Colors: Shades of grey, sable, black or red, always with white. Height 23-25″. Weight: 75-85lbs.
Continuing with Leo’s chapter, the second dog we suggest for Leo’s zodiac personality is the Alaskan Malamute.
The Alaskan Malamute is from the Spitz group and has been traced back to possibly 3,000 years, bred by the Mahlemuits tribe of Alaska. This dog has a long history of working with man. In the gold rush of 1896, miners used the dogs to haul away their rock debris in wooden carts. Malamutes helped Admiral Richard Byrd to get to the South Pole. Jack London and Rudyard Kipling focused upon the Malamute in their wonderful stories.
This breed has a similar disposition to you, Leo. The dog loves to be part of the action, is friendly, kind, high-spirited and definitely bold on occasion. It can also be quite dignified, observing the world through calm, proud, almond-shaped eyes.
The dog eats to meet its needs, its appetite varying according to how much exercise the dog gets. It’s a strong muscular dog that needs to run and play daily. For this reason, apartments are not the best homes for Malamutes. They are quiet and well-behaved in the home, but penning them up in small spaces really puts a strain on their robust natures.
If you live where it snows, your Malamute will be in its true environment. If cart trained, you can hitch your dog to a sled and it will thoroughly enjoy pulling you and the kids through the snow.
The Malamute is a family dog, but this does not necessarily extend to other family pets. Some authorities believe that the Malamute was once bred with wolves, but whatever the reason, some Malamutes are not good with small animals or at times with other dogs.
Your dog will rarely bark. If you hear a wolf howling in your backyard, it’s your Malamute. Your dog will also have conversations with you. When it talks, the dog sounds like Chewbacca in Star War movies. This is because Chewbacca’s sounds were based upon a Malamute named Indiana, once owned by George Lucas.
You will find Malamutes in hot climate states, but in truth hot weather is hard on them. Their outer coats are thick and coarse and under coats dense, oily and wooly. The dogs shed their heavier coats in the summer, and you will have to brush this dog often year round. Amazon has a grooming kit designed for Alaskan Malamutes.
Grooming this magnificent dog is important to keep its coat in good condition and to keep the pride in its step.
Malamutes are intuitive. If the pup senses its owner is the indulgent type, it will take advantage. As a pup, it is absolutely adorable and some find it hard to discipline the furry charmer, but discipline is just what it needs. Firmness with kindness is the way to go. You’ll expect the pup to learn and to obey and lucky for your Malamute, you usually give second chances. The dog will accept your leadership, but it is not naturally obedient. You, Leo, have leadership qualities and your Malamute can learn. Certainly, Malamutes have done well in Obedience and star in the show ring.
When you walk your Malamute, be prepared for the fuss people make when they see your dog. Few can walk pass without stopping to admire and appreciate how handsome this dog is. Encourage them. The more friendly people and dogs your dog encounters in its puppy stages and later on, the better.
Thanks for coming back and reading about the second dog suggested for Leo, as in the Leo chapter of AstroPups, available in paperback and kindle on Amazon Books.
Love to read your comments or you can email me (About Us, upper right).
In the next post I will discuss another dog suggested for Leo’s sun sign personality. See you soon 🙂