Male or female dog? And anyone experienced this mix?

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LittleFluffyBunnies

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Hi all!
I am really hoping my dad will let me have another puppy, because I just saw the cutest thing!!! There are Alaskan Malamute cross White Swiss Shepherd puppies for sale! I have been wanting a Swiss Shepherd for ages but they are so hard to find. And now one crossed with a Malamute :p Has anyone had this mix before? I am eager to try one. I want a dog who is not as lazy as my Lab, who is intelligent and not super difficult to train but more of a challenge than a Lab, and it has to be great with kids and other dogs. I have read that Swiss Shepherds, which although is a registered breed here is pretty much a GSD, are good with kids, protective, easy to train, excel in sports, lots of energy. I have read that Malamutes are somewhat stubborn but easier in training than a Husky, less energetic than a Husky but still very active, and good with kids. i am hoping it would be a good mix who is somewhat challenging but still great. Oh, and I don't want an independent, standoffish dog either, and I heard that GSDs are loyal, and Malamutes love their people.

The puppies are a few hours away and if my dad says yes, we could only get there next week so we would have to book one. There is one male and two females left. I would have to decide which one. I have two female dogs, and I love them. I am wondering if I should get a male, and I am interested in trying something new. Do you like female or male dogs better and why? Based on my interests above, what would you say is best?
 
I would say that you should get a female because male lift their legs and pee on everything. We have four female dogs and one male, he can lift his leg higher than I would ever imagine.
 
White swiss shepherds are white german shepherds. As for male or female since you already have 2 females I would go with male. If you are worried about marking I have found that if you use a belly band in the house most dogs will only try to mark once or twice before they discover they don't like to pee on themselves. :lol: I personally don't mind a dog marking outside, and I have known females to lift their leg! So I guess its all in what you prefer.`
Now for the question of the mix... What you will get will be a crap shoot, you could end up with a pup that is more like a malamute or you could get one thats more like a shepherd, either way expect a large dog that will shed a lot! Start training young.
 
I don't recommend Malamutes even to experienced dog owners and think you should pass on a pup from this breeding.

I am not that familiar with the dog world in South Africa but I would be VERY leary of a breeder who purposely bred mixed breed pups and even more worried if this is an accidental litter :shock:

I would also worry about a Mal cross pups tollerance of heat, I'm in Canada and the spitz breeds (Huskys, Mals, Eskimo dogs, Keeshunds, Chows etc...) can have a tough time even during our short summers and you may need to keep your dog in the air conditioned house during the hottest months
 
I am a dog groomer and I am telling you Malamutes get HUGE! They can be on of my most unpredictable breeds as far as just snapping goes. When they are done with something they are DONE. Shepherds are very home bound and dependent on their pack, and I have the most trouble with especially males, and separation anxiety with them in the shop. I know when one is left for grooming, the odds a a huge mess on the floor are very high. I would really study on how to temperament test puppies if you want to do this, and please put it through obedience class. I would venture that about 90% of the owners of very large dogs in my shop, send me their dog to groom about twice, and then they either get rid of it because they can't handle it, or it just takes off. I am not lecturing you, I am just telling you what I see many times a year.
 
JessicaR":2wmj3f1a said:
White swiss shepherds are white german shepherds.

Not true. They are similar, but swiss have low prey drive comparing to germans, they are much more gentle and can be very timid or shy. More prone to social and separation anxiety and they are overall just not as stable as true german should be.

As for the malamute, you must understand them in similar way you must understand all primal breeds (samoyed, husky, akita..). They are trainable but almost exclusively with positive motivation/reinforcment. Very dominant, do not tolerate other strange dogs well and mixing them with swiss could lead to a nervous, fear-aggresion dog.

I like males and bond better with them. What breeds are your females and do they form a pack or they are just co-exsisting? In the first case you could bring a female malamut-mix among them, but in the second choosing a male would be your best choice. They don`t piss all over the apartment, as mentioned above.
 
Thanks everyone for your help!
Amazingly, my dad said yes!!! I am going to pick one today, and we will take it home next week. I am hoping to get a male, but it has to pass a personality test. I am so excited!!!

Dood, thank you for your concerns, I will make sure I look at the way they were kept and the parents as well. It is common here for people to breed their pets, they are somewhat slack with spaying/neutering, which can be not so good in some instances.

Nika, thanks for the info! I have heard of Swiss shepherds fearfulness and timidity, and I have a book with some info on them, and it says plenty of socialisation and early training is important. I will work with it a lot, my Lab was a very nervous puppy, and I have helped her some. A White Swiss has been my dream, my dad's cousin shows them and they look so smart and beautiful! And I love Mals too. And I only really train my dogs with positive reinforcement, with discipline only if needed.

I am not sure as to my females. They do almost everything together, and play all day. One is a Lab who is very good, only occasionally dominant. my 20 pound mixed breed is more dominant, and really bonded with my Lab, she is good with people but doesn't go looking for attention. She isn't really an alpha though, my Lab will let her do what she wants, but she will take charge if she doesn't agree. I would say they are more of friends, not really a pack.
 
Look into canicross, bikejoring, etc.. The best way to raise a pup is through what he was bred to do. In the adult age malamuts need around 5-10km jogging (running. walking is not enough) every other day, if it is just a pet, not in some sports. All sorts of problems disappear when this kind of a dog has enough running.
 
Wow! :D
Years ago, my wife and I had a male, malamute/ wolf mix. He went about 150 lbs.
The Florida heat was hard on him, though. (Obviously.) We lived in an isolated area, but I knew Amigo would protect his mama with his life... We may as well have had a guard lion!
Unfortunately, he wanted nothing to do with my father or my best friend. Who ever got the job of feeding him while we went away for the occasional weekend, had to push the food bowl through the fence with a long stick! :roll:
He was the most loyal dog anyone could ever ask for.
Amigo.jpg


Best of luck with your new puppy!
Firm training... it's gonna get big.
 
karebru, that dog was beautiful!

the puppy is coming home tomorrow!!! I picked a male, out of the two males he is fluffier, bigger and loves people more from what I can tell. He was a bit nervous being out of his yard with strange people, and his dad was barking very loud, but when I put the puppies on the ground and called to them, one ran back to the yard and the other came right to me, tail wagging, and cuddled when picked him up. He let me look in his ears, and open his mouth to see his teeth. I painted his nail so we can tell him apart, and he sat patiently and let me handle his paws with no problem. The breeder also said if it comes off they can still tell him apart, but it was just in case. I left a blanket at the breeder's so the mom and pups will sleep on it and it will carry their scent, so it will make it easier for him to settle at night when he comes, hopefully. I can't wait to get started on his training. The breeder seems to love his dogs and knows a lot about them, and he was very nice. The parents and all of the pups looked healthy.

I am going to name my pup Winter. I will post pics in a new thread when he arrives.
 
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