Dogs of the North The Photo Album Malamute Buddies

I believe this photo was taken in early 1999. The location is my old house in Sydney and Chief and Kira have a couple of great Malamute smiles on them. These two are absolutely inseparable and have been that way since they were together at nine weeks of age.

Although Chief and Kira were from different litters, they came home together and have been inseparable ever since. Chief likes to think he is the leader of the pair and Kira is happy to let him think so. Every now and then though, Kira lets Chief know that he is her little brother (by five days).

When Kira and Chief first came home, it was quite difficult to tell them apart. The physical similarities were and still are amazing. Often, people who meet them for the first time, will get their identities mixed up. Both dogs have abnormal Malamute coats. Kira's is very soft and Chief's is also soft but very long. Both dogs are big-boned and whilst not tall by Malamute standards - they are built like tanks and can haul like freight trains. Kira is a little big for a girl but I am glad it is that way. They are a good match-up when it comes to wrestling and when Chief can be bothered running, he can usually keep up with Kira.

Personality-wise, Kira and Chief are poles apart. They do share some fundamental traits simply because they are both Malamutes and both big dogs. They are super-friendly, love people and other (non-aggressive dogs), and they are very laid-back and quiet. However, as you would expect Malamutes to be, they are also both headstrong and can be stubborn when they want to be. This is more true for Kira than it is for Chief though.

Kira is the smart and sensible half of the partnership - she is also generally very reserved. Chief can make lots of noise when he wants to, and may sometimes do things without thinking them through first. He is especially curious and has to be involved with everything in one way or another. Chief is fundamentally an indoor dog whereas Kira almost always prefers being outside. In fact Kira can get a little claustrophobic inside which is why she often appears to be so reserved. She is often also very wary of mechanical devices. However if you get Kira outside, she is fearless and just so physically capable.

When I decided to get dogs in my adult life, it was always a plan to get two - so they could keep each other company. There is one major drawback to this - it is pretty hard to separate this pair. The three of us are are a very tight family unit and leaving one at home usually results in a lot of noise - wooing and whining at maximum volume in fact. Malamutes hate to be left out of anything and they can be very vocal about their feelings on the matter too. Joining forces with Adam, Kate, and Daisy will be a wonderful experience for Kira and Chief. They love other dogs (although they often don't realise that other dogs may sometimes find them a bit intimidating - even when they think they are just being friendly). Besides giving them a chance to interact in more complex social situations (basically a bigger and more varied pack), it will also give me a chance to spend more time with them separately.