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I've had a few malamutes and in my experience they have a fairly high exercise requirement. I enjoyed mine but they do have some characteristics you need to be aware of:
1) Very high prey drive....given an opportunity, they will chase and kill other animals of all sizes and types. Mine caught
deer on a regular basis.
2) They are independent and not the easiest dogs to train. It will take effort and even then don't expect them to be a
German Shepherd!
3) They are generally dog agressive. Cats are typically fair game unless they have been raised with them from an early
age.
4) They are escape artists. When they want out they WILL get out! I had 6' fences with 2' of concrete underneath!
5) They are not good watch or guard dogs.
Been a few days since I logged into the forums, but thanks for the additional replies and info folks! Based on info here and from other places, it sounds like a Malamute might still be in the running for us after doing my research.
We are going to take our time to find the right one though (we have a few breeds/mixes on the short list) - whether from a reputable breeder or respected rescue league, we'll make sure we find one that will be a good fit for a family. I'm definitely missing my morning exercise with the dog though, and look forward to having one in the family again.
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