People are drawn to specific breeds of dogs for various different reasons. The way they look, their temperament, the activities they excel at and you can enjoy with them. It is breeders who preserve these traits. A purposefully bred dog is one who has generations - which could mean hundreds of years - of careful selection for specific attributes. Purposeful responsible breeders aren't just churning out pups to have litters, they are selecting representatives of the breed that they feel will be honoring and preserving the breed and its function.

Many ask, why should I be interested in a kennel who shows dogs, or has champions and/or working titles in the pedigree, someone who health checks - when I just want a dog for a pet? A breeder who does all of the above cares about the breed, their dogs, and the families and homes they are placing their pups in. Many times they are breeding to keep a pup themselves to continue their line, so they are going to put everything they have into producing the best dogs they can. They breed to the standard, keeping in mind every aspect of what makes a malamute a malamute. A dog that not only anyone can point to and say - that's a malamute, but has the personality and characteristics of what makes this breed different from others. Every pup from a purposefully bred litter is a result of all the breeder has poured into that litter, whether it is destined for the show ring or not.

Health tests are the number one thing that discerns between a responsible breeder, and those just churning out pups. Why should you get a dog from a breeder who health tests? Sure there is no absolute guarantee that you will get a 100% healthy dog just because health tests are run. These are living beings and genetics and environment play a role. There is also no guarantee that a seatbelt will save your life if you get in an accident - but it sure does increase your odds.

There seems to be a lot of confusion over what health checks are. Health checks are not just 'I brought my dog to the vet and the vet says all good!'. They are also not just I ran an Embark on my dog. While yes, Embark and other DNA testing companies test for hundreds of genetic diseases, only a handful of them affect malamutes. In other words, the majority of diseases they are testing for don't even exist in the breed. DNA testing can be used as an informational tool in breeding decisions, but they have nothing to do with the physical examinations of hips, elbows, eyes, heart, etc.

The minimum health checks required by the Alaskan Malamute Club of America are X-raying hips, eyes checked by an ophthalmologist, and a DNA test for Polyneuropathy. Many go beyond this, regularly X-raying elbows, cardiac and thyroid tests. In the US, breeders register these test results with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals - http://www.ofa.org. The OFA site has a searchable database, and contains generations of health tested dogs.