Coats and Colors
Alaskan Malamutes come in Variety of coats and colors
Gray
When people think of Alaskan Malamutes, they typically think of the Standard Gray you see on shows on TV. Most of the original Malamutes were gray.
(Pictured Rain)
Seal
Seals are the second most common coloring of the Alaskan Malamute. They have a white under coat with black tips on the end
(Pictured Shadow)
Red
Reds come in various shades, all recognized as Red by the AKC. Here are the most common shades:
Light Red: Honey
Medium Red: Rosie
Red Ag: Roxy
Mahogany: Tachanka
White
The only Solid color allowed according to the AKC standard.
Black
Blacks are similar to Seals except they have a black under coat and commonly a dark mask (more on that below)
(Pictured Onyxia/Renfri)
Agouti
Agouti can be a bit complex, so please bear with me. Agoutis feature a blend of grays with a closed face. While they are becoming more prevalent due to selective breeding, they have been a part of the breed for a long time, primarily originating from the Kotzebue lines. Their masks may either lighten to resemble a gray or remain dark; they are born with a dark face. (Pictured: Kuruk/Revere)
Kuruk Agouti
Roxy Red Agouti
Kuruk Agouti
Closed Faced
Let's talk about closed face. Closed face is a dark pigment recessive gene. It takes one closed face parent produce more, unlike white and red, which must be carried by parents. Closed face started with agouties, and as selective breeding continued, it has become popular. Most closed face lines can trace back to one or two dogs. There are several varieties:
Agouti - Kuruk
Black - Onyxia
Red Agouti - Roxy
Mahogany - Garnet
Coats Length & Texture
Malamute coats come in a wide variety, ranging from very short weatherproof coats to very heavy woolly coats. Malamutes were originally supposed to have a medium weatherproof coat to keep the elements of the Arctic at bay. They have an outer coat and an undercoat. Woolies and long coats will need grooming often to help shed hair as the undercoat grows longer and prevents a free shed. Short coats and plush will need a little help, mostly twice a year when what we refer to as a blowout happens. Here, we try to breed for easy shedding proof coats.
Garnet/Kuruk - Woolie
Suravi/Rain - Plush
Onyxia/Tallie - Short/Standard
Describe your image