Comparator

Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute: which breed to choose?

Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute are two dog breeds often compared by future adopters. Here is a point-by-point comparison to help you decide: size, temperament, purchase price, monthly budget, and compatibility with your lifestyle.

Siberian Husky

Medium16–30 kg1,000–1,500 €

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Alaskan Malamute

Large34–38 kg800–1,300 €

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Key takeaways

Alaskan Malamute is larger: 34–38 kg vs 16–30 kg for Siberian Husky.
Alaskan Malamute is cheaper to buy: 800–1,300 € vs 1,000–1,500 € for Siberian Husky.
Day to day, Siberian Husky costs less: about 119 € per month vs 170 € for Alaskan Malamute.
Both breeds need a similar level of daily activity (5/5).
For “Family & children”, both breeds are tied (3/5).
Siberian Husky is rated higher for “Apartment living”: 2/5 vs 1/5 for Alaskan Malamute.
For “First-time owner”, both breeds are tied (1/5).
Both breeds have a similar life expectancy: 11–13 years.

Our verdict

Choose Siberian Husky if you’re looking for…

Sporty people : The Siberian Husky readily accompanies active owners who can offer it long outings.
Very available households : It thrives better when it benefits from frequent interactions and a lively living environment.
Northern dog enthusiasts : Its independent temperament and specific needs are better suited to well-informed adopters.

Choose Alaskan Malamute if you’re looking for…

Active families : It is well suited to households able to offer it time, space and long outings.
Outdoor enthusiasts : Hiking, trekking and endurance activities match its natural abilities well.
Life in a well-fenced house : A spacious environment helps meet its need for movement and limits boredom.

Detailed comparison

	Siberian Husky	Alaskan Malamute
General information
Origin	Russia	United States
FCI group	5	5
Size	Medium	Large
Height at withers	50–60 cm	56–66 cm
Weight	16–30 kg	34–38 kg
Coat	Medium-long, dense	Medium-long, thick
Life expectancy	11–13 ans	10–12 ans
Average price	1,000–1,500 €	800–1,300 €
Monthly budget	≈ 119 €	≈ 170 €
Compatibility
Family & children	Good	Good
Daily activity required	Very high	Very high
Apartment living	Fairly good	Limited
First-time owner	Limited	Limited
Other pets	Fairly good	Fairly good
Tolerance for being alone	Fairly good	Fairly good
Guarding instinct	Fairly good	Fairly good
Pros & Cons
	Low escape risk Robust health Drools little Not very obedient High exercise needs Not very adaptable Tends to destroy Barks a lot High-maintenance grooming Sheds a lot	Low escape risk Good health Drools little Not very obedient High exercise needs Not very adaptable Tends to destroy Barks a lot High-maintenance grooming Sheds a lot

Add a third breed Which dog to choose

Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute: which breed to choose?

Siberian Husky

Alaskan Malamute

Key takeaways

Our verdict

Detailed comparison

Siberian Husky

Alaskan Malamute

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