Extract from Alaskan Malamute owners club
Can Malamutes be let off lead? As with anything, there is no hard rule. However, Malamutes have a sense of free will and a high prey drive which can lead them to take off after another dog, small furry, etc. and recall is forgotten. There are some owners who work very hard on obedience and are successful in training their Malamutes to return every time but anyone hoping to own a Malamute with perfect recall must be prepared to put in the work. As a general rule it is accepted that most Malamutes have poor recall and so for their own safety and that of prey and livestock they are kept on a lead at all times.