alaskan malamute or afgan hound?

Question

which one should i choose? how much does each one cost to buy, and are there any breeders on here that i can speak to? in uk

Answer 1

Malamutes & Afghans are 2 entirely different breeds. You need to do plenty of research to decide which, if either breed is suitable for you. Go to the breed clubs & find out where the nearest breeders to you live. They will be happy for you to visit before deciding whether or not you want a puppy. Mals are very big heavy working breed, they are also a Spitz breed which means they have a stubborn streak. They are not necessarily good with other dogs. I would not recommend them for a first time owner. Afghans are hounds & therefore also not easy to train, especially recall. Mals have a thick double coat & moult for Britain, Afghans need loads of grooming to keep them looking good.
http://www.malamuterescue.com/aboutmals.html

Answer 2

Both are expensive and high maintenance. I personally love the alaskan malamute but temperament wise probably an afghan. Either training is must. Try phoning the kennel club for a list of reputable breeders.
The Afghan Hound is a very old sighthound dog breed. Distinguished by its thick, fine, silky coat and its tail with a ring curl at the end, the breed acquired its unique features in the cold mountains of Afghanistan, where it was originally used to hunt wolves, foxes, and gazelles. Other alternate names for this breed are Balkh Hound, Baluchi Hound, Barutzy Hound, Kabulhound, tazi.
The Alaskan Malamute is a large northern dog breed originally bred for use as an Alaskan sleddog and are often mistaken as Siberian Husky, It is thought the Malamute breed came about by crossbreeding Spitz-like dogs with Grey Wolves thus essentially creating a wolfdog breed.

Answer 3

They are totally different.

Afghans are sighthounds with a strong hunting instinct.Most can't be trusted off the lead apart from in enclosed spaces.They need a LOT of grooming and are famous for being hard to train.They are affectionate to their owners but distant with strangers.They are sprinters not distance runners so a good run in an enclosed area once a day and a couple of walks is fine.

Malamutes need a fair bit of grooming but less than Afghans.They too can seldom be trusted off the lead as they tend to ignore recalls.Their hunting instinct is high too but lower than a sighthounds.They tend to be combative with other dogs of the same sex but very affectionate to all people.Despite their size they are useless guards as they would just lick a burglar.They need huge amounts of exercise.

Both would cost over £500 pounds to buy as puppies from a good breeder.

Answer 4

Why just these two breeds? I changed breeds recently from an independant breed to a gundog breed and I have to say it is much easier. Both the breeds you mention tend to be independant and, while I loved the independant streak in my previous breed, it does make for a lot of extra work. Why not visit some dog shows, preferably Championship Shows, and talk to people exhibiting breeds you like the look of. I say Championship shows because you get a better variety of breeds there. These are usualy held over 3 or 4 days so you would need to pick the groups you are interested in ie Hounds, Working and Pastoral, Utility, Toy etc. (there are 7 groups in the UK). Look in the dog papers, Dog World or Our Dogs, for shows being held in your area.
Good luck with your search.

Answer 5

Get a 7 year old Malamute to start off with. The younger ones are a big challenge and you might not be ready for how much work they are! (a breeder told me this)

Afghans need to go to a groomer unless you REALLY love grooming! You could always shave them though and have a fuzzy long legged dog. Afghans are NOT dumb. They are independent like cats and enjoy running and jumping a lot. I have seen Afghans working in the obedience ring and doing very well. But they are not labs or goldens. It takes a special person to train one like that I think.

They are both pretty independent dogs and if you like the personality of one you will probably like the other. They are not slave dogs that follow you around hanging on your every word MUST LISTEN TO MASTER. DO WHAT MASTER SAYS! They have minds of their own and personally I like dogs with independence.

Answer 6

Try these websites, they have details of a lot of the breeder that you may wish to speak to.

My personal preference is Malamute =)

(If your worried about the cost of a pedigree now then don't even bother looking. It won't be cheap)

Good Luck

Answer 7

I have had both and can tell you that the afgan is VERY high maintanence. When its hair (rather than fur) becomes wet it is like trying to comb feathers. They also tend to be jumpers. By that I mean you had better have a VERY high fence. I have had them leap over a 6 foot fence from a standing position. If they do get loose...they are smart and fast. My mute was and is a joy. Very sweet disposition, has a tendency to dig, but she is young. Really prefers cooler weather.

Answer 8

Malamute is a lovely dog, but needs plenty of tlc. Afgans are out of fashion these days, need plenty of exercise. Get a GSD and you will not regret it.

Answer 9

These are 2 completely different dogs, I think it would be best if you looked the breed up on the web to see which would suit your life style. Both need experienced handlers

Answer 10

Don't get an Afghan- they're as dumb as their poop.

Malamut- but be prepared for tons off exercise and excreta the size of a small pheasant.
My cousin bought one for about £1200 eight years ago from a breeder. He got ripped off- my dog was free and he just lays about all day.