A dog owner from Bourne in Lincolnshire says her giant Alaskan Malamute is so big that children sometimes ask if he is a wolf.
Mal, a five year old Alaskan Malamute, lives with Amy Sharp and has become a bit of a local head turner thanks to his massive size. When he stands on his back legs, he reaches more than 6ft tall, weighs around 13 stone, which is about 182lb or 82kg, and even has a collar roughly the size of a man’s waist.
Amy, who is 27, took Mal in when he was just eight weeks old. She had recently lost her 13 year old husky, Misty, and decided to give Mal a home as a puppy. At first, he looked like a normal little pup, but over the months and years he just kept growing.
Vets later told Amy that Mal had a form of canine gigantism. She had expected him to grow into a large dog, as Malamutes are already powerful Arctic working dogs, but she never imagined he would end up more than twice the size she first expected.
Looking after a dog that big is not cheap. Amy says feeding Mal costs more than £1,000 a year, and that is before adding supplements, vitamins and the other bits needed to keep him comfortable. She describes him as a bit of a diva when it comes to food, saying he only eats kibble and certain low fat treats.
Taking him out for a walk can be an event in itself. Amy says people often stop and stare, with some drivers doing a double take as they pass. Children have asked whether Mal is a wolf, while other people joke about who is really walking who. Considering Amy is 5ft 3in, and Mal can stand over 6ft, it is easy to see why he gets noticed.
Despite his size, Amy says Mal is a gentle giant. He needs at least six miles of walking a day, but he can also be stubborn when he decides he is not ready to go home. On a few occasions, neighbours have even had to help when Mal has simply sat or laid down and refused to move.
His size also makes everyday dog care more complicated. Amy says it can be hard to find anyone able to groom him, which is not surprising when you think about the amount of coat on a giant Malamute.
But even with the cost, the attention, the stubborn moments and the sheer amount of space he takes up, Amy has no regrets. Mal may look like a wolf to some people, but to her he is just her big soft lad, living life very much on his own terms.
As Amy puts it, it is basically Mal’s world, and everyone else is just living in it.
