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Please excuse me if this has been discussed before (if so, can you point out the topic?), but this is something that has always bugged me, and I was wondering what everyone's opinions were.

Ok, so I've always had a thing for Steele... I like the bad guys, what can I say? heh. Anyways, back in the day, I ended up buying a short book adaptation of Balto that tied in with the film. In it, it referred to Steele as being a malamute.

However, Alaskan malamutes do -not- have blue eyes. In fact, if you look up the AKC breed standard for mals, blue eyes are disqualified in the show ring. A mal with blue eyes highly signifies that somewhere in its pedigree, it has been mixed with a Siberian husky (which can and do have blue eyes). Therefore it is unlikely that Steele is a purebred malamute. Which I find ironic, given the fact that he taunts Balto for being a half-breed...

Now, I -understand- this is an animated character and that the animators likely didn't know this tiny bit of information regarding the differences in breeds, but as I said... it just has always bugged me.

However, if that book I am basing this on is wrong and Steele IS actually supposed to be a purebred Siberian or "husky", please correct me. Given his character ego, I understand it's important for him to be a purebred -something-. To tell you the truth, I usually just consider Steele to be an overgrown Siberian anyway, given the blue eyes deal. Also, his body/coat type is more like a big Siberian than a malamute... to me anyway. I've raised Siberian huskies for years, trust me.

Example for comparison:

A typical Alaskan malamute:

Notice the longer hair. This dog is also far more stocky/broader boned all over than Steele, who just seems to be tall and well-muscled. Mals also have broader set ears (not close together and high on the head as Steele's are - a Siberian trait) and shorter, more compact bodies (Steele is more long-bodied). And mals have more tightly curled tails that are normally always up over the back when standing - Siberians will wear their tails either loosely curled over their back or down in repose depending on their mood, as in this picture below >


A typical Siberian husky (actually one of my own, Nanook (RIP):


What do you think Steele most resembles?

Curious to hear your thoughts... Maybe I'm just too detailed obsessive.

Erm, no, there ARE blue eyed malamutes, that eye deal has been discussed. Blue eyed malamutes weren't allowed in those shows, and were a 'fault'. And, it's just rare for a blue eyed malamute, though there is many. Ask any malamute, husky REAL expert, and they'll tell you. I have never ever heared of the mixed with husky thing, though malamutes CAN have blue eyes, and yes pure breds.

Eyes are almond-shaped and brown; blue eyes are sometimes found, but will disqualify the dog in shows.
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Anywho, I THINK there's a topic like this, but if it is - I'll leave that for the mods or other people.

Personally, I don't think it matters, but I think he's..... a malamute now. I used to think husky, but not anymore.

He's bigger than all the huskies, and alaskan malamutes are huge, bigger than huskies. And well, he's fluffy..

Thanks for the info. I had always heard that mals with blue eyes signify mixtures. I probably should have said that I am -not- an expert on mals in my post. Because I am not. I raise, breed, and show Siberians. In the Siberian community, folks will tell you that mals with blue eyes are usually not pure. If you see a shelter dog listed as a mal for instance, but it has blue eyes, it is (usually) a good indication it's mixed or just a misidentified sibe. This is just my experience in the area, given what other Siberian breeders have told me. I've also never seen a proven purebred mal with blue eyes. Anybody got pix and a pedigree of one?

But anyway - mal ppl, I stand corrected then. And I apologize. As I said, this was something that always bugged me. I've always wanted to discuss it with fellow fans, but the internet wasn't really around back in '95 like it is today...

I think my original point is still left intact though. Regarding the characterization of Steele, I mean. So if he is indeed supposed to be a purebred malamute, and he has blue eyes, that means he is less than perfect. Disregarding whether or not mals -can- have blue eyes, if he does have blue eyes and is purebred, he has a fault. For Steele, who considers himself perfect, as I said... I find it ironic.

That is all. Just trying to have a friendly detailed debate/discussion. If this is too serious a discussion for an animated film, then well, I'll leave it at this.

p.s. On a lighter note, I do think it would be a fun fanfic idea that Steele happened to discover he wasn't purebred after all. It would kinda reshape his ideals a bit, don't ya think? Certainly would be a blow to his ego. *L*