Native mushers did not encourage a great deal of affection or trust. The dogs grew up half wild, with codes of their own, competing as equals with humans for food and developing their independent nature to compensate for the lack of personal attention. Even today, there are many instances of cruelty, neglect, and tormenting which can turn any dog bad. 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.