Alaskan Klee Kai

The Alaskan Klee Kai is a spitz-type breed of dog, developed in the late 20th century as a companion-sized dog resembling the larger Alaskan Husky.[2] It is an energetic, intelligent dog with an appearance that reflects its northern heritage. Bred in three sizes, its weight range is from 5 to 22 pounds as an adult.[1]

Alaskan Klee Kai
A Standard Alaskan Klee Kai
Other namesKlee Kai
OriginUnited States
Dog (domestic dog)

The name Klee Kai comes from the Inuit words meaning “little dog”.[3] The breed was originally developed in Alaska by Linda Spurlin in the 1970’s.[4] The breed was created using the Alaskan Husky, a small amount of Siberian Husky, a slightly larger amount of American Eskimo dog, and some Schipperkes.[5] Spurlin’s “hard core approach” to breeding might be considered harsh to some, as she “used the best and culled the rest” in order to create the breed.[6]

The average Alaskan klee kais temperament is curious, Agile, aloof and intelligent. They can be so intelligent that they can become stubborn, which is considered an unwanted trait. They excel at agility, and even though they are small dogs, they are thick-boned and can withstand high jumps. Their small size can be advantageous to agility training, allowing them to move with ease and gracefulness.

They come in four colors: red and white; black and white; gray and white; and all white. There are subdivisions within each color, like wolf gray and silver gray, cinnamon red and dark red, jet black and white and salt and pepper black and white. Albinism in Alaskan klee kais can disqualify dogs from show rings and breeding programs, as it is stated in the breed standard that all white is not a recognized color.

The three sizes of an Alaskan klee kai are: Toy; Miniature; and Standard. The Toy Alaskan klee kai can be up to 13 inches tall and weighs less than 10 pounds. The Miniature Alaskan Klee kai can be 13-15 inches tall and weigh 10-15 pounds. The Standard size Alaskan klee kai can be 15-17 inches tall (17-17.5 inches is still considered a standard size Alaskan klee kai, but is a fault) and weigh 15 plus up to 20 lbs. Specific weight ranges were included in the original Original AKKAOA Standards 1993, but subsequent revisions call only for weight to be proportional to the height.

References
  1. "FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)". Alaskan Klee Kai Association of America (AKKAOA). Archived from the original on 2013-03-07. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
  2. "United Kennel Club Alaskan Klee Kai". Archived from the original on 2013-03-11. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  3. "How It Started | Alaskan Klee Kai Association of America". AKKAOA. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  4. "How It Started | Alaskan Klee Kai Association of America". AKKAOA. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  5. "How It Started | Alaskan Klee Kai Association of America". AKKAOA. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  6. "How It Started | Alaskan Klee Kai Association of America". AKKAOA. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
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