The Doberman Malamute mix is a large, powerful, and demanding dog that requires a dedicated owner.
If you’re able to meet their needs you will be rewarded with a highly affectionate and loyal dog that will take care of you and your family.
This is no easy task, however, and in this guide, we’ll take you through every aspect of this mix to see whether it is suited for you.
Contents
Quick Profile
Here’s a quick summary of (almost) everything there is to know about this breed.
- Other Names: Dobamute, Dobermute
- Average Lifespan: 10 to 14 years
- Average Height: 24 to 28 inches
- Average Weight: 70 to 100+ lbs
- Coat appearance: Usually much shorter than a malamute but can be single or double coated
- Eye Color: Usually dark brown or blue
- Activity Level: 2 hours every day as a minimum
- Grooming Frequency: Grooming is required every week but not daily
- Typical Temperament: Very intelligent and affectionate but can be suspicious of strangers
- Daily Food Consumption: Very high
- New Owner Friendly: Not very friendly for new owners due to their sheer size, exercise, and obedience commitments
- Suitable to live with children? Must be socialized from an early age
- Suitable to live with other dogs? Must be socialized from an early age
- Suitable to live with cats? Must be socialized from an early age
Appearance
The Doberman Malamute mix commonly takes after the Doberman in coat length and overall physique.
Their coat can be in a wide variety of colors but is usually primarily black or brown with white or shades of brown as marking.
To get a better idea of what this mix usually looks like, it’s important to know what both parent breeds look like and what phyhsical characteristics they have.
Doberman Appearance
The Doberman Pinscher is a regal guard dog – in fact, the only dog in the world bred specifically to guard humans – originating from Germany.
Dobermans are a relatively new breed that was first bred in the 19th century and since then have been used as guard dogs, as well as in military and police operations due to their intelligence.
Dobermans have a proud and majestic look, with short fur that is usually black with shades of brown like rust. They have large ears with long snouts and an alert expression.
They have a very muscular body that is tall which contributes to their intimidating demeanor.
Malamute Appearance
Alaskan Malamutes are one of the largest Spitz breeds and their appearance shows it.
They have lots of characteristics of Spitz-type dogs, such as pointed ears, fluffy double coats, and a fluffy curled tail.
Malamutes have a super friendly expression, but they can be quite intimidating to those who aren’t familiar with the breed. You’ll usually find malamutes in a black-and-white coat, but there are a lot of other possible colors as well.
Average Size
There’s no denying that the Doberman Malamute mix is a large breed.
Although Malamutes are smaller than Dobermans per the AKC standard, it is not uncommon to see Malamutes easily exceed 100 lbs.
When you combine this tendency to put on weight with the larger overall size of the Doberman you are left with a mix that can reach nearly 30 inches at the shoulder and over 100 lbs in weight without an issue.
Coat Appearance
Most Doberman Malamute mixes have quite a short and dense coat, similar to the Doberman.
This coat can be either single or double-coated, and will usually be primarily black with other color markings like brown, white, and other shades of these colors.
Physical Features
Doberman Malamute mixes inherit a lot of features from both parent breeds aside from the coat length and coloring.
For example, they will typically have large floppy ears (remember that Dobermans naturally have floppy ears) that become erect when they are alert.
Their tails will curl upwards like both the Doberman and Malamute, and they will have impressive physiques with tall and broad shoulders.
Grooming Guide
Luckily it is much easier to groom the Doberman Malamute mix than the Malamute as the coat is (usually) much shorter and also possibly single-coated rather than double-coated.
In either case, Doberman Malamute mixes should be groomed once or twice per week as needed to remove dead hair and skin. This can be done with a simple grooming comb and doesn’t require much expertise.
Although it is rare to see, sometimes this mix can have a longer, double-coat that is more similar to the Malamutes. In this case, they may need to be groomed every day and you can find details of this process here.
Bathing
A bathing schedule again depends on the length and type of coat.
If a Doberman Malamute mix inherits a short type-coat then bathing can be done once every 4 to 6 weeks as needed. If their coat is longer and double-coated like the Malamute then they will need to be bathed once every two to three months instead.
This is because bathing a double coat can be detrimental to the oils inside and actually cause more damage than anything else.
Nail Trimming
As a highly active mix, you shouldn’t need to trim their nails often, especially if they exercise regularly on hard surfaces.
If you do need to trim their nails we recommend using a metal nail grinder and checking their nails once every week.
Is The Doberman Malamute Mix Hypoallergenic?
Again this one entirely depends on which type of coat they have.
If they have a short coat then shedding will be much less of an issue. However, if their coat is double-coated and short then they will shed moderately.
If their coat is longer and double-coated, then they will shed frequently. If you suffer from allergies then this mix is probably not a good choice.
You can learn more about how double coats make things more difficult for people with allergies here.
Temperament
Now that all of the physical features are covered, let’s take a look at the temperament of the Doberman Malamute mix to see if it’s suited for you.
Guarding Instinct
Alaskan Malamutes and Dobermans couldn’t be more different in their guarding aptitude if they tried.
Alaskan Malamutes have a very low guard instinct and are more likely to make friends with strangers than be wary of them.
Dobermans, on the other hand, are the only breed of dog in the world that were bred to guard humans specifically.
Affection & Loyalty
Dobermans and Malamutes are incredibly loyal and affectionate to their owners.
As we’ve already mentioned, Dobermans were bred to work closely with people and to keep them safe. Alaskan Malamutes are pack animals that thrive on socialization both with other dogs and people.
There is a good chance that the Doberman Malamute mix may bond closely to one person in particular, as this is often seen in Dobermans.
Trainability
This is another area two parent breeds clash massively.
Dobermans are very easy to train as they love to please their owners. This is why they are used in the police and other services around the world.
Alaskan Malamutes, on the other hand, are difficult to train because they do not care about pleasing their owners. They are highly stubborn at times and are often compared to cats in their personalities.
While there are methods for training them, it is still challenging even for the most experienced of owners.
So, the Doberman Malamute mix can be a handful, especially for new owners, but it depends highly on which traits they inherit.
Independent
Alaskan Malamutes are very independent dogs, a characteristic seen across many Spitz-type dogs like the Husky or Samoyed.
This trait can be passed down to the Doberman Malamute mix, and it’s important to be aware of it.
Sometimes they will prefer their own space and will not seem particularly interested in listening to you, which can sometimes be frustrating to deal with.
Prey Drive
Although you wouldn’t associate prey drive with temperament, it is something that all prospective owners should know about.
Doberman Malamute mixes have a high prey drive and there isn’t any solution to this. It’s completely natural, but it does also mean that if they see a small animal they are very likely going to chase after it.
Having a strong leash and harness is very important with this breed, as they are obviously very strong and can pull you around if you are not prepared.
Are Doberman Malamute Mixes Good Family Dogs?
Doberman Malamute mixes can make great family dogs, but there are a few key things to remember:
- They need socializing from an early age to get along with children, other dogs, and cats.
- They need at least 2 hours of exercise a day which can be difficult for a family to provide.
- They are very large and strong, so they may accidentally hurt a child without realizing it if they run into them accidentally.
- Obedience training is essential, but it can be difficult and will require a lot of patience.
This is certainly not a mix for every single family out there, but they are a great option if you can meet their needs.
Health
Both parent breeds are quite healthy when you consider their size, but there are a couple of health issues that are more common across both breeds:
- Hip Dysplasia – This is a deformity of the hip joint that occurs during growth. It is more common in large to giant dogs and leads to a series of issues like arthritis.
- Hypothyroidism – This is when the thyroid is underactive and not producing enough hormones responsible for regulating their metabolism. It often leads to unexplained weight gain and issues with the fur.
- Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus – This is often referred to as bloat and is common in larger dogs. This starts with the stomach filling with gas, and can then lead to twisting which can be lethal.
It’s hard to say for certain which health issues will affect the Doberman Malamute mix as there hasn’t been extensive research done on this mix due to how rare they are.
Is The Doberman Malamute Mix Intelligent?
Dobermans and Malamutes are very intelligent, which bodes well for the Doberman Malamute mix.
Although Dobermans may rank much higher on conventional dog intelligence tests (those that rely on their ability to learn commands), Malamutes are very intelligent in their own way despite their stubbornness.
How Much Do They Cost?
This mix is not bred commonly, so there is a lot of variation in price.
You could pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand, or even just adoption fees if you decide to go down that route.
In Summary
Hopefully, this guide has given you everything you need to know about the Doberman Malamute mix.
This mix is not for first-time owners and requires a big commitment, but it will pay back for years to come.
If you want to learn about more Malamute mixes you can read some of our most recent articles below: