We Help People Keep Their Dogs

Malcolm III is a 6-8 yr old neutered male malamute/husky mix that weighs approximately 76 pounds. He was picked up as a stray by animal control and was never claimed by his owner. Malcolm was saved from euthanasia at the 11th hour when a Malamute owner who volunteers at the shelter visited with him. She found him to be very sad, stressed, in need of urgent medical care, but very friendly and subsequently contacted the AMHL.

Malcolm was assessed by an AMHL volunteer who initially found him very stressed and in considerable discomfort; his ears were filthy and looked infected, he had an infected wound or growth on his feet and he had considerable difficulty walking - in short, this poor boy was hurting from head to toe! He took some time to warm up, but in spite of his discomfort and very high stress at the shelter, he eventually rolled over for belly rubs, gave kisses, and leaned in for more petting. "He seems to be very food motivated and will frequently lean into you for hugs and chest scratches once he gets comfortable with you" said the volunteer.

A Vet visit was scheduled by the AMHL and Malcolm was found to have a severe ear infection, which explained his sensitivity to being touched on top of his head (he initially would "head flip" if you reached to pet him on top of his head). He also seemed to be in a great deal of discomfort, and X-rays indicated that he previously had cruciate repair surgery (TPLO) on one rear leg at some time in his past. The site of this surgery indicated severe arthritis on X-ray. The infected wounds and growth on his feet were suspected by the Vet to initially be caused by self-mutilation -- likely due to severe discomfort and/or previous confinement/boredom.

Malcolm has been in foster care with the AMHL for a few months and seems to have come to life with needed medical care and some TLC from his foster Mom. We also know a little bit more about him.

In June he had surgery to remove an infected lump on his foot as it was affecting his ability to walk. He has now recovered from the surgery with the good news that the lump was benign! However, Malcolm will require anti-inflammatory medication for the arthritis in his back leg. He is also currently on a glucosamine supplement.

His foster mom reports that Malcolm has now settled into his foster home and just loves his pen and dog house. He has had numerous visits inside the house, where he gets his bone to chew, and lets his foster Mom know when he wants to go back outside by scratching on the carpet by the door.

While visiting inside the house, Malcolm has been exposed to his foster mom's "dog savvy" cats and has shown absolutely no interest towards them. It is possible that Malcolm grew up with cats, however, in a new home with new cats, constant control and supervision will always be a requirement.

Malcolm is very food motivated, which makes any training a lot easier. His foster mom has been working with him on food aggression by hand feeding and he has been doing very well! However, if he gets a chance or sees an opportunity, he will come up and before you know it, snatch a higher valued food item, such as "meat", out of your hand if it is down and you are not watching. For this reason, Malcolm would not be an appropriate dog for a home with children or with disabled adults or the elderly.

Malcolm's foster mom reports that he is wonderful with other dog-friendly dogs. While visiting the cottage, Malcolm romps and plays with a large (100+ lb) male Sammy and a male Golden. There has never been any aggression or fighting and the 3 dogs get along well together. Malcolm would do well with another dog-friendly dog that is looking for that special companionship that only dogs can share. Malcolm sleeps inside nights at the cottage and is house trained.

Malcolm loves going for walks, but care must be taken, as he doesn't really know his own limits yet, but he is learning. According to his foster mom, if he turns to head for home after 15 minutes, that's what they do. He does love going for walks on the Bruce trail, where it is shaded and full of smells. Because it is hilly, walks are only for about 30 minutes before heading back home. This exercise time may have to be reduced in a home with another dog, depending upon their activity level.

Malcolm is looking for a home where he can sleep inside nights and be out of the cold and damp so the arthritis in his back knee doesn't act up. Currently, he has been spending nights sleeping outside or in his dog house if it is raining or storming. He would really prefer another dog to live with who would keep him company outside days - he really enjoys being outside.

If you are interested in providing this boy with a well deserved forever home, please complete an Application to Adopt a Malamute from the AMHL at:

http://www.malamuterescue.com/rescuedb/app/adoptapp.php

If you have any questions about Malcolm, please contact Trish at:
Trish@Malamuterescue.com