Alaskan Klee Kai Dog Breed

The Alaskan Klee Kai dog is very similar to the Siberian and Alaskan Huskies as the two breeds were actually used to create the dog breed. The Alaskan Klee Kai dog is a smaller version of the two huskies. They also had to breed in Schipperke and American Eskimo breeds in order to get the miniature size. The Alaskan Klee Kai has much of the same characteristics of the huskies including their intelligence, curiosity, and strength. The name of the Alaskan Klee Kai means small dog in Eskimo. This is a very rare breed as there are only about 500 that exist. Historically this breed did not come into existence until the 1970?s with an accidental mating.

The Alaskan Klee Kai is easy to care for in the grooming department. They tend to groom themselves and don?t usually require a bath or toothpaste. The Alaskan Klee Kai has relatively short hair, but they do not shed a lot; instead the shed only seasonally, but with a lot of hair at that time. You will find with the Alaskan Klee Kai that you should brush them at least once a week to help remove the dead or loose hair that has accumulated. In some cases the Alaskan Klee Kai can have longer hair that becomes matted. For other grooming needs you will need to clip their nails. They don?t tend to like water, and don?t require baths.

It is important to understand the Alaskan Klee Kai?s temperament for training and to make sure they will be a great dog for you. Most often you will find that Alaskan Klee Kai?s can be a little too much to handle for a new dog owner as they have a few obedience issues. First of all the Alaskan Klee Kai is usually suspicious of strangers. This means they are aloof and often look a little aggressive despite their sensitive and wonderful demeanor. They are not as great with children as other dog breeds, due to the fact that they demand respect from their owners. They typically return acts of aggression such as a child?s behavior towards dogs, when the child is not well behaved or doesn?t understand. You will find the Alaskan Klee Kai is best off when he or she is with their master. They like to be close to their master and often follow them about. They have a great affection for their families, and tend to be very affectionate.

The Alaskan Klee Kai like the husky has been raised for hunting and therefore they do really well as working dogs. However you will find they can be a little difficult with smaller animals like cats and birds, unless they have had the proper training. It is not wise to leave the dog alone with smaller animals. You will find that the Alaskan Klee Kai is a barking dog. They love to talk and bark so you need to train that out of them. They also tend to howl along with coyotes. The good news is they are very trainable and will listen to commands once you have asserted yourself as master.

They tend to have good obedience as long as you have trained them. You need to establish rules and be consistent during training. Remember that it is best to offer the proper respect while training. You should not let a behavior slip because that will make training more difficult. These dogs are also very agile so training with a lot of agility and different activities keeps them happy. Feeding should be on a daily basis with a routine.

Alaskan Klee Kai – Dog Breeds – Great Facts Everyone Should Know

In this article we will firstly look at the simple stats of this great breed, then move on to an in-depth look at whether you will be suited to this dog.

Breed group: Nordic

Weight: Toy: 10 lbs; miniature: 15 lbs; standard: 23 lbs

Height: Toy: 13 inches; miniature: inches; standard: 15-17.5 inches

Overview

The Alaskan Klee Kai have been developed by Linda Spurlin during the early part of the 1970′s in Wasilla, Alaska. After an unintentional mating between an Alaskan Husky and an unknown smaller dog, Linda Spurlin took a liking to this offspring. She ended up breeding a prototype dog that was suppose to act as a companion dog as she was so stunned with the good looks and size of these dogs. In order to reduce the size of these dogs, she developed this breed with Alaskan and Siberian Huskies – and also using American and Schipperke Eskimo Dogs in order to abolish problems with dwarfism. This breed was first known as the Klee Kai, but in 1995 the name changed to the Alaskan Klee Kai. Even today these dogs are fairly rare.

Temperament

The Alaskan Klee Kai seems to be very shy and wary of strangers, but will alert their owners by barking. These dogs are average guard dogs, and they will not attack someone seeing that they were bred to be companion dogs. But they are outstanding watch dogs, and will always alert you of something when necessary. Alaskan Klee Kais are very clever dogs that are very committed to their owners. They love the attention and company of their families. These dogs get along well other pets and children they have been raised with.

Care

This breed is average shedding dogs, and will require a brushing on a regular basis. These dogs should not be bathed too often, only when it is really necessary. Make sure that you use a good shampoo to prevent possible skin irritations. Also check the ears of the dog for too much dirt, hair or too much wax build up. Their nails can also be trimmed to keep their paws in a good condition, and to ensure that they don’t have any discomfort when walking.

Training

It is important to be consistent when training the Alaskan Klee Kai. The training environment should be fair and positive. This breed is very clever, but also very independent. Although they are compliant, they are not always obedient. But you will be glad to know that this gets better as these dogs get older. It is important to get this dogs socialised from a very early age onwards.

Health problems

Although these dogs are very tough, there have been some concerns uttered about an inherited bleeding disorder. Apart from this disorder, the Alaskan Klee Kai is fairly healthy.