A Mal’s ears are small in proportion to his head. They are triangular in shape, set wide apart at the back of the skull and have slightly rounded tips. When Mals are working, they may lay their ears flat against their skull.
Eyes
A Mal’s eyes are obliquely set, almond shaped and brown in color. Dark eyes are preferred, except in the case of red or white dogs, where light eyes are permitted by the Alaskan malamute standard. Blue eyes in Mals are very undesirable, according to the standard.
Neck
A Mal’s neck should be powerfully built and moderately arched. As he matures, it will thicken.
Mouth
A Mal’s upper and lower jaws should be broad with large teeth. The “scissor bite” should be regular, perfect and complete. A “scissor bite” means the upper teeth closely overlap the lower teeth and is set square to the jaw.
Body
A mal’s body should be powerfully built and strong. The chest should be broad and deep. The back should be straight, but not level and should slope slightly downward from the shoulder to the croup. Loins should never be short enough to restrict movement and should have lots of muscle. Mals should never carry excess body weight.
Forequarters
The back legs should be broad and well-muscled through the thighs. Hock joints should be broad and strong, moderately bent and well-laid down, with moderately bent stifles. When viewed from the rear, back legs should be vertical and stand and move true, in line with the forelegs. The legs should indicate a tremendous propelling power. Dew claws should always be removed from the hind legs.
Gait
Single tracking at a trot is normal for mals, but movement should not be too close or too wide at any gait. Mals should have rhythmic, easy, tireless movement produced by powerful hind quarters.
Tail
A Mal’s tail should be reasonably high set, following line at the spine and gently curving upward. When Mals are at rest, the tail should hang straight down. It should be well-furred and carried over the back when the dog is working, not tightly closed to rest on the back. The tail should never be short-furred or carried like a fox brush. It should give the appearance of a waving plume.