Children are usually the worst offenders. A penned or chained dog is easy prey to bored youngsters, but let the animal retaliate and the world hears about the unstable temperament of the breed in general. People turn small puppies over to their children with no instructions or supervision on care. The parents' attitude regarding the child-dog relationship is very important in determining whether a home is suitable for a puppy. The Malamute's friendly, gentle attitude towards humans does not extend to other dogs - especially those of the same sex.
Malamutes constantly strive to prove their superiority to strange dogs.
This aggressiveness is perhaps the biggest disadvantage the breed has and the main reason Malamutes are often dropped from teams. Except in unusual cases, Malamutes can be raised to respect the right of other dogs if properly brought up from puppyhood. Malamutes do not always fight to prove superiority. They also do battle for the sheer joy of it, tails wagging happily the entire time. Most owners take the necessary precautions to protect the innocent canine public rather than battle their dogs to change this natural compulsion to fight.