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 Malamute
The Alaskan Malamute () is a large breed of dog that was originally bred for its strength and endurance to haul heavy freight as a sled dog and hound. It is similar to other arctic breeds such as the husky, the spitz, the Greenland Dog, ...
and
Siberian Husky.
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, depending on whether its a standard, toy, or miniature.
History
The name Klee Kai comes from the
Athabaskan
Athabaskan (also spelled ''Athabascan'', ''Athapaskan'' or ''Athapascan'', and also known as Dene) is a large family of indigenous languages of North America, located in western North America in three areal language groups: Northern, Pacific ...
words meaning “little dog”.
The breed was originally developed in
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S ...
by Linda Spurlin in the 1970s.
[ 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.][ Spurlin’s “hardcore approach” to breeding might be considered harsh to some, as she “used the best and culled the rest” in order to create the breed.][
]
Description
The average Alaskan Klee Kai's 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, such as wolf gray and silver gray, cinnamon red and dark red, jet black and white, and salt and pepper black and white. Albinism
Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albino.
Varied use and interpretation of the term ...
in Alaskan Klee Kai's may disqualify dogs from show rings and breeding programs, as it is stated in the breed standard
In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include physical or morphological detail, genetic criteria, or criteria of athlet ...
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 15–20 lbs. Specific weight
ranges were included in the Original AKKAOA Standards 1993, but subsequent revisions call only for weight to be proportional to the height of the dog.
Alaskan Klee Kais are prone to developing juvenile cataracts, liver disease
Liver disease, or hepatic disease, is any of many diseases of the liver. If long-lasting it is termed chronic liver disease. Although the diseases differ in detail, liver diseases often have features in common.
Signs and symptoms
Some of the s ...
, factor VII deficiency
Factor VII deficiency is a bleeding disorder characterized by a lack in the production of Factor VII (FVII) (proconvertin), a protein that causes blood to clot in the coagulation cascade. After a trauma factor VII initiates the process of coagulat ...
and heart problems. Thyroid
The thyroid, or thyroid gland, is an endocrine gland in vertebrates. In humans it is in the neck and consists of two connected lobes. The lower two thirds of the lobes are connected by a thin band of tissue called the thyroid isthmus. The t ...
problems have also been observed.
See also
* Dogs portal
* List of dog breeds
This list of dog breeds includes both extant and extinct dog breeds, varieties, landraces, and dog types. A research article on dog genomics published in Science/AAAS defines modern dog breeds as "a recent invention defined by conformation to ...
References
{{American dogs
Rare dog breeds
Dog breeds originating in the United States
Companion dogs
Spitz breeds