Alaskan Malador

The name Alaskan Malador is a combination of the names of the dog’s parent breeds: the Alaskan Malamute and Labrador Retriever. The Alaskan Malamute, is thought to have descended from the first dogs associated with mankind. They originated over 4,000 years ago and acquired the name “Malamute” after the Mahlemuts Innuit tribe which inhabited the northwest coast of what is now present day Alaska. Alaskan Malamutes were loyal companions originally used for hunting large animals, including seals and bears. They also helped tribes people navigate rough terrain and harsh climates by acting as guides and sled dogs. Eventually, explorers from North America “discovered” the Alaskan Malamute and imported it to the United States as a working dog in the 1800s. In the United States, this breed assisted Gold Rush prospectors in carrying out expeditions in the Western part of the country. Eventually, American breeders started mixing the breed with smaller dogs for racing and entertainment purposes. This weakened the purebred lineage significantly. Fortunately, in the 1920s there was an effort to revive the Alaskan Malamute variety, which revived the fading breed. In 1935, the American Kennel Club officially recognized the Alaskan Malamute and in 2003 it became the official state dog of Alaska. The Alaskan Malador’s other parent, the Labrador Retriever, hails from Newfoundland, Canada. As its name suggests, it was bred to retrieve items – such as small, wounded game and hunting trappings (like a net) – from both land and water. Due to a dog tax in the late 1800s, the Labrador Retriever population declined significantly in the region. However, it exploded in the United Kingdom, where Englishmen had imported the breed since the early 1800s. The Labrador retriever was imported to the United States shortly after and recognized by the AKC in 1917. It has been one of the most popular breeds in the United States ever since. Alaskan Maladors may have been breed since the early 1900s given the Labrador Retriever and Alaskan Malamute’s long history in the United States. Nevertheless, they are an uncommon hybrid and not recognized by the AKC.