Alaskan Klee Kai

edited February 2008 in Other Breeds


So I was up at like 2am last night, just watching some Nat Geo and there was this dog, the Alaskan Klee Kai, i've never heard of them.  Basically a mini huskie.  They are adoarable!  Everything a normal huskie has, bottled up in that little body.  I thought they were cute...I would probably never get one though...not really my type of dog.


 


http://helderberg-huskies.com/alaskan_klee_kai/index.htm 

Comments

  • edited November -1
    I have heard about them before...they are too cute!
  • edited November -1


    Those dogs are the bane of my existence! They are a designer breed. Someone saw a beautiful Husky and said wouldn't it be neat if we made them tiny? AAAAHHHH'


    they are cute. just aaaaahhhhh 

  • edited November -1


    They are very cute but I have never seen one up close before. They remind me of a shiba a little bit. 


    I have a question for those of you who have ever had a husky - are they comparible to the shiba or japanese breeds? I am thinking about getting one, I have wanted one for ever and thinking about getting an all white one or the black and white, and if I did decide to get one I dont know if I would get a male or female, because having a female shiba who thinks she is the alpha, I dont know if getting a male or female would be better.

  • edited November -1


    I am not a fan of the Klee Kai - they have rat-like faces. They kinda gross me out.

  • edited November -1
    Not to mention I have enough people asking if Moto is a miniature husky!
  • edited November -1


    Huskies are very similar to Shibas.  They have a real naughty phase, they are smart, they can be destructive if not properly exercised, they run like the wind when they are free, and they have tons of energy.  A lot of them are also good at climbing fences and going right over.


    You would probably want a male husky to be paired more evenly with your female Shiba.  If she is alpha, try and seek out a non-alpha male.  Also I wouldn't go for all white unless it is a rescue, most dogs are not supposed to be all white and often it is a sign of genetic deficiencies.  I'd really like to get a husky too.  There are always some that need rescuing, as most people can't meet their needs and just give them up.

  • edited November -1
    There are two in animal control here in Providence.
  • edited November -1
    I think some of them are cute, but I agree that some of them have little rat-like faces and bulgey eyes.  I'm also not big into creating new breeds for no particular reason.  There are enough breeds already.  Why not just get an american eskimo dog, schipperke, pomeranian, norrbottenspets... the list goes one.  There are so many dog breeds already, I think there is something for everyone without trying to make a new fad.  Unless, of course, there's a real need.  
  • edited November -1
    Or you could get the black and tan shibas because everyone mistakes them for a husky puppy or minature husky, and the funny thing is huskys arent black, brown and white. lol.
  • edited November -1
    Brandon w stated "


    Huskies are very similar to Shibas.  They have a real naughty phase, they are smart, they can be destructive if not properly exercised, they run like the wind when they are free, and they have tons of energy.  A lot of them are also good at climbing fences and going right over. "


     


    I think Brandon is pretty right on about Siberians. I should know as they are the only breed I ever owned until my Shikoku. My parents got their first one when I was only 1 year old and at one point, I had 3 (2 rescues and 1 I got as a puppy). My mom still has Siberians (usually 1 to 2). Siberians are REALLY smart, but also quite independent. When I was looking for a "new" Spitz breed, reading all about the Shiba sounded SO much like my experience with Siberians. The are super dogs, it is just that I wanted a more "people" pleasing dog that really wanted to please all the time and not part of the time. They ARE escape artists, so be prepared to make your yard like Fort Knox because if they get out, they will not be back until they are done running. Some differences I feel from Shibas are that they are more dog friendly (ie, work in packs and get along better with many dogs) and are not generally shy or reserved around strangers like Shibas can be. Both Shikoku breeders (Katja and Peggy) have owned Siberians, so if you are familiar with them (via Shikoku), you can pick their brain.


     


    I also find the Klee Klai kind of strange looking - I much prefer how a Siberian looks. 

  • edited November -1


    Edgewood wrote:


    "The are super dogs, it is just that I wanted a more "people" pleasing dog that really wanted to please all the time and not part of the time."


    ----


    So are you implying that you feel a Shikoku fits what you where looking for?

  • edited November -1
    IMO - Klee Kai look like someone made a mistake.
  • edited November -1


    Brad,


     Yes!! Yes!! Yes!! At least my Shikoku (n=1) is a VERY people pleasing dog and very easy to train for obedience. And although I did train all of my Siberians to the Novice (lowest level of competition obedience), this Shikoku is MUCH easier to train and work with BECAUSE he really, really wants to please me. He doesn't have his own agenda, he always goes to work for me. At just around 4 months, he is pretty confirmed in all the "competition" obedience patterns and commands. He is still learning, and he makes mistakes at times, but they are learning mistakes and not "I just don't feel like it today" mistakes. If I raise my voice at all towards him, he will start randomly doing obedience commands in hopes of pleasing me.


     


    I actually think that Peggy and Katja did an excellent job of describing Shikoku on their web sites and both said that these dogs were very loyal and not as independent as a Shiba. Hope that answers your question! Is Ahi similar to what I am describing about Kuma?


     


    So far, for my tastes and personality, the Shikoku is the PERFECT amalglamation of everything I loved in Siberians without having things I disliked. I get a Nordic/Spitz breed that wants to be trained and work for (and have fun with)  me. And my Kuma is very reliable off lead, at least at home around my farm -- something my Siberians were not.

  • edited November -1


    I just wanted to hear if you felt that they fit that mold. Ahi trained fast and works very hard, but I would not consider her to be a "people pleaser". I think she is just to dominant of a dog to really want to please anyone - but when she is working she does  work hard and continually checks in with her person to make sure she is doing things correctly. Ahi will work non-stop for as long as you need her too, with no complaints - but when it comes to general obedience she tends to get a littel "selective hearing". Honestly Ahi has no manners, yet she has been trained more than any of our dogs!


    Loa on the other hand sounds very much like your Kuma - she is mos def into pleasing people. She does the same thing when you raise your voice - sits, lays down, offer her paw... anything to make you not upset (and it tends to work).


    The core of what I was asking really stems from my interest in trying to compare Peggy's dogs to Katja's dogs... in a positive way. Seems both of them have done an amazing job refining the temperament of the dogs they produce - it is rather humbling.


    Ahi was from a very early litter, so I think she may just be lacking some of that "refinement" [selective breeding] - she is a bit more raw. 


     

  • edited November -1


    Ah, that is interesting. Yes, Loa does sound a lot like Kuma (does the same behaviors to please). Interesting that Ahi is more independent. It would be interesting to compare the pedigrees. I know that Kuma is line bred to 2 main male dogs on both the top and bottom of his pedigree (great- grandfathers) so that both appear once in the male and once in the female sides of the pedigree. In dog breeding, line breeding is used to solidfy traits (hopefully only the good traits). He is definitely not as linebred as some other breeds of dogs, but he has some linebreeding. I know that I posted a link to a Japanese Shiba breeder who was discussing 2 well know breeders in Japan who either do or do not line breed (Shibas). Each had their reasons for doing line breeding (ie, solidfying type and better prediction of offspring) vs no linebreeding. It might be interesting to see if that might be the key. It is interesting because Kuma's line breeding originated in Japan (ie, parents of the dogs who were imported to Holland).


     


    Or it could just be differences that naturally occur. I breed horses and many full siblings are nothing alike, so it is not surprising that non-siblings (like Ahi and Loa) would be different from each other.


     


     

  • edited November -1


    Brad - I think Rakka is like Ahi .  She learns really fast and is qutie obedient when we give her direct orders, but she has very poor manners.  She can instantly tell who she can push around, too.  She doesn't jump up and act crazy to people who don't let her, but she can be quite dominant towards people who don't know how to take control.  


    I'm looking for a search and rescue breed and I would be extremely happy if I found a spitz breed that had a good track record in that regard.  Shikokus I think have the ability, but being dog aggressive is an automatic disqualifier, so I'm not willing to try it with a shikoku until I've had more experience training/socializing dogs. So far, I'm considering norrbottenspets and norwegian buhunds.  I was just going to get a nova scotia duck tolling retriever (the only non-spitz breed I really like) but none of the breeders will let you vaccinate the dogs and you have to for search and rescue... anyway... I'm babbling on and on, but point being, I'm all about the obedient spitz breeds!

  • edited November -1


    I agree that it would be interesting to compare the pedigrees and that is really what I was getting at - trying to figure out what line seem to produce the most balanced Shikoku and how much linebreeding was needed to solidify those traits. Obviously it would be best to get those desired traits solidified by simple selective breeding, but with such a limited gene pool that's probably not possible.


    Ahi's brothers and sisters seem to be less-dominant than Ahi... So it could just be a naturally occurring thing.

  • edited November -1


    ok - well let me change my last statement (after reading Heidi's post)...


    Most of Ahi's brothers and sisters are less-dominant.

  • edited November -1
    Heidi - Have you considered any of the Russian breeds? Some may not be pack oriented dogs but they are not dog aggressive.
  • edited February 2008


    I've considered the Karelian Bear Dog.  I contacted a breeder who had sold one puppy to do search and rescue and they are known to be good at it.  I'm still very much in the research process, though.  Noah seems to prefer Norwegian Buhunds, but there aren't a lot of examples of them actually doing SAR, although most owners and breeders feel they are very capable due to their willingness to please and high drive, being herding dogs and all.  


    The norrbottenspets have a lot going for them, in my mind, but Noah says they're ugly.  Here's an interesting link about them, though:


    http://nordicdog.net/working.htm 

  • edited November -1
    Heidi why can't the nova scotia duck tolling retriever be vaccinated?
  • edited November -1
    It's not that they can't be vaccinated, it's just that almost every single breeder I contact has a policy against regular vaccinations due to the fact that the breed seems more prone to bad reactions.  The tollers that do search and rescue basically go under the radar and either hope that no one asks to see their documentation or they make fake documentation, since the search and rescue organizations all require regular vaccinations.  I'm not comfortable with breaking any rules, either the breeders or the search and rescue organization, so I thought I might be better off just going with a different breed since almost all the breeders are against regular vaccines.  
  • edited November -1


    Have you considered the Jamthund?


    For what i know they're pretty calm, and they are the Swedish Air Force service dogs, so i think they should be very trainable. And they have good endurance too.  

  • edited November -1
    I wouldn't say that Sora is people pleasing...she learns pretty fast (esp with good treats), and will listen to you, but there is definitely a thought process involved. Definitely part of the time she considers if what we want her to do (come over to us) is what she really wants to do. Half the time it is not. The other half we have something she wants. She's definitely happy to see us when we come home, and likes to be around us, but during most of the evening, she is not an in-your-face for attention dog (like the other 3 - not that we're surprised). She's actually generally the calmest puppy I've ever owned. The other day in puppy class we did recall, where the trainer held the puppy across the room, and we went the other side and called the puppy (excitedly). Well, there are bloodhounds, a bernese mtn dog, cocker spaniels, an english sheepdog, etc, and they were thrilled to run (crazy and puppy-like, with limbs all over the place) over to their owners. Come to Sora's turn, and she sits fine, looks calmly around at the other dogs, notices me calling her and trots at a moderate pace over to me, happy to get a treat and praise when she got there, but in no particular rush. But ya, she'll pick up things pretty quick. If she has incentive. We're working on the do-it-because-I-ask thing. That only works with sitting so far.And only till she waits to get a treat, finds out we don't have one, then goes to pester the other dogs. We plan on continuing the obedience training after the puppy class. We aren't particularly impressed with their methods.
  • edited November -1
    Leonberger, I didn't know much about the Jamthund, but I did look into them after you mentioned them.  I also looked into the norwegian elkhound, since they are similar.  They are a little too large for my taste.  I like having a dog that I can pick up and move with relative ease.  I'm now looking into iceland sheepdogs.  Not only do they sometimes do search and rescue, but they are often used as hearing assistance dogs, so I would definitely be able to fufill my goal of donating puppies to help people!  I plan to meet some at an upcoming event, if all goes well.  
  • edited November -1


    Heidi, for what you prefer, Iceland Sheepdogs seem better, yes.


    And the fact that they are sheepdogs, probably makes them a bit more willing to please, and that might help too. 

Sign In or Register to comment.