I know you've done this before, but I have no idea where to find it, so please, if you can spare a minute. I've watched two White Fang movies on the Hallmark Channel this week, and I can see they use wolves, German Shepherds, and Huskies, but here is my query. What is the difference between Huskies and Malamuts? I listed Huskies, but they could have been Malamuts, because I don't know. Wolves have longer, slimmer bodies, and their coat is not as full as the dog breeds, so they stand out, as do the Shepherds, because they use a couple that are obvious. White Fang is supposed to be a half dog and half wolf but in most cases, he looks like a very dark furred huskie/malamut. I realize it must sound silly for someone who is terrified of dogs to be interested, but my fear doesn't stop me from admiring their beauty. I wouldn't get within 10 feet of a race horse but I love to watch them run and once we saw a small herd of wild mustangs and they were just mesmerizing to see.
Anne
HEY KLONDIKE
HEY KLONDIKE
Anne
***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************
***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************
-
klondike
Hey, Anne; no problem, you know how I love yakkin' 'bout sled dogs!
Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes are two entirely different breeds, deliberately and carefully purebred since the 1920's, and both recognized as pure & separate breeds by the Kennel Clubs of America, Canada, France & the United Kingdom since the 1930's.
They are both "spitz" type dogs, sharing strong lines of genetic commonality with other breeds like Akitas, Chow Chows, Norwegian Elkhounds, Greenlanders & Samoyeds.
Malamutes were named for the Mahlemut tribe of Inuits (Eskimoes) who developed them over a millennium or more of selective culling & breeding along the shores of Norton Sound in Alaska, probably during the same 11 or 12 centuries when the Chukchi nomads of Siberia were developing the breeds which would become known as Samoyeds & Siberian Huskies.
Both breeds would likely have been crossbred into non-existence if not for the efforts of dog-fancier/mushing enthusiast Eva "Short" Seeley, whose passion to "rescue" the old breed lines from post-goldrush Alaska & the Yukon Territory was the single greatest reason that Siberians & Mals survived at all beyond World War II; the patronage of Admiral Richard Byrd in utilizing Huskies & Mals for service in both of his Antarctic expeditions helped boost their public image as well.
Physiologically, Malamutes are much less "identical" to a Siberian than, say, a yellow Lab to a Golden Retriever, or a Pit Bull to a Staffordshire, or a German to a Belgian Shepherd; Alaskan Malamutes are 25 - 60 # heavier than Huskies, on average, and between 6 & 10" taller; their skulls are also significantly wider, deeper & bulkier, their teeth larger, and their ears set farther apart, on the upper corners of their heads.
Their paws are also more massive, and their coats typically have 3 distinct layers, rather than 2. Mals' eyes are always some shade of brown, never blue!
The canine film-actor credited as "Jed" (White Fang, Journey of Natty Gan) is a purebred Alaskan Malamute as was "Cody", who starred as "Wolf" on the Dr. Quinn TV show.
(Nothing unusual there: with rare exceptions like Quest for Fire, Mals are almost always subbed-in for "wolves", and sometimes even "wolf-hybrids" [as in White Fang].)
Perhaps the best films from which to appreciate Mals are Eight Below (the team's two wheel dogs), Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (title role), and Iron Will (bad-guy Borg's entire sled-team), though you can also see dandy performances from Mals in Bye Bye Love, The Lost Boys, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Captains of the Clouds, Snow Dogs, Northern Pursuit, Map of the Human Heart, and The Road to Utopia. (For some reason the various film versions of Call of the Wild always seem to prefer German Shepherds, which in reality, make horrid sled dogs!)
And of course, on every single episode of "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon", despite all the dialogue referring to Yukon King as a "husky"!
(Through the series' run, three different Mals shared the acting name, in script & credits, of "Yukon King".)
Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes are two entirely different breeds, deliberately and carefully purebred since the 1920's, and both recognized as pure & separate breeds by the Kennel Clubs of America, Canada, France & the United Kingdom since the 1930's.
They are both "spitz" type dogs, sharing strong lines of genetic commonality with other breeds like Akitas, Chow Chows, Norwegian Elkhounds, Greenlanders & Samoyeds.
Malamutes were named for the Mahlemut tribe of Inuits (Eskimoes) who developed them over a millennium or more of selective culling & breeding along the shores of Norton Sound in Alaska, probably during the same 11 or 12 centuries when the Chukchi nomads of Siberia were developing the breeds which would become known as Samoyeds & Siberian Huskies.
Both breeds would likely have been crossbred into non-existence if not for the efforts of dog-fancier/mushing enthusiast Eva "Short" Seeley, whose passion to "rescue" the old breed lines from post-goldrush Alaska & the Yukon Territory was the single greatest reason that Siberians & Mals survived at all beyond World War II; the patronage of Admiral Richard Byrd in utilizing Huskies & Mals for service in both of his Antarctic expeditions helped boost their public image as well.
Physiologically, Malamutes are much less "identical" to a Siberian than, say, a yellow Lab to a Golden Retriever, or a Pit Bull to a Staffordshire, or a German to a Belgian Shepherd; Alaskan Malamutes are 25 - 60 # heavier than Huskies, on average, and between 6 & 10" taller; their skulls are also significantly wider, deeper & bulkier, their teeth larger, and their ears set farther apart, on the upper corners of their heads.
Their paws are also more massive, and their coats typically have 3 distinct layers, rather than 2. Mals' eyes are always some shade of brown, never blue!
The canine film-actor credited as "Jed" (White Fang, Journey of Natty Gan) is a purebred Alaskan Malamute as was "Cody", who starred as "Wolf" on the Dr. Quinn TV show.
(Nothing unusual there: with rare exceptions like Quest for Fire, Mals are almost always subbed-in for "wolves", and sometimes even "wolf-hybrids" [as in White Fang].)
Perhaps the best films from which to appreciate Mals are Eight Below (the team's two wheel dogs), Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (title role), and Iron Will (bad-guy Borg's entire sled-team), though you can also see dandy performances from Mals in Bye Bye Love, The Lost Boys, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Captains of the Clouds, Snow Dogs, Northern Pursuit, Map of the Human Heart, and The Road to Utopia. (For some reason the various film versions of Call of the Wild always seem to prefer German Shepherds, which in reality, make horrid sled dogs!)
And of course, on every single episode of "Sergeant Preston of the Yukon", despite all the dialogue referring to Yukon King as a "husky"!
(Through the series' run, three different Mals shared the acting name, in script & credits, of "Yukon King".)
Thanks. I have another question but I'm in the middle of a movie right now, just stopped to see if you had replied yet. I'll come back tomorrow and post. In the meantime, I'm assuming the photo on your Avatar right now is a huskie because the ears are almost on the top of his head. Eight Below is playing this month on one of my stations, so I'll catch it again, but what exactly is a 'wheel dog'?
Anne
Anne
Anne
***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************
***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************
Klondike:
Guess what? I used my brain and googled huskies and malamutes and I do prefer the malamuts. Huskies are pretty, but the mals have a thicker coat don't they? and the photo is of a mal right?
Just wanted you to know my brain started working about midnight. Talk to you later.
Anne
Guess what? I used my brain and googled huskies and malamutes and I do prefer the malamuts. Huskies are pretty, but the mals have a thicker coat don't they? and the photo is of a mal right?
Just wanted you to know my brain started working about midnight. Talk to you later.
Anne
Anne
***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************
***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************
-
klondike
Wheel dogs are the two sled dogs closest to the sled (and thereby, farthest from the lead dog); they are usually the largest, strongest dogs on the team (or in the gang, as mushers really prefer to say it), and contribute the greatest amount of pulling force.mrsl wrote: but what exactly is a 'wheel dog'?
Anne
Immediately ahead of them are the "swing dogs", who have been trained specifically to help adjust & promote the turning radius of the entire gang when the musher calls out "gee" or "haw" (right, or left) to the leader.
Ahead of them (in a 9 - 10 dog gang) are the "team dogs"; their specific job is to cushion any change in speed for the rest of the gang, as directed by the musher - kind of like the clutch mechanism in a transmission.
In a 7 - 8 dog gang, there are no "team dogs", and their function is taken-up by the "point dogs", who are found directly behind the lead dog; these two are also responsible for interpreting all the body language of the leader, and communicating that, physically, to all the dogs harnessed behind them; they are also critical in breaking the sled free from snow & ice when the run begins.
Everybody knows all about the lead dog, the "star of the show", or at least how to recognize him/her in movies or on TV; few people in the general public have any idea of the massive amount of time, patience & daily, hands-on training it takes for any musher to mold a true lead dog . . . but that's probably of pretty limited interest to anyone not into mushing.
Suffice to say that it's one subject that Hollywood has never been guilty of exaggerating.
-
movieman1957
- Administrator
- Posts: 5522
- Joined: April 15th, 2007, 3:50 pm
- Location: MD
Will you be freezing your butt off at Lambeau or will you be in your warm home with your Brett Favre shrine over your shoulder biting on a pillow for three and a half hours?
I think it's a great story that after his struggles over the last couple of years he has had such a great season. I think it would be terrific to see him in the Super Bowl. (Though I don't give anyone much of a chance against the Patriots it would be great to see an upset.)
Anyway, enjoy the game. Don't stress too much. And remember, if they lose we're here for you.
I think it's a great story that after his struggles over the last couple of years he has had such a great season. I think it would be terrific to see him in the Super Bowl. (Though I don't give anyone much of a chance against the Patriots it would be great to see an upset.)
Anyway, enjoy the game. Don't stress too much. And remember, if they lose we're here for you.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
-
klondike
Ahhh, many thanks Chris, mi hermano!
I'll be watching my Most Cherished Team from the faux-Medieval splendor of the clocktower here in B.F. ("Front Porch Capitol of the USA!"), as, truth to tell, I have no real demographic connection anywhere within the state of Wisconcin (except perhaps for the badger pelt I wear between my kilt & sporran).
And as I lack an extortion dossier on the Pope, and therefore can get nowhere near the top 10% of the official stadium waiting list, that translates into (insert Frank Morgan's voice here): no Lambeau, no way, no how!
Strategically speaking, I'll confess here (just don't rat me out to the Packer Nation, please!), that I have decidedly mixed emotions about the championship game: I'd adore, on the one hand, watching Brett, Donald, Ryan, Al & the Boys snowplough those trash-talkin' Metro punks & their smartass preppie QB all the way back to Waste Management Land - however, I must admit that I dread seeing the gunslingers from Titletown go for the Big Gold againt Belly-Chick's Juggernaut Team from Valhalla . . let us not forget the rump-drubbing that New England took from Green Bay at their first Superbowl match-up back in '97 . . Boy Howdy, we are potentially talkin' pit-bull caliber vendetta here . . !
Ah well, who can say? Sure, New England looks absolutely unstoppable, but then again, every sports pundit with a column or a mike was saying just 1 year ago that Favre was all washed-up, and should slink back home to Miss'sippi before he embarrassed himself for All Time.
And now with 3 more NFL records under his belt, the Ragin' Cajun is a lock for the Hall of Fame, and the Packers are on their best roll since the Clinton administration.
I mean, this is why they're called games, right?
Cause, really, the possibilty is there for anything to happen, and either team to win, right?
(At least I sure hope so . . and I believe that Tony Romo & Peyton Manning would back me up!)
I'll be watching my Most Cherished Team from the faux-Medieval splendor of the clocktower here in B.F. ("Front Porch Capitol of the USA!"), as, truth to tell, I have no real demographic connection anywhere within the state of Wisconcin (except perhaps for the badger pelt I wear between my kilt & sporran).
And as I lack an extortion dossier on the Pope, and therefore can get nowhere near the top 10% of the official stadium waiting list, that translates into (insert Frank Morgan's voice here): no Lambeau, no way, no how!
Strategically speaking, I'll confess here (just don't rat me out to the Packer Nation, please!), that I have decidedly mixed emotions about the championship game: I'd adore, on the one hand, watching Brett, Donald, Ryan, Al & the Boys snowplough those trash-talkin' Metro punks & their smartass preppie QB all the way back to Waste Management Land - however, I must admit that I dread seeing the gunslingers from Titletown go for the Big Gold againt Belly-Chick's Juggernaut Team from Valhalla . . let us not forget the rump-drubbing that New England took from Green Bay at their first Superbowl match-up back in '97 . . Boy Howdy, we are potentially talkin' pit-bull caliber vendetta here . . !
Ah well, who can say? Sure, New England looks absolutely unstoppable, but then again, every sports pundit with a column or a mike was saying just 1 year ago that Favre was all washed-up, and should slink back home to Miss'sippi before he embarrassed himself for All Time.
And now with 3 more NFL records under his belt, the Ragin' Cajun is a lock for the Hall of Fame, and the Packers are on their best roll since the Clinton administration.
I mean, this is why they're called games, right?
Cause, really, the possibilty is there for anything to happen, and either team to win, right?
(At least I sure hope so . . and I believe that Tony Romo & Peyton Manning would back me up!)