The Alaskan Klee Kai - the Legend
Somewhere, within the Great Land called Alaska, between the massive mountains, the vast oceans, the silent tundra and the endless sheets of ice, the Glacier Witch looked down and smiled at the bright eyed tiny form in front of her.
After rescuing it from the icy waters, and drying it before the fire, it appeared somewhat smaller than before, and she was pleased. For the little Husky's smaller size would make it an ideal companion.
She searched the various native dialects and deriving its name from the Eskimo words for 'little dog', she christened the masked creature, 'Klee Kai'.
Linda S. Spurlin - The breed founder
The Alaskan Klee Kai
Alaskan Klee Kai come in three sizes-
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Toy (up to 13 inches tall at the shoulder)
Miniature (13 inches to 15 inches)
Standard (15 inches to 17 inches)
Most Klee Kai are anywhere between 4kg to 10kg and are long legged and double coated so they look heavier than they really are.
They come in a variety of colours including Black and white, red and white, grey and white, plus solid white which is considered out of standard and less desirable.
They are double coated (see care info bellow) and come in Long, Short, and "full" coat, with everything in-between!
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Their eyes can also vary from blue, green, brown, or a combination of those.
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These dogs need plenty of mental stimulation. They are busy, intelligent and can be very vocal. As mentioned they can also be slightly timid. This can be lessened with gentle but effective socialisation from the moment the puppy is born, and continued throughout the life of the dog. For this reason we recommend puppy classes and access to good trainers if needs be.
Health wise, Klee Kai are considered a healthy breed but do have some issues that occur thanks to its limited gene pool.
These include
Luxating patella - knee problems
Cardiac murmurs and myopathy.
Thyroid problems.
Factor 7 deficiency (FVII) a failure in blood clotting.
Eye problems such as cataracts.
Cryptorchidism - retained testicles
Hernias - small hole in the abdominal muscles.
Dental decay and tooth loss
Sensitive stomachs including pancreatic inflammation.
While this looks like a big list, it is due to vigilance by breeders that we know of these issues before they become very common in the breed compared to other breeds. The percentages with issues are still comparatively low to that of pedigree and cross bred dogs. Most breeders are working towards limiting these issues in the breed by only breeding the healthiest and health tested Klee Kai.
The Klee Kai history and Care
Small, smart, and energetic, the Alaskan Klee Kai is a relatively new breed that looks like a smaller version of the Siberian Husky. Even the name “Klee Kai” comes from an Inuit term meaning “small dog.”
This breed was developed in Alaska by Linda Spirlin back in the 1970s. Linda selectively bred this breed to a standard that breeds true. This means that when you put two Klee Kai together, you always get a Klee Kai and know what to expect in size, shape, and temperament. This is vital as cross breeds like as “pomskies”, even a few generations in, will have constant variations within the pups, health and temperament. Linda developed every founding Klee Kai and no out breeding has occurred since she allowed the breed into the public domain therefore are a true breed to a set standard.
While Klee Kai may resemble larger Husky breeds, they have some key differences, especially when it comes to temperament, that distinguish it from its ancestor working class dogs of the north. This breed is more suited to the life of a companion; although, the Klee Kai share the high energy of the Husky and demands plenty of exercise.
They also tend to be shy around strangers and are prone to expressing their emotions with whines and barks. An inexperienced pet parent would find it difficult to take on the challenge of caring for a Klee Kai. But for an adopter who keeps up with training and physical activity, this breed is sweet, loyal, and happy to shower loved ones with affection.
Unlike the Alaskan and Siberian Huskies they are descended from, Klee Kai are meant to be companion dogs, rather than working animals that pull sleds. While they look similar to Huskies, they have some obvious differences in temperament, including their wariness of strangers. While they do not always care for unfamiliar faces, they are very loving family dogs, and their constant vigilance makes them good watchdogs.
Alaskan Klee Kai adore attention from their humans and are eager to please, which makes them highly trainable. They are prone top separation anxiety so this is a major factor to consider.
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Their coats are double coated, therefore shed a lot. This means every 6 months, the dogs will “blow” out their undercoat dramatically (some people choose to take them to a groomer at this time) which will need brushing out or air blasting. Between these “blow out” times, they still shed hair but at a less dramatic rate. A Klee Kai must NEVER have their hair shaved unless for medical access. Their coats are designed to keep them warm in winter and cool in summer. Shaving the coat away removes this protection and may also result in the hair not growing back correctly.
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Though they are a relatively new breed that is not recognised by the ‘Kennel Club’ of Great Britain, they are recognised by the UNITED KENNEL CLUB (UKC) based in the USA and more recently welcomed in to the American Kennel Club - Foundation stock Serbia (AKC - FSS) with the intention to gain full AKC status and hopefully progress on to the KC here. Breeders are working to change less desirable temperament traits, such as skittishness. Klee Kai are not bred by many, so they still remain a fairly rare breed throughout the world.
Bare in mind there are a LOT of scammers out there. If you see a Klee Kai for sale that does not have any UKC papers, then the chances are it is not a Klee Kai at all. Lots of scams include breeders selling mixed breeds as Klee Kai, when many of these pups have little to no Klee Kai in them at all. With this you have no idea what genetic health issues are in this puppy, or it’s genetic background with regards behaviour and development. Only buy Alaskan Klee Kai from breeders with registered Alaskan Klee Kai.