Alaskan Dogs

The Alaskan malamute became the Alaska state dog in 2010 after a group of school kids championed the effort through the Alaska Legislature as part of a class project. We think it's a pretty fitting choice. Here are a few things you might not have known about the official dog of Alaska!

• The history of the breed dates back a seriously long time. 5,000 years ago the first settlers of North America kept Alaskan malamutes as their companions and as work dogs.
• They're built to withstand cold temperatures, and were historically used in Arctic expeditions. They helped settlers hunt, track, look out for bears and also helped to haul gear across snowy terrain, pulling heavy sleds.
• If you want one of your own, keep in mind they need daily exercise (they are sled dogs, after all). They don't bark much, but they are vocal and love to stretch their vocal chords and howl sometimes.