Alaskan Klee Kai
Breed origin: Wasilla, Alaska
Original purpose: Small version of the of the Alaskan Husky.
AKC recognized: No
Size:
Height: up to 17 inches
Color: Black and white, grey and white, or red (cinnamon or dark auburn) and white. Solid white or tri-color is occasionally seen but is not acceptable for the show ring.
Life span: 13 to 15 years.
General characteristics/temperament: The Alaskan Klee Kai is a highly intelligent, very curious, active, quick and agile little dog that quickly become an integral part of any family. They are affectionate and loyal to their family, but are standoffish and suspicious of strangers and make extremely good watch dogs. They are moderately active and have a high prey drive. They can be a great family dog if raised with properly raised children. However, they are not likely to tolerate being mistreated by children and may respond by nipping them. They are highly intelligent and have a high drive to please their owners. As a result, they do very well in both obedience and agility trials.
Good with children? Yes with well-behaved children who do not mistreat the dog.
Good with cats? No. They cannot be trusted with smaller pets because of their strong prey drive.
Good watchdog? Excellent
Intelligent? Yes
Energy/Activity Level: Moderate/High
Good jogging partner? Yes
Suitable canine sports/activities: agility, obedience, sledding, skijoring, flyball, disc, therapy
Exercise requirement: A long walk twice daily plus something more rigorous such as a jog with you or alongside a bicycle.
Grooming requirement: The Alaskan Klee Kai is relatively easy to care for. They are extremely clean and seldom require a bath. Most of them do not like to get their feet wet and will spend hours daily grooming themselves in a cat-like manner. They do not have a "doggy" odor nor "doggy" breath. However, they will blow their coat twice a year. Their small size helps to limit the amount of fur blown. Daily brushing may be necessary during the shedding season. Other than this period of blowing coat, the Klee Kai is very self sufficient and require only brushing two or three times a week.
Known health problems: Juvenile cataracts, liver disease, Factor VII deficiency, pyometra, luxating patella, cryptorchids, cardiac problems including PDA, thyroide diseases including autoimmune thyroiditis.
Additional photos of Alaskan Klee Kai
Recommended books for further reading:
Other websites for additional information:
Wikipedia breed information page
Alaskan Klee Kai Association of America
Breed developer Linda Spurlin's website
Alaskan Klee Kai National Rescue
DogBreedMatch
