register for free
View our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
Flash Steel
New Member!
Flash Steel is offline  
Location: Leeds, UK
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 2
Male 
 
07-10-2017, 06:40 AM

GSD and MAL weight pulling together?

Hi all,

I have been looking into dogs that suit an outdoor lifestyle like mine. I have grown up with dogs. I also lived with malamutes as an adult but have never owned one. After doing a lot of reading I am looking at getting a German Shepherd and a Malamute and hope to get them into weight pulling (I.e. me on a cart). How compatible are these breeds in the same household? How compatible are they pulling the same cart?

To avoid off-topic but we'll intentioned concerns more about me below-

My partner and I have grown up with dogs and have trained (easier breeds of) dogs in the past. We finally have our own place and are looking at getting dogs in a year or so. I am away from home 7.30-4.30 weekdays and she works shifts so they would rarely be on their own for more than a 4 hours.

Other than a full-time job my life is pretty dog friendly. All my holidays are camping in the Peaks, Lakes and coast. Weekends I spend hiking and cycling all year round. My family have all owned dogs so family trips always mean bringing the dogs, too. On the very rare occasion that I go away I have someone who is happy to have dogs for a week or even two.
Reply With Quote
tawneywolf
Moderator
tawneywolf is offline  
Location: Bolton
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,075
Female  Gold Supporter 
 
07-10-2017, 08:52 AM
I doubt you'll find decent sized dogs of the breeds you want. GSD's seem a shadow of what they were as do Mals who seem to have shrunk considerably. I go to GSD training and very few of the dogs even approach the size of even my smallest girl and have no bone to speak of. I would look at the working line GSD as they dont seem to have suffered quite as much. You may find a decent Mal at their events where they run in forestry land.
Reply With Quote
Gnasher
Dogsey Veteran
Gnasher is offline  
Location: East Midlands, UK
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,775
Female 
 
07-10-2017, 09:17 AM
Ditto what Tawneywolf has said, but as an addendum bear in mind that if you did manage to find a decent GSD, it would be inadvisable to have him or her as the same sex with a Mal. They are not tolerant of same sex dogs, although there would always be exceptions to the rule. My advice would be to get 2 good-sized strong-boned Mals, 1 male and 1 female. As TW says, the modern GSD is a much diminished creature, and just would not be to match up to a Mal.
Reply With Quote
Gnasher
Dogsey Veteran
Gnasher is offline  
Location: East Midlands, UK
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,775
Female 
 
07-10-2017, 09:20 AM
As a PS, if you did have 2 Mals, they would benefit from having outdoor sleeping quarters - they do not do well if left home alone for even short periods of time, and would most likely destroy your house! Crates would be an option, but these dogs really do best living outside, even though they love to be with their owners the whole time. They shed for the Olympics as well, so there are practical reasons for outside living!!
Reply With Quote
Flash Steel
New Member!
Flash Steel is offline  
Location: Leeds, UK
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 2
Male 
 
07-10-2017, 03:35 PM
I don't mind the malting so much. The plan is to have them sleeping in the kitchen but having access to the garden at all hours.

To be honest the size doesn't matter so much. The activity I am hoping for is actually bikejoring, absolutely non-competitive. It's more about having dogs that enjoy what I do to exercise. I realise that training MALs to that standard will be tough, however there are plenty of people doing it from what I have read.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Weight pulling elaine cook Working Dogs 0 06-04-2012 09:03 PM
Weight Pulling ? nemasis Working Dogs 39 25-03-2011 02:43 PM
Weight pulling ?? gizooty General Dog Chat 16 19-04-2010 05:02 PM
Photo Weight Pulling Pictures steveo General Dog Chat 12 31-01-2010 04:18 PM
Weight Pulling Roxy General Dog Chat 12 18-05-2004 09:37 PM

© Copyright 2016, Dogsey   Contact Us - Dogsey - Top Contact us | Archive | Privacy | Terms of use | Top