Does your Mal have a Job?
One thing I've touched on here and there throughout the website is that every Malamute needs a JOB. So I thought I'd elaborate on what I mean by that... A job can be anything that your Malamute does every day, takes pleasure in doing, and he feels makes him a contributing member of your pack. Here are a few examples:
Riggs' job is Alpha dog - running the pack and watching over the other dogs. He is also "waker-upper" - as soon as he knows we are waking up he puts the word out to the other dogs (so they can all howl and carry on for breakfast). Riggs is also the one that tells us when someone is sick or not feeling well. He takes that job very seriously.
Pod's job is "Yes Man" and co-waker upper. Whenever Superman starts howling, she chimes in with a "yes, baby...he's right...we want to go out...I agree". She NEVER starts the complaining, but she does finish it. She also does this for Gracie as well. She also is yes-man when Riggs starts the wake-up howling, and will be one of the first to start the pack to howl.
Gracie's job is being "Showdog" and pack enforcer. Every week she goes to dog class to practice her "showing". She has to stand on the grooming table and get "Pretty". She considers showing her job and woos like crazy on the days she knows she's going to class. She is also enforcer of her sub-pack of Pod, Superman and herself. If she feels either of them are doing something they shouldn't, she yells at them to stop.
Mula's job is to still take care of her puppies - even though they are a year old. If they go outside, she wants to go out with them and keeps an eye on them and scans the yard perimeter. She makes sure they are occupied learning necessary skills like running, digging and hunting. Mula is also spokes dog, telling me when someone in the pack wants to do something - such as go outside.
Mocha is official cuddlier. If I don't feel well, she will sit in bed with me and watch over me. That used to be her mom Jazzy's job, but now it's hers. She has extended this to being right next to me on the toilet (which is not always appreciated). She has recently made herself a new job - Bunny feeder. She reminds me every morning to feed Pig the bunny - and her reward is being able to come in the room and talk to Pig (though Pig considers her more of a nuisance than a friend).
Theodore and Simone are still looking for jobs...though Theo thinks counter surfer would suit him just fine. He tries to be the "good boy" to Simone's "bad girl". Not really a job, but it's funny watching him try and figure out something he can do to fit into the pack. I have been bringing them into the bathroom with me when I take a shower - I call them my "shower dogs" - which gives them a job (to keep me company at a specified time). It's made a big difference in their behavior.
Superman is the investigator. Before having to be leashed when he went outside he would be the first to investigate something unusual or interesting. Unfortunately it's difficult to do that when you must be leashed or you will go over the fence. While Superman also goes to dog class, being "pretty" is not enough for such a busy guy who really needs more than one or two small jobs. To add another, we've been having him sit next to us (on leash so he stays out of trouble) while ether of us is typing on the computer. It's made a big difference in his personality and he often asks to do this "job", as simple as it is.
Jazz is the enforcer. She makes sure everyone follows the rules (even if she doesn't). She inherited this job from Holly who used to have it. If someone misbehaves she will correct them. Unfortunately, this job is interesting because what the enforcer considers misbehaving is not always what WE would consider misbehaving!
Holly is kitchen dog. If I'm cooking she is right there catching anything before it hits the floor. She keeps the other dogs out. She gets to lick dishes that require licking. This is THE most important job in a pack of housedog Malamutes, next to Alpha. While Holly considers herself Alpha, most of the other dogs do not necessarily agree and seem to acknowledge that Riggs is the Alpha - even Superman - but no one questions her superiority in Kitchen duty.
Some of the jobs that I've seen consistently over the years are Alpha, Yes man, Waker-upper, Kitchen dog, and Enforcer. Since we have more dogs than jobs, it's common for a dog to invent a job based on what they think needs doing (such as Mocha determining that I should feed the bunny every morning. She knows I tend to forget, hence she reminds me). It's also common in small packs for each dog to have more than one job. The most important jobs seem to be Alpha and Enforcer. Your dog may do other things as well. For example, in Alvin's home - he is the kid waker-upper - making sure the teenagers get up for school. Tova made it her responsibility to raise and watch over orphan kittens. Jack and Frosty both watched out for the cats and made sure they had no fights (an "Alpha" job).
A Malamute needs a job because it's part of his identity. It gives him purpose beyond just existing. It's not optional. They are "working" dogs so it's necessary that they work - even if it's something we'd consider silly or unimportant. It doesn't have to be a real job (though some dogs have them and that's even better) such as pulling a sled, hauling wood, or protecting puppies. The thing you have to be careful about is that you can accidentally create "bad" jobs - such as garbage rummager or counter surfer if you aren't careful and don't correct. While the mal may think this is a very important and necessary job, it's usually not as appreciated by humans.
Some other family jobs have included helping Mom walk the kids to the bus stop (Harley) or helping me walk my kindergarden kids to school (Penny), though you should never allow a mal to do this alone - they probably will not come back! Walks to the mailbox for the mail. "Supervising" while you do yard work (Koani). And one of their favorites, accompanying you to the grocery store to bring back the food (if trustworthy in the car). Bringing home the groceries is quite a high-status job in the Mal kingdom because it's not just a job - but a status job. The hunters have brought back food for the pack! Even if you just go for walks with your dog, put a pack on him - he'll feel like he's doing a job and will be much less "spastic" running to and fro looking for smells - somehow the pack helps him feel like he's working, so he settles down and gets to work and takes the walk seriously as a "job".
Going to an obedience class weekly, or doing a classroom demonstration for your child's school can also be a "job". If you have young kids the number of jobs is endless - watching over them while they play, floor clean up, "helping" pick up toys (I call this supervising...), keeping them occupied (playing), and more. It just takes some creativity.
By the age of 2 every Malamute should have a job of some sort, if nothing more than sitting under your desk at a regular time while you read your email (a great job for senior mals)! It's the consistency of doing something day after day, something perceived as important, that makes it a job. A Malamute with a job, no matter how small the job is, is a better behaved dog because he has a routine and knows what to expect. He has a purpose. He is a working dog true to his heritage.
