Alaskan Malamute Border Collie Mix-Everything You Need to Know

The Border Collie Malamute mix, also known as the Border Malamute. This mix is smart and good at herding like the Border Collie, and strong and enduring like the Alaskan Malamute.

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix boasts impressive levels of intelligence. They are attention-loving dogs that would struggle if you stay away from them for too long. Certainly, they are welcoming and have high energy levels. The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix needs a lot of physical and mental stimulation. They bond easily with humans and can be enormously loyal to its owner.

Physical Characteristics (Size and Physical Look)

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is a medium-large dog mix. It has double coats. It borrows the tender, affectionate look of the Border Collie – lacking the signature looks of the Alaskan Malamute.

Depending on the genetic makeup of each particular mix, the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mixhas a weight range of about 45-60 lbs. The height oscillates between 20-23 inches.

Lifespan

If all conditions are perfect (good nutrition, high hygiene levels, grooming, exercise, and lack of disease), your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix can live between 12-15 years.

Grooming Needs

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix’s coat is made of two layers. The undercoat insulates the dog mix from extreme temperatures. The topper layer is excellent at repelling dirt and moisture. They are typically longer and serve as the guard hair.

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix sheds uniformly across the year but will blow its coat twice in 12 months. This is a period where it sheds large chunks of its undercoat – with the upper layer of the coat taking on a duller appearance and losing firmness.

Each of these heavy shedding periods can last up to 21 days. Within this time, you can brush your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix 2-3 times every 7 days. A pin brush is preferable for this exercise. For the longer andthicker hair situated around the rump, you can use a slicker brush.

A reluctance to brush your dog may lead to matted clumps tangling with twigs and grass seed. This makes grooming more challenging and even frustrating for your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix.

Regular bathing also forms a core part of the grooming of your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix. Use anti-tangle shampoo for this. If you are keen on regulating shedding, you can use the coat grooming thinner for thicker coats.

Temperament

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is one of the friendliest designer dogs you can get. They also bond easily with your kids.

This designer dog breed is eager to please. Yes, it loves to snuggle as well. It is rare to notice acute aggression to strangers from the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix.

This dog mix loves a great deal of attention and is eager to please. Don’t expect to abandon your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix at the backyard all day – or leave it aloof indoors.

This dog mix needs substantial mental and physical stimulation. If left alone for too long, it can develop destructive habits and particularly get aggressive.

We admit, the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix can be stubborn at times, but this shouldn’t be too prevalent if well trained and socialized early enough

There is no way we would forget to mention the intelligence of the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix. They have brilliant instincts and would try to outsmart you. Their work ethic is exemplary, as well. The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix shines at learning new commands and tricks.

Exercise Needs

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is a high-energy dog. This is unsurprising given the premium activity levels of the Border Collie and the Alaskan Malamute. You should be exercising this dog mix 40-60 mins every day.

What exercises/activities are ideal for the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix?

You are Going to Do a Lot of Walking

No doubt, the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix needs substantial amounts of walking daily. This is a good avenue for this dog mix to pick up some new tricks. You can deploy loose-leash training plans. Make sure to take with you a healthy amount of kibble.

Take note that the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is vulnerable to stress too. Ideally, you stick to an unfailing exercise regimen. This way, your dog can know when it would walk during the day. Such awareness is crucial in maintaining (much-needed) calmness between walks.

You Can Also Do with Some Intensive Exercise

Your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is a high-energy dog. Some intensive exercise wouldn’t hurt at times. It is normal if you notice that this dog isn’t satisfied with just daily walks.

A couple of long-distance hiking within the week is fine. You can take your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix for some wilderness hiking 1-2 times in a week where you spend about 2-3 hours on one expedition. This could be perfect in the weekends.

There are other intensive exercises like swimming with your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix. Being one of the best non-weight bearing exercises, swimming would enhance the muscular build of this dog.

Your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix Loves Mental Stimulation

While most of the exercises we have mentioned are typically outdoors, you can still make do with some mentally stimulating games indoors. This is ideal for those days with bad weather when you can’t take your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix out.

Your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix would love some hide-and-seek games. Indeed, you can simply hide kibble around the house and have your dog go look for them. You can also “go fetch” with your dog. This can even keep it engaged while you are away – possibly for work.

Health Risks

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix doesn’t have many health risks. One of the most prevalent we will point out is the canine hip dysplasia.

This is one skeletal condition that is common among bigger dog breeds. Typically, the hip of your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix performs the role of the ball and socket. When this designer dog suffers hip dysplasia, there is an inappropriate fit or development of the ball and socket. Rather than a smooth sliding, they rub and grind.

Understandably, such actions can lead to skeletal deterioration over time. In the worst-case scenario, the joint of your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix can lose its functionality.

Genetics is the principal cause of canine hip dysplasia in your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix. Aside from that, other secondary factors like nutrition, unhealthy weight spikes, improper exercise therapy, and rapid growth rate can contribute to the occurrence of dysplasia.

Several symptoms are suggestive of canine hip dysplasia in your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix. You may notice that your dog struggles to work longer distances; you may see a significant loss of muscle mass. You could also notice an overall drop in activity from an otherwise exuberant dog.

Canine hip dysplasia can also manifest in your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix in the form of lack of mobility in the hind leg, increased difficulty in climbing stairs, or jumping. If you also discern grating in the joint when your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix moves, the chances are high that hip dysplasia is in the scene.

Feeding

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is an athletic dog, for that it needs to feed more. Its meals need to be more nourished to sustain its high-performance levels.

An active dog like that Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix must be fed with nutrient-dense meals that readily translates to availability of proteins, vitamins, complex carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids.

You can watch the muscle mass of your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix as you feed it to avoid overweight.

Let us look at the core nutrients this dog mix needs in its meals.

Amino Acids

A large percentage of the meals of the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix should be major amino acids. It is good to keep about 20-30% of your dog meal high-quality protein.

Essential Fatty Acids

Your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix needs healthy rations of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to have a good coat. This healthy coat fits the bill when protecting your dog from extreme weather elements, and from the parasites, your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix can be exposed to in the course of its ultra-high exercises.

Fish and chicken are excellent sources of such essential fatty acids.

Complex Carbohydrates

Your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix needs complex carbohydrates and grains. Finely ground grains like cornmeal and barely are outstanding in releasing quick amounts of energy to your dog. Such carbohydrates can be easily digested and the nutrients absorbed by your dog.

Are Alaskan Malamute Border Collie Mixes Protective?

We have noticed that the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix tends to display a bit of the herding behavior characteristic to the Border Collie. This dog mix isn’t selfish and may be disposed to sharing its toys.

You will notice that at times the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is reluctant to mix with new people. This is because of its inherent suspicions of strangers.

This can be significantly downsized if you start socializing the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix early enough. Overall, this dog mix isn’t as excellent a watchdog as the Border Collie parent breed.

The Border Collie is far more protective, shy around strangers than the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix. Interestingly, this dog mix has more protectiveness than the typical Alaskan Malamute, who seems to have a relentless appetite for rolling with strangers.

How Much Does an Alaskan Malamute Border Collie Mix Cost?

A healthy Alaskan Malamute can cost you $2,200 or even up to $6,500. On the other hand, the Border Collie can cost you anywhere from $1,300-$4,500. Bringing all these together, you can budget around $1,700-$2,000 for your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix.

This is not definite as a lot depends on the breeder.

Is an Alaskan Malamute Border Collie Mix Right for Me?

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is not ideal for inexperienced dog owners. They need a bit of expertise training given the dominant stubbornness this mix appears to inherit from the Border Collie.

If you don’t have enough time and attention to spare, don’t go for this dog mix. Take note that you need to dedicate slices of your day to exercising this dog as well.

So if you are the ultra-busy type, go for a dog breed that is more aloof and independent than the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix.

Best Climate for the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie Mix

This dog mix can survive colder temperatures but lacks the tolerance to extremely cold temperatures of arctic climes (where the Alaskan Malamutes typically excels).

This dog breed will also struggle in tropical regions being double coat nonetheless. The best climate for the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix is a temperature region.

The Attention an Alaskan Malamute Border Collie Mix Needs

We have said that the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix needs a great deal of attention. We have seen that this dog mix is readily susceptible to canine separation anxiety if you leave it on its own for long.

You will notice increased dog howling, digging, or barking from your dog if you don’t give it the right amount of attention and exercise it needs. Indeed, the happiness and wellbeing of the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix requires a lot of mental and physical stimulation.

Compatibility with Kids

The Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix loves kids. They are not easily irritated around children. Overall, your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix will not discriminate based on age. They can play with just anyone – adult or kiddie.

However, you must take into cognizance that the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix has a bit of the herding attitude of the Border Collie. They instinctively herd children, bicycles, and other animals.

Early socialization goes a long way in suppressing this habit.

Compatibility with Other Animals

Your Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix will not readily pick fights with your other pets. It is fairly accommodating. They roll well with other dogs. However, the herding impulses of the Alaskan Malamute Border Collie mix may prove problematic around cats.

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About the Author-Mike Zhang

Mike is the Founder of Familylifeshare. Mike is well-knowledged in marriage, parenting, dogs, blogging and committed to sharing his knowledge and expertise with his readers. Know more about Mike from here.