Siberian Husky vs Alaskan Malamute
The two published breed profiles side by side: size, energy, grooming, lifespan, temperament ratings and health.
| Siberian Husky | Alaskan Malamute | |
|---|---|---|
| Size class | Medium | Large |
| Adult weight | 15.9 to 27.2 kg | 34 to 38.6 kg |
| In pounds | 35 to 60 lb | 75 to 85 lb |
| Adult height | 51 to 60 cm | 58 to 64 cm |
| Energy | Very high | High |
| Grooming | Moderate | Moderate |
| Coat | Medium double | Medium double |
| Shedding | High | Moderate |
| Lifespan | 12 to 14 years | 10 to 14 years |
| Good with children | Reliably good | Fine with supervision |
| Good with other dogs | Reliably good | Fine with supervision |
| Country of origin | United States | United States |
The main differences
- The Alaskan Malamute is the bigger dog: 34 to 38.6 kg against 15.9 to 27.2 kg for the Siberian Husky.
- The Siberian Husky needs more exercise: very high energy against high for the Alaskan Malamute.
- Grooming is moderate for both.
- The Siberian Husky usually lives longer: 12 to 14 years against 10 to 14 years.
- With children, the Siberian Husky is rated reliably good and the Alaskan Malamute fine with supervision.
Temperament
Siberian Husky: The Siberian Husky is friendly, fastidious and dignified, an outgoing and loyal northern breed with a mischievous streak.
Alaskan Malamute: The Alaskan Malamute is a heavy boned arctic freighting dog, friendly and playful with their own people but strong willed and a persistent digger and puller. This is a pack animal that needs firm, early training and a great deal of exercise.
Health worth asking about
Conditions each breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable: it means ask the breeder for the parents' test results.
Siberian Husky
- Hip dysplasia, though the incidence in the breed is relatively low
- Inherited eye disease, though the incidence is relatively low
- Cancer, picked up on a veterinary examination with imaging and biopsy of any new lump
- Arthritis in older dogs, diagnosed on a veterinary orthopaedic exam and x-rays
Alaskan Malamute
- Alaskan Malamute polyneuropathy, a nerve disease causing exercise intolerance and an unsteady gait, detectable by DNA test
- Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow evaluation of breeding stock
- Chondrodysplasia, an inherited form of dwarfism carried in the breed
- Day blindness, an inherited cone degeneration of the retina, picked up by an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Von Willebrand disease and thrombopathia, inherited bleeding disorders confirmed by clotting and DNA tests
- Hypothyroidism, diagnosed on a thyroid blood panel
Common questions
Which is bigger, the Siberian Husky or the Alaskan Malamute?
The Alaskan Malamute. Adults weigh 34 to 38.6 kg, against 15.9 to 27.2 kg for the Siberian Husky, going by the published breed profiles.
Which lives longer, the Siberian Husky or the Alaskan Malamute?
The published life expectancy is 12 to 14 years for the Siberian Husky and 10 to 14 years for the Alaskan Malamute. These are typical ranges across the breed, not a promise about one dog.
Is the Siberian Husky or the Alaskan Malamute better with children?
The Siberian Husky scores higher for children (5 against 3 out of 5). Any dog needs supervising around young children, whatever their breed rating.
Related comparisons
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the two breed guides, which cite:
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin