We don’t know if Alaskan Malamutes are like snowflakes (no two are alike), but the breed does have a wide range of individual colors and markings within the breed, and we’re hoping our readers can help us with this by posting pictures under this article of their Malamute, along with the name of the marking of the dog. To help us along (and as far as we know), here are the markings that can be seen in this breed:

Our starting point is the cap because we use it as a “landmark” to describe everything else that follows. The cap is what it sounds like: A “beanie” or cap of color that covers the top of the dog’s head and ears, and often comes to a point in the center of the forehead that resembles a “widow’s peak;”

A bar is the dark “stripe” or area that extends from the center point of the “cap” down the dog’s muzzle and nearly to the nose leather;

When a Malamute has a cap that covers the top of her head, but has no other markings on her face, it’s called an open face; When she has dark coloring covering the face, but no distinct markings on her face, she has a closed face;

A blaze reminds us a little of a bar, only it’s white and extends from the center point of the dog’s cap back up his forehead;

When as dog has both a cap and goggles, he’s said to have a mask, and when she has a cap, goggles and bar, she has a full mask;

A dog with dark areas under her eyes that extend up and sideways to the cap is said to have goggles, but when dark markings appear under the eyes but not extending up to the cap, the dog is said to have eye shadow;

The star is another mark that is what it sounds like: A small white spot in the center of the dog’s forehead;

A necklace is a curving band of dark color across the dog’s chest (not to be confused with a collar which is a white band of color that encircles the neck);

Two bands of dark color that burst across the dog’s chest and resembles an eagle emblem is called (wait for it) an eagle;

White marks of varying size that are centered at the withers or at the base of the dog’s neck is called the wither’s spot.

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Image: Alaskan Malamute by Anne Koivumaki – Fine Art Anne is available as art work, stationery, home decor and more here.