Golden Retrievers Vs Alaskan Malamutes

[GoldenAngel]

Hello,
I have a very important question to ask. I really need the answer to the as accurate as can be.
I am about to get a golden retriever puppy. I know that they are very calm and great with people and other dogs. Unfortunately, my husband wants to get his Alaskan malamute. I am aware that these dogs have some wolf in them and are NOT good with other dogs.
How can we work around this?
Should we get both puppies at the same time and raise them together? Would that make them build a friendship or is it in the Malamutes nature to just hate anyother dog?
Or should I get my golden now....raise her correctly and then get the puppy my husband wants....would that be safer?
How do those two breeds get along together?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT WOULD BE BETTER...
Thank you so very much.

[Glacier]

Ok, first off all, there is NO wolf in an Alaskan Malamute. God, I hate that myth. There is no more wolf in a Malamute than there is in a poodle. They have been bred to maintain their natural appearance, but there has been no wolf in them for thousands of years!! Bad breeders often use malamutes to create wolf hybrids, but a well bred Malamute is not a hybrid and has NO wolf in their blood.

Malamutes can be wonderful with other dogs although they have a tendancy towards same sex aggression. I wouldn't leave two female malamutes alone together. I have a male malamute who is an absolute doll with every other dog he's ever met. I have a female who likes all male dogs. I have another female who hates every dog she's ever met, but she was poorly socialized as a puppy.

You need to consider what you want out of a dog. A malamute's personality is going to be 100 % different than a golden's. Do you want a dog who follows you around and is happy to obey every command? Do you want a dog that's easy to train and has a desire to please? Get a Golden.

No self-respecting Malamute is going to follow a mere human just because they said so. No malamute is going to fetch just because. They are working dogs and they need to do a job. If you don't give them a job, they will find a way to entertain themselves and that will likely be something you don't like--digging, howling, destroying stuff. Let most Malamutes off leash and they will head for Alaska. They don't come when called and have no homing instinct. They are stubborn and hard to train.

They have a high prey drive. Do you have cats or other small furries around? Most malamutes would consider those things dinner(although there are exceptions to that--like my own malamute)

Malamutes are not the dog for everyone. Do your research on them before buying one. Thousands of Malamutes are in rescues right now because their first owners didn't know enough about the breed.

Malamutes are amazing, wonderful, intelligent creatures. There is never a dull moment with a mal around! My home will never be without at least one!

I always advise against getting two puppies of any breed at the same time. The pups will have a tendancy to bond to each other and not to their owners. It's also twice as much work, training and time. One puppy is more than enough work for most people!

[lv4dogs]

I agree that it would be a LOT easier for both you humans & the pups if you were to get one at a time.
If you keep your first dog well socialized and add the second one as a pup they should get along just fine.

Glacier brought up some good pointers about Mals. They are great dogs but can be quite difficult to own if you are not WELL prepared for the breed.

[*LabLoverKEB*]

Have you even reseached these breeds at all????

[GoldenAngel]

Thank you for all of your advices. My husband and I have agreed to get my golden first. And later, when he has researched the breed a lot more, reconsider getting a malamute.
I will admit that after reading Glacier's post I do feel a lot more comfortable around the breed.
Thank you

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Hi GoldenAngel,

You said that you were "about to get a Golden Retriever puppy." Can I ask where you are getting your puppy from? Please, at ALL COSTS, avoid buying from pet stores and from people who advertise selling dogs in the newspaper. Instead, I'd highly suggest either finding a responsible Golden Retriever breeder or adopting from a rescue or a shelter.

I hope you have researched the Golden Retriever breed to a full degree.. they are great dogs, but they are not for everyone.

[GoldenAngel]

Hi GoldenRetrLuver,
No we are not buying from a pet store. I heard that the puppies there are from puppy mills, although I don't fully understand what that means, I do feel more comfortable going through a reputable breeder. In fact I'm in contact with a very nice breeder at the moment.
I have researched the breed and my ex-room-mate got one a few months ago, so, I did see how they are young and I'm still learning.
They are everything I need in a dog. I want a dog that is affectionate, playful, and likes to be around their owners. I am aware that big dogs need excercise and I'm ready for that too.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Glad to hear that! If you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to ask! Everyone here is usually really nice and friendly.

If you're interested in learning more about puppy mills, here's a site I would suggest you take a look at..

http://www.puppymills.com/

I hope you continue to stick around when you get the new pup, and be sure to post lots of pictures! Goldens are by far the cutest puppies!

[GoldenAngel]

WOW thank you.
Yes I will post pictures.....and thank you for the web site.
I'm going to check that out now.

[Dixieland Dancer]

I am the proud and fortunate owner of two wonderful goldens! I have had goldens for close to 30 years now. Please be aware that a golden puppy (or most puppies for that matter) can be little terrors. The most common mistake people make is not adequately socializing and training the pup in the first couple years of it's life. They feel that a puppy kindergarten class and then perhaps a basic obedience class when the pup is under a year old is sufficient. IT IS NOT! Training needs to be a constant activity for the dog (golden or any breed) for several years at a minimum.

I suggest getting your husband involved in the training process. It will establish a bond between them. Find a local Golden Club or all breed dog club that does obedience, field, agility or whatever you think you may be interested in doing with the dog. Then have both of you take an active role. Your husband may realize he needs another golden! They are extremely social animals and having two is usually what ends up happening to a lot of people!

[Corinna]

Not to be a stinker but I have never meet a "calm " golden they are always ready to be the life of the party. I have a golden/ newfy cross and she is the most wiggly thing I have ever had.
But I think a golden is your better chose if this is your first dog.
I have never had one but have raised Springers (also sporting dogs) and love there loyalty and cuddablity.
I second hope you will stay and share pics. Good luck

[K9soul]

My golden Tommy didn't really mellow out until he was around 3, before then he was quite an imp, getting into things the moment I turned my back and playing very frequently. Now, when something exciting is going on like we are going somewhere or someone is visiting or he's just playing, he gets very worked up, wiggly and quite talkative, but when things are the normal routine he generally curls up and dozes off and on. His only wish at those times is to be as near me as possible and he's very calm and mellow at those times. However, people who visit him or meet him for the first time generally get the impression of a more excitable dog than he is when things are "normal."

[GoldenAngel]

Ok, I think that is a very good idea to look for a GOlden retriever club that my husband and I could participate in with our new dog.
How would I GO about finding one in California?
Can I do an online search for them or use the phone book?
At what age can the puppy be involved in the activies from this kind of club?
I have a lot of reading still to do about the breed. I have a couple of more weeks to go before she comes home to us.
What is the most imporant thing I should get for her.
I have on my list : a kennel crate ( i hear that is it very good to kennel train them(
A dog bed, food and water bowl,blankets, leash and colar, ........
What is the best product to clean out their ears? I had a cocker spaniel a few years ago and after she was about 2 years old, because of her long hair we needed to clean them out.
Also, while I'm at it, by your own experiences, what is the best and healthiest way to control fleas? I hear about so many methods but which one is the safest and most effective?
Ok, I'll stop with the questions for now. I'm just really excited.

[bckrazy]

Here's a few links to Golden Retriever clubs... you should *definitely* contact the Golden Retriever Club of America for breeder references! They only accept the best and most reputable breeders, and I'm sure there are tons listed in your area. You can do a search on MSN/Google for Golden Retriever clubs and info about puppies, ear cleaning, etc. This is a link to the NorCal Golden club (and an article about puppies)... there's also a club for Southern California and the Bay area.

http://www.norcalgrc.org/puppies.html

http://www.grca.org

I think its a very good decision to wait and research both breeds before jumping into anything. You might want to consider rescuing a Malamute after your GR is full-grown... when you get an adult rescue dog, you already know their temperament, sociability with dogs, size, etc. With a puppy, and even with a ton of socialization, you *never* truly know how their personality will be when they mature. You'll also be saving one of the many, many Malamutes that are dumped in rescue. There are also tons of young Golden Retrievers waiting to be rescued, so you should definitely check out Petfinder.org and rescue sites for pups.

[Giselle]

Originally posted by GoldenAngel

What is the most imporant thing I should get for her.
I have on my list : a kennel crate ( i hear that is it very good to kennel train them(
A dog bed, food and water bowl,blankets, leash and colar, ........
What is the best product to clean out their ears? I had a cocker spaniel a few years ago and after she was about 2 years old, because of her long hair we needed to clean them out.
Also, while I'm at it, by your own experiences, what is the best and healthiest way to control fleas? I hear about so many methods but which one is the safest and most effective?
Ok, I'll stop with the questions for now. I'm just really excited.

The above questions can be answered by the sites Bckrazy posted above.

As for these questions...
What is the most important thing I should get for my GR?
Before you get your puppy, you should buy an appropriately sized nylon collar, 4'-6' nylon leash, food and water bowls, a wire or plastic adult-sized Golden Retriever crate with dividers (reason is the crate should only be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around to prevent accidents), a mat for the crate or a few old blankets, a dog bed for inside the house, grooming tools (for a Golden, the basics are probably a shedding blade, a slicker brush, and nail-clipper- DON'T use the guillotine style nail clippers. In fact, why use clippers at all? Use a Dremel! ), and food.

For good brands of food available in Northern California (if that's where you live ):
California Natural
Innova and/or Innova EVO
Chicken Soup for the Dog/Puppy Lover's Soul
Wysong
Wellness
Solid Gold
Pinnacle
Fromm
Canidae

If you need the links to any of the aforementioned items, just ask!

What is the best ear cleaning product?
Very good question. I also have a heavily coated, flop ear dog and I generally use whatever ear cleaner that's on the shelves. Most, if not all, ear cleaners come with two bottles because ear cleaning takes two steps. The lable on the bottles will tell you what to do. I also will pluck the hair inside the ear with either a tweezer or hemostat.

What is the best flea preventive?
Either Advantage or Frontline (any formula) is fine. Be sure to avoid the cheaper products because those products use potentially harmful chemicals that can cause neurological problems. To my knowledge, Advantage uses pyrethrin (hmmm, I think that's spelled wrong) which is a derivative of crysanthemum. I think I hope that helps you!