Alaskan malamutes are highly intelligent and social dogs. They're energetic and highly affectionate. Find out more about them. Alaskan Malamutes are highly intelligent, hardworking dogs and, when socialized properly, are often described as friendly and loving. Despite their dignified appearance, they often maintain a... Alaskan Malamutes are large dogs that have been bred for thousands of years, making them one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. Prized for being strong and more than capable of working for hours on end, they’re very happy pulling sleds and carting heavy gear in extremely cold temperatures ... The Alaskan Malamute breed comes from the Alaskan Malamute Indians who took sled dogs and crossed them with wolves. They were trying to create an animal to be more durable, able to handle all kinds of weather, and stronger pulling animals. Bringing the wolf into the dog line brought in some good features and some features that need to be overcome.