Best dog food for an Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamutes were bred as powerful sled-hauling dogs, and that heritage shapes their build — dense double coat, solid muscle, and a large frame — more than it shapes what a typical pet Malamute needs to eat today. Unless yours is doing genuinely working-level activity, feeding to the breed's historical reputation rather than to their actual activity level is one of the most common ways owners end up with an overweight Malamute.
Feeding a Alaskan Malamute
A large breed
An adult Alaskan Malamute typically weighs 34–39 kg, so a healthy Alaskan Malamute eats a fair amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A large breed is usually done growing at 15–18 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 10–14 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
A high-energy dog eats like one
Alaskan Malamutes sit at the top end for energy, and a dog working through an hour and a half of real exercise a day burns through the feeding guide faster than a dog on a short stroll. Feed to the dog's condition, not to the middle of the range on the bag.
Joint support is worth looking for
Their size and frame put more load through the joints than a smaller dog carries, so a food with joint support on the label is worth reading for — and keeping them lean does more for their joints than any supplement.
Weight matters more than usual here
A long back or a heavy frame makes every extra kilo count twice. Weigh portions rather than eyeballing a scoop, and reduce the food rather than the walks if the waist starts to disappear.
How much should a Alaskan Malamute weigh?
Adult 34–39 kgfully grown at 15–18 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 3.9–4.5 kg | 11% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 6.3–7.2 kg | 19% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 12.6–14.5 kg | 37% |
| 12 months | Adolescent | 25.3–29 kg | 74% |
| 15–18 months | Fully grown | 34–39 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a large breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Alaskan Malamute
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Alaskan Malamute's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Field & Trial Skinner S Field Trial Light Senior
A lower-fat dry food for older, overweight or less active dogs, including working breeds
From£9.85
Autarky Complete Grain Free Adult Turkey
Grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, with turkey and a marine-algae joint care package
£12.79
Autarky Grain Free Tasty White Fish & Potato Complete
Grain-free dry dog food built around white fish meal rather than poultry
£12.99
Lily's Kitchen Lily S Kitchen Dog Lovely Lamb
Complete lamb-led dry dog food offered in two practical bag sizes
From£25.15
Burns Adult/Senior Weight Control Chicken and Oats
A low-fat weight control dry food for adult and senior dogs, oat-based
£35.99
Burns Adult Large/Giant Breed Chicken and Brown Rice
Complete large-breed dry dog food with 23% chicken and brown rice
£59.99
Burgess Greyhound and Lurcher Chicken
Complete adult dry food formulated for the specific build of greyhounds and lurchers
£35.35
Naturo Senior Rice Poultry Variety 6pk
Six 400g trays across three recipes for senior dogs, with glucosamine and chondroitin
£10.29
Naturo Senior Dog Turkey with Rice and Vegetables 7pk
Turkey at 65% in a senior wet tray, with brown rice, vegetables and added joint support
£11.99
Why the "working breed" reputation can mislead feeding
A Malamute historically bred and worked for pulling heavy loads over long distances burns dramatically more calories than a Malamute living as a family pet with regular walks. Feeding a pet Malamute as though they need a working sled dog's calorie intake is a straightforward route to excess weight, which adds real strain to their large joints over time.
This does not mean underfeeding a Malamute — it means matching food to your individual dog's actual daily activity rather than the breed's working history, and adjusting as that activity level changes through the year or through life stages.
Coat, size and what that means at the bowl
The dense double coat that makes Malamutes so well suited to cold climates does not translate into a special dietary requirement on its own, but skin and coat condition benefits from the same omega-3 and omega-6 balance that matters for any dog, and it is worth checking a food states this clearly given how much coat a Malamute carries.
Their large frame means joint health matters over a long life, particularly as they age — a food with joint-support ingredients such as glucosamine and chondroitin is a sensible general consideration for an adult or senior Malamute, alongside keeping them at a lean, healthy weight, which does more for joint health than any supplement.
Feeding a Malamute puppy
Malamutes are a large breed and puppies benefit from a large-breed puppy formula with controlled calcium and phosphorus levels, supporting steady rather than rapid growth to protect developing joints — the same principle that applies to other large and giant breeds prone to growth-related skeletal issues.
Resist the temptation to overfeed a Malamute puppy because of their eventual adult size — a puppy growing too fast is more at risk of joint problems later than one growing at a measured, appropriate pace for a large breed.
Common questions
- Do Alaskan Malamutes need a high-calorie diet?
- Only if they are doing genuinely working-level activity such as regular long-distance pulling or running. A pet Malamute living a normal, moderately active life typically needs less than their working-breed reputation suggests, and overfeeding is a common cause of excess weight in the breed.
- Are Malamutes prone to weight gain?
- Yes, particularly when fed as though they need a working sled dog's calorie intake without matching activity to support it. Regularly checking body condition — feeling the ribs, seeing a waist — is a better guide than feeding by breed reputation alone.
- What should I feed a Malamute puppy?
- A large-breed puppy formula with controlled calcium and phosphorus is generally recommended to support steady, joint-friendly growth rather than rapid weight gain. Your vet can advise on timing and portions for your individual puppy.
- Do Malamutes need joint supplements?
- Not automatically, but given their large frame, joint-support ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin are a sensible general consideration in an adult or senior diet, alongside keeping them at a healthy weight, which has a bigger effect on joint health than any supplement alone.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.