses near you that take bookings online.
- Check a Alaskan Malamute puppy's weightWhere a puppy sits against the breed's adult range.
- Dog age in human yearsFrom a formula, not the seven-to-one rule.
Sources
- Petboost breed reference data, adult weight ranges (breed list snapshot).
- Dogs Australia, Alaskan Malamute Breed Standard, https://dogsaustralia.org.au/members/breeds/breed-standards/Alaskan-Malamute, read 5 Oct 2026
- Dogs Victoria, Alaskan Malamute breed page, https://dogsvictoria.org.au/choosing-a-breed/browse-all-breeds/166/Alaskan-Malamute/, read 5 Oct 2026
General information about the breed, not veterinary advice. Speak with your vet about your own pet.