ALASKAN KLEE KAI

This is a new breed of dog that was invented by a lady named Linda S. Spurlin back in the 1970s.  She wanted to make a dog that looked like a Siberian Husky, but that was smaller, so that it could be more of a companion dog.  So she bred Siberian and Alaskan Huskies with American Eskimo dogs and Schipperkes.  Then she named the breed the Alaskan Klee Kai.  In the native Athabaskan language, the phrase klee kai means "small dog."  Sometimes this breed is also called a Miniature Husky.

Alaskan Klee Kai look a lot like Siberians, but they also have some differences, such as a shorter snout, larger ears, and a higher tail set.  There are three sizes of Klee Kai:
      Toy size -- up to 13"
      Miniature size -- 13" to 15"
      Standard size -- 15" to 17"

The breed comes in four main colors:  black-and-white, gray-and-white, red-and-white, or shades of white.  The most important thing is that you have to be able to clearly see the facial mask.

Ms. Spurlin worked on breeding these dogs in private until 1988, and that is when she let the public know about them.  The American Rare Breed Association recognized the breed in 1995, and the United Kennel Club recognized it in 1997.  The AKC has not recognized the Klee Kai yet, but maybe they will someday. So far, there are still not a whole lot of Klee Kai in the country, but there are getting to be more of them.

These dogs are small enough to live in apartments, but they have a lot of energy, so a place with a yard is probably better.  Either that, or you should take them for long walks every day.  They also blow their coats twice a year, so while that is happening, they need regular brushing.

When Alaskan Klee Kai meet people they don't know, they are pretty cautious at first.  For this reason, they are really good watchdogs.  They don't like being poked or bullied by children, so they are not always good family pets.  But they are smart and they do well in obedience classes, and also in agility.

Sasha

Mom and I think that one of the dogs at the Humane Society, Sasha, is a Klee Kai.  It doesn't seem like a dog of this unusual breed would be in a shelter, but Sasha looks and acts like a Klee Kai.  Also she came from the home of a hoarder, so that person could have got this type of dog from someplace.  Anyway, that's our opinion about Sasha, and we're sticking to it!