#unbiddable dogs

[darkwood-sleddog]

building on the last part of the tags from my previous post like. irresponsible breeders that put no thought towards the temperament of the puppies they produce has LASTING effects.

Not just on the breed/dogs in general, but in peoples perceptions of breeds and how they should act and should be.

For some breeds this wariness of people is desirable and acceptable (many guardian breeds for example), but in the Malamute and in sled dog breeds this is not appropriate. Sled dogs need to be able to be examined by a veterinarian, race volunteers, and their musher with ease. They need to be handled and friendly towards strange people. There is no world in which temperamental 'unpredictability' is a positive in a sled dog breed. Just as the dog needs to be able to rely on the musher to advocate for them and their needs on the trail, the musher also relies on a dog's ability to act and behave in a predictable manner.

which is why it is SO frustrating to see the public's perception of the Alaskan Malamute be one of poor temperament. Yes these dogs are unbiddable and can be mouthy during play and overstimulation. Yes they are primitive. But that does't mean they should be showing any aggression towards people. Poor temperament happens when breeders pair dogs just to have puppies to sell. Poor temperament happens when breeders pair dogs just because both dogs are conformationally correct. Poor temperament happens when people don't experience these dogs around other dogs, people and social situations and breed anyways. Poor temperament happens when people don't work their dogs in harness and/or are far removed from the work these dogs are meant to do and don't actually understand from their own experiences why the dog's temperament and predictability of such is desirable.

And additionally poor perception of many working breeds comes from the fact that many dogs of working breeds are under-stimulated and have no business being in a casual home environment. My dogs make good pets because 1.) their breeder has worked for 30 years on breeding people friendly, predictable temperaments and 2.) because I give them what they need on a daily basis to be fulfilled. It is really that simple.

#dogblr #alaskan malamute #dog breeding #how many people think insert dog breed is crazy here bc they've only met #neurotically bred examples and under stimulated pets that have no business being such #malinois im talking about you lmao. i love malinois but you cannot convince me casual dog people need to own these dogs #the very nice ones i have met have a lot of thought put towards their activities and stimulation #again just proof that 1.) health testing is the bare minimum for breeders #and for me even ONLY health testing does not = responsible breeding #i think health testing is becoming more common which is great but concept: #temperament testing #if a breeder does not temperamentally test their dogs #or is unable to place puppies based on their temperaments drive and overall needs #than i will not even think of calling them responsible #responsible breeders disqualify dogs for unideal temperaments #they do not breed them just because they can CH or title #example: zombie #i am very passionate about this

[spywitch]

My old boss asked me during my interview what breed of dog I would be and I was kinda taken off guard at the time and unsure and said border collie but now I know like. No I definitely have a livestock guardian dog personality, maybe pyrenese or anatolian or simillar.

Big, “lazy” and unbiddable in the sense that I will absolutely not run around and do a sport with you and will gladly lay around all day, yet the hardest worker in whats important to me. Aloof at best if not aggressive towards strangers (at least originally, theres a lot of friendlier pyrs and pyr mixes out there now but many would say lots of people are ruining the intended traits of LGDs, fucking up their genetics and creating shelters full of poorly bred bs especially here out west as people try to pet-ify working dogs). Ideally should be trustworthy with even the most fragile livestock. “High maintenence” but in a very different way from how intelligent and high energy breeds like border collies, huskies or german shepherds are. Probably kinda dirty and stinky and matted but have the potential to be the prettiest if I get cleaned up lmao

[happyhoundsmassage]

Barrett is considered an "unbiddable" dog which means he's called "stubborn", "independent", "willful"...you get the idea. What it means to me is it's part of my job to keep him interested and engaged. So each session he gets a new 'game' to figure out or a new way to work out a muscle group. Keeps me on my toes too! 🐾💕🐾🏋🏼‍♂️🐾 . . #caninegym #k9gym #dogtraining #agility #crosstrain #sanfrancisco #k9crosstrain #caninecrosstrain #petmassage #k9massage #dogmassage #caninemassage #animalmassage #sfblogger #canineconditioning #k9fitness #dogsofinstagram #k9conditioning #dogexercises #dogsofinstaworld #dog_features #fitdog #buzzfeedanimals #k9xtrain #happydog #doglife @happyhoundsmassage #happyhound #shepherd (at Happy Hounds Massage) https://www.instagram.com/p/B09fD-2hGY9/?igshid=shchs9mr9lib

#caninegym #k9gym #dogtraining #agility #crosstrain #sanfrancisco #k9crosstrain #caninecrosstrain #petmassage #k9massage #dogmassage #caninemassage #animalmassage #sfblogger #canineconditioning #k9fitness #dogsofinstagram #k9conditioning #dogexercises #dogsofinstaworld #dog_features #fitdog #buzzfeedanimals #k9xtrain #happydog #doglife #happyhound #shepherd

[darkwood-sleddog]

It is very nice when people tag me in reference to malamute things not in my normal circle and it’s posts like about the absolute positives of the breed. Like yeah they’re wonderful companions, can have a good settle when well bred, love people, etc.

But what people don’t tell you is that they’re unbiddable assholes built like a shit brick house with a strong desire to pull and genetic dog aggression. They’re extremely tough dogs and will absolutely realize the advantage of their size. They’re goofy as hell sure, but they’re also loud, demanding, MOUTHY, resource guardy, and extremely prey driven (although they can be good with cats when raised with them).

Describing them as calmer, less energetic huskies is true, but is also a great way to get some unsuspecting person into a situation where they own a dog they are wholly unprepared for because that dog is basically the equivalent of a WWE wrestler.

I love every second of it though.

#dogblr #alaskan malamute #these dogs need a job and many people will fail to tell you that #bc they think calm = fulfilled #they need daily mental and physical stimulation and they will eat your house to get it #in this essay I will go over how people thinking malamutes are more suited to pet life bc they are less frantic than #huskies is dangerous! #thank you for coming to my Ted talk #please meet a BUNCH of healthy wel bred mals before you consider #they are great dogs #but I also trust very few people in my #personal life to handle them properly

[darkwood-sleddog]

Just to check my understanding "line out" is your dogs staying, but holding some tension on the pull cords?

Yes line out has two factors:

1.) keeping the line taut.

2.) staying in place while the musher moves around. This aspect is basically a conditional stay. What makes it different for dogs is the combination of "pull the line tight" and "stay out".

One of the best ways to teach line out is through repetition. At this point in training a dog is about 5-6 months old and has already gotten the basics of a conditional stay within the context of "relaxation protocol" (a specific type of training that helps dogs learn to stay in place and be relaxed/learn to settle) so teaching the dog to hold a line taut is then just an expansion of what they've already learned!

Basically I will put them in harness and attach the harness to a stable location the dog cannot pull, like a fence post or tree, with a line (you can use a leash, but they tend to be heavier and the young dog feels this behind them more which can be more difficult to get correct tension on as consistently for some dogs). I then have a leash attached to the dog's collar. I walk them out until they are tight on the line and give the command, staying with them for the first few repetitions. If they get this I begin dropping the leash, moving around, resetting the dog and repeating the command if they break from position. If they've done a repetition correctly I will praise them and let them off the line to run and zoom. This is just my foundation for line out on a trail, once the dog is working in harness being able to reward a good line out with a behavior (running and pulling) becomes much easier. Eventually you get dogs like Slash and Zombie for example (Sigurd knows this command but is a very unbiddable beast...) who will turn around and line out if I point just with my hand (no physical contact). I have actually averted a few potential squabbles JUST using this command (point firmly and say line out). Which is bonkers to me that I was able to achieve that bc I am a very average dog trainer lmao.

Some dogs enjoy holding a line out more than others, Slash for example is a dog that really enjoys any type of forward movement (to the point that turning him around on a trail or walk is like....the worst but I'll take it for his desire to go forward lol), while Sigurd is prone to getting bored with a sustained line out and will begin getting distracted and drifting, loosening his line. It's all about knowing the individual dog and setting them up for success and then within a multi-dog team navigating the dynamics of multiple individuals and their needs to get a successful team line-out.

#dogblr #dog training #sled dogs #dog sledding #a good stay? one of the most important things you will ever teach a dog imo

[darkwood-sleddog]

i’m curious as to how you went about training your dogs when they were puppies. i want to get a spitz breed one day but all the advice i see is done with handler focused breeds and i don’t want to set unrealistic expectations for the future pup

Couch Wolves is my favorite blog to point to because I love the way Molly talks about dogs and she’s a great actual trainer with certifications that loves and is passionate about primitives. I’m not a trainer, just a person doing things with dogs I love and I’ve only raised one of my dogs from early puppyhood (Sigurd…Zombie arrived at 1 year and Slash at 6 mo.)

The thing I always tell people to remember is: be patient, comparison to handlers with biddable and non-primitive dogs is a useless exercise that will exist only to make you feel bad about the speed in which your dog achieves certain behaviors. And most importantly, understand that your dog’s motivations are different and that’s okay.

You can use primitive friendly activities as a reward (many people and trainers aim to stop pulling for example, but I find getting to pull an excellent reward for the primitive dog if they enjoy it), your rewards may look different than others, that’s okay. It may take you a long time to trust your dog’s reliability in certain situations and that’s okay. Your dog has a mind of its own and that’s okay, it’s WONDERFUL actually and likely what made them so good at their job in the first place.

I use a lot of positive reinforcement with my dogs, especially as puppies but I operate on a LIMA philosophy because sometimes the primitive dog does need a bit more firmness in areas R+ only people don’t prefer to go to. They also don’t respond well, in my experience, to more averse training as they can stubborn their way right through more averse tools. Meat, cheese and other gross food rewards are your friend with primitives. Feed their meals in training sessions, especially early on. The earlier you can work on creating a really positive handler engagement the better.

#dogblr #faq #primitive dogs #unbiddable dogs #there is nothing more crushing for the ego #as standing next to a lab in obedience class #while your monster writhes on the ground bc you didn’t time his piece of chicken fast enough #anyways training unbiddable dogs is understanding that you’ll take things slowly #and to not base your expectations on others #and do not take shit from trainers that have never experience a primitive dog #be confident in your abilities and know your timelines are different for certain cues #additionally I often stop using certain cues I’m working on #during adolecence until they have a brain again #like I made the mistake with Sigurd that I kept trying to work through recall #and as a result he learned to ignore my cues #where slash had his recall cue taken away for a pause when he hit stubborn times #and brought back out later and he is always eager to show me he remembers how to do so

[darkwood-sleddog]

Malamutes being suitable for service work are dogs with rare exceptions and have non-breed typical temperaments. I cannot repeat that enough.

#dogblr #alaskan malamute #anyways trying to convince a person that has zero experience with the breed to not get one for service work #they washed out a golden for being anxiou #and honestly typical malamutes are just not suitable for service work #unbiddable not handler sensitive and have genetic same sex dog aggression #those are TYPICAL genetic malamute behaviors #I hardly see folks working these dogs in service work past age 4

[darkwood-sleddog]

Slash i swear guys, this dog is SO fun. He’s starting to come out of puppy brain into a more level and adult way of thinking, but is retaining his biddability which is just. It’s so fun. He’s gotten to a point with his cooperative nail care that I don’t need to reward and clip at the same time, rather he will wait on cue and then receive a treat like a good boy.

Now that his brain is a bit more mature I’ve also started proofing recall harder and his enthusiasm. Is so. GREAT. Been doing that thing where one scatters kibble so the dog is distracted off of the high value rewards in the treat pouch and then turning around to call him with EXCITING voice and he turns straight around and CHARGES towards me with such joy the second I call him. I love this boy.

#dogblr #dog training #slash #def more experienced in training malamute friendly recall now #will have to further proof sigurd and zombie #i mean zombie is good off leash i just worry about her coming across other female dogs so....you know. #but slash will probably be hiking off leash or with a loose long line very soon and it makes me so pleased #and def makes me feel better about my training abilities #because sigurd as my first and as my more unbiddable dog #i really thought i was you know...a failure in that regard #but no its just sigurd and he requires a different kind of very sensitive and thoughtful training #next up for slash's proofing will be people and other dogs #those are the hardest for him #and he's great at a soft recall but just drilling that 'come here now' #because i will NOT be that person whose dog is running up to people all amok #if its the last thing i do

[darkwood-sleddog]

Hello, I was wondering one thing and wanted to know your opinion as Malamuted are your specialty. Do you believe an Alaskan Malamute could become a service dog for mobility work ?

They are big enough and strong enough for the task, but I do not think the malamute is well suited for service work. Certainly there are a few individuals that have succeeded in this area (i know of two total over the age of three that are consistently tasking for their handlers, one of which is also worked in mushing).

I don’t think the breed typical malamute is suited for service work because they are incredibly unbiddable, non-gentle, prone to same-sex dog aggression, and overall difficult to train. These are incredibly non-sensitive dogs (a trait that aids them in arctic survival) that would be willing to pull forward through any corrective training device to get what they want. They require a physically strong handler, especially as they take a long time to mature and can be in their adolescent phase up until year 3 (keep in mind Sigurd was 100 pounds of velociraptor adolescent at 1.5 years, Slash is 90 pounds at 2 and still sometimes is very wild and is carefully monitored around nearly everybody).

Is it possible you could luck out and get a biddable, gentle malamute, but on that non-typical temperament spectrum you are also likely to get dogs that have little drive to actually work. There is a reason that we often don’t see primitive breeds in service work and one would be taking an incredible gamble imo purchasing a malamute specifically for service work.

#dogblr #alaskan malamute #faq #dog #service dog #hopefully this doesn’t come across too negatively #I am just of the belief that people need to stop squishing spitz breeds #who are as a whole wildly unsuitable to service work #into the box of service work #there are other large breeds that tradtionally carted that have softer temperaments #I think are far better suited for this #a malamute doesn’t care what you think or say #a malamute doesn’t care unless it matters to him and him alone #when I talk about biddability in malamutes I often talk about slash #and how biddable he is #but keep in mind that compared to most breeds #he is very not biddable at all #and I am simple comparing him to Sigurd #who is so aloof it’s more like having a tamed wild animal in the house than a dog

[darkwood-sleddog]

How are your dogs off leash? Do malamutes also have the run away husky reputation or are they generally ok off leash?

It’s very dog dependent. Like huskies they are prey driven and often not a very biddable dog. Slash & Zombie are responsive off leash and Sigurd has been in the past but is less likely to listen with distractions so I haven’t tested him in awhile. Sigurd actually has the best recall when I’m just in the yard, but it he is also extremely unbiddable that I’d need like raw meat to recall him in a distracting environment.

#dogblr #faq #slash is the most biddable #he’s so responsive I love his balance of malamute personality and biddable temperament and drive #Sigurd is very much going to do whatever he wants at a given time. it doesn’t matter the pain or tiredness heat or cold #he’s very resilient which I love but can be difficult to train #I have my dogs on leash during most hikes bc coming across other dogs with a pack of malamutes #is asking for issues #and not everybody likes a pack of 3 dogs 75 85 and 104 pounds respectively barreling towards them