SAVING THE MALAMUTE

The Arctic's iconic working dogs are turning into fluffy showpieces. So says a longtime Alaskan who's taken on a monumental trek to reinvigorate the breed.

- RYAN STUART

Joe Henderson thinks the Alaskan malamute is getting soft. Too much breeding focused on the show ring and not enough on pulling heavy loads has made the once-burly sled dog dainty and cute.

"I'm worried we're losing what makes these dogs special," says Henderson, a 60-year-old diesel mechanic and resident of North Pole, AK, outside Fairbanks.

In a quest to keep the breed from disappearing, in February Henderson set off on an unsupported, 800-mile sled dog trip with 22 malamutes, three sleds and more than 3,000 pounds of dog food. His destination: the Upper Colville River, a remote area of the Brooks Range.