'I'm 33 And I'm The Best Alaskan

Malamute Pack Owner, Breeder,

And Advocate In The Country'
This is what it's like to be surrounded by man's best friend
Somewhere in the heart of Lipa City is a farm that is home to nine
Alaskan Malamutes and a Caucasian Ovcharka, large breeds of dogs
traditionally used for pulling sleds in cold countries. Jun Sunga, a 33-
year-old entrepreneur and canine enthusiast, is their owner.

His interest in dogs started during his college years in the United
States, when his sister gave him a Yorkie to take care of. But despite
already having a Yorkie pup, he had a huge fascination for Siberian
Huskies. He attended a Husky adoption event, where he thought he
could possibly give a home to a canine of his favorite breed. Little did
he know he would be introduced to what would soon be his new life-
obsession.
"When I was there, I saw a big Siberian Husky," he remembers. "I was
like: 'Oh that's what I want. Is he for adoption?' Tapos sabi nung guy:
'That's an Alaskan Malamute. It's not a Siberian Husky.' I couldn't
adopt it because I was in college, and they told me I had to have a job
and a big yard. They are very responsible in the U.S. They won't give it
to you just because you want to adopt. You need to be able to actually
sustain that adoption so sabi nila nung time na 'yun, I wasn't qualified
because I was a student."
'I couldn't adopt it because I
was in college, and they told
me I had to have a job and a
big yard. They are very
responsible in the U.S. They
won't give it to you just
because you want to adopt.
You need to be able to actually
sustain that adoption'
After that, he just dreamed of having one. During his free time, he
researched online, studying anything and everything about Alaskan
Malamutes.

"When I moved back to the Philippines in 2006, I saw one in

Tiendesitas. I was just drawn to him and at that time I was already by
myself, living alone, and I was like: 'Oh, I have the money to
pay naman' so I felt like kaya ko na magka-Malamute."
He bought his first ever Alaskan Malamute and named it Sumo.
However, Sumo passed away last year. He was about nine years old.

"We really don't know what happened to him. It started with hip
dysplasia then everything just deteriorated. We tried to make
everything comfortable for him, but he could no longer fight the
genetics," Jun shares.

In mourning, he dedicated his time to finding out the cause of his

beloved dog's suffering. The word "inbred" came to his attention. The
term "inbred" refers to the breeding of dogs that are closely related to
each other genetically. He had a feeling that this might have been
Sumo's condition. He studied Sumo's papers and family tree and
discovered that Sumo's parents were actually siblings.

He was heartbroken. Sumo was like family to him. He didn't want this
to ever happen again so he further educated himself about the breed.
Now, he is an Alaskan Malamute advocate, flying abroad to attend
seminars and meet other breeders to learn more about this
enchanting canine species.

He is currently the proud owner of nine healthy Alaskan Malamutes.

The oldest, named Bianca, is now 12. They adopted her when she was
nine from a breeder in South Korea. Meanwhile, the youngest of the
pack is named Miley. She is just two years old.
When asked if they are hard to take care of, Jun says: "In the
Philippines, they are. Actually, I would say they are really very hard to
take care of kasi in the Philippines it's hot and these dogs are made for
the Arctic and are made for the extreme cold."
Although Malamutes come from cold climates, they are capable of
adjusting to Philippine conditions. However, it's necessary for the
breed to be kept in an air-conditioned room and have a huge running
space where they can move freely.

Malamutes generally love humans and are easy to get along with. He,
however, notes that they are not sociable with other dogs, especially if
they've just met.
"More often than not a Malamute will not be friends with a dog he just
met, especially if the other dog is of the same sex and same age," he
explains. "They will size each other up kung sino yung alpha and sino
mas macho sa kanila. But they can be trained. It's up to the owner to
get them to socialize."

'More often than not a Malamute will not

be friends with a dog he just met,
especially if the other dog is of the same
sex and same age'

Jun declined to disclose how much he spends feeding his dogs.

Clearly, it's costly to raise a pack of Alaskan Malamutes because they
eat more compared to other breeds.

At times, he even gives them treats, eschewing the usual chew bone
or dog biscuits for galunggong. They love fish. Alaskan Malamutes
go crazy over fishbe it galunggong, dorado, or salmon.
It takes a lot of effort grooming a Malamute. It usually takes two to
three hours because they are double-coated. One needs a powerful
blower to be able to do it at home. It's necessary to bring them to a
trusted pet shop for grooming services.
"Kailangan mo constantly suklayin. It's not one of those breeds na
hayaan mo na lang tapos pwede na, especially the ones that people
love right now, the long-coated Malamutes," he says.

Giving them a haircut is a big no-no. Chances are you're cutting the
guard hair, which doesn't really grow back in some cases. Their coats
act as a protection both from the heat and the cold. Tooth brushing
and nail trimming are also equally important with Malamutes.
For the vaccinations, it's not different with other dogs' requirements.
When they are young, you have to give them vaccinations
to protect them from illnesses such as parvo, corona, distemper, and
rabies.

Jun's dedication to his pets has brought him and his pets impressive
awards from dog shows both here and abroad.
"It's a stage where you show off what you've bred. Judges will evaluate
the dog. First, it will be against the dogs of the same breed, then the
dogs in the same group, then you get to show against the other
groups for best in show. It's about soundness and how well the dog is
built."
Currently, Jun's Malamutes are the most decorated in the Philippines.

"We are the best in what we do right now when it comes to dog
showing of Malamutes in the Philippines. The breeders that we partner
up with abroad are the legit ones and they are really masters in their
own track so we learn from them."

'We are the best in what we do

right now when it comes to dog
showing of Malamutes in the
Philippines'

Duke, one of Jun's prized Malamutes, is the first male Philippine

champion in the country. He can pull two hilux tires strapped onto a
harness.

Meanwhile, Jade is the Philippine Hall of Fame title-holder and is an

American grand champion. He won best of breed at the Eukanuba AKC
Nationals 2014 in Orlando, Florida. He was also part of the Top 20
Alaskan Malamutes of the Alaskan Malamute Club of America in 2015.

"He won the best of breed award from American Kennel Club Nationals
2014. It's one of the biggest shows of the year, which usually happens
in December. So we sent Jade there together with his breeder and he
won. It was televised and we were watching online. We were here in
the Philippines. When we saw him winning, we were so proud because
our hard work paid off and because they mentioned the Philippines."
Jade's accolades don't end there. He is the only Alaskan Malamute in
the Philippines that has the most best in show awards

Jun explains that the art of dog breeding isn't just about mating a bitch
and a stud. You have to study their lineages and research about their
ancestors in order to find a suitable partner for them to mate with.
"Breeding is not for everyone. A lot of people think that they can breed
and actually a lot of people try to breed. Akala nila it's like bibili ka ng
babae and lalaki tapos pag in heat okay na, but that's bad. That is
another way of destroying the breed. Like Sumo, no
offense sa breeder niya, but they didn't know na yung dad and
mom ni Sumo ay magkapatid because they did not know anything
about the lineage. As a breeder you can control some aspects if you
know the lineage well enough.
 'Breeding is not for everyone.
A lot of people think that they
can breed and actually a lot of
people try to breed. Akala
nila it's like bibili ka ng
babae and lalaki tapos
pag in heat okay na, but
that's bad. That is another way
of destroying the breed'

A responsible breeder must dedicate his entire life and time to

understanding the process, he stresses, as wrong breeding won't only
affect the outcome of the dogs but also the family that will eventually
own them.

"The priority should always be health and temperament. Because

those have a direct effect on the future owners of the dogs. In the
case of Sumo, we had a dog that couldn't even run. We loved him so
much but he couldn't play with us. He was already in pain and he was
still young."

Asked if he keeps the litter of his Malamutes, Jun says as much as he

wants to, he can't because of the expenses.
"The good part about us is we choose the homes, so it doesn't matter
how long the dog stays with us. When we are able to find good homes,
then that's when they go. We evaluate the people who inquire if they
can buy our Malamutes first. We check if their lifestyle is good for the
breed and would they be able to provide for his entire life."

An Alaskan Malamute from a reputable breeder will cost around

P80,000. Expensive, yes, but a small price to pay for a big animal with
an even bigger heart.

To know more about Alaskan Malamutes, follow Jun Sunga or Pacifique

Alaskan Malamutes on Instagram.