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In the mid-70’s, Linda Spurlin, while visiting a relative in Okalahoma, saw a small husky-type dog who weighed about 17 pounds, named Curious. Her relatives gave Linda this dog and Linda found that she was not the only person highly attracted to this “companion-sized” husky. About this same time and unknown to Linda, her brother-in-law had begun his own breeding program to produce companion huskies. In the early-80’s, her brother-in-law chose to end his breeding program and transfer his breeding stock to Linda with the advice, which had been Linda’s belief all along, “Breed the best and cull the rest”. With the influx of these dogs increasing Linda’s breeding population and gene pool, Linda soon began to see the results of this hard core breeding policy and in fact encouraged her to become even stricter in selecting the breeding stock that became the foundation to the Alaskan Klee Kai we love today.
Although the Alaskan Klee Kai looks like miniature Siberians, their foundation is the Alaskan Huskies. The Alaskan Husky is a not a breed but rather breed type based on a scruffy little Indian dog used by the people of interior Alaska, which anthropologists "guesstimate" to be nearly 5000 years old. Over the past 50 years, Alaskan Huskies have become extensively the foundation of the SLED DOGS used by mushers. Linda, like any good chef, won’t share all her secret ingredients used to develop the Alaskan Klee Kai , but has shared that there was ONE registered Siberian Husky, a smattering of Schipperke, and one part American Eskimo Dog and other small dogs of similar conformation to form her foundation stock.
In 1987, Linda finally agreed to send the first Alaskan Klee Kai to the Continental US. That was Niskishka who still lives to this day with Eileen and Greg Gregory in Peyton Colorado. Between 1987 and 1995, Linda and Eileen worked closely together and with other breeders to continue Linda’s dream and vision of developing the Alaskan Klee Kai. In 1995, Linda decided to transfer her la st nine dogs to Eileen and remove herself from actively breeding Alaskan Klee Kai. Although Linda no longer breeds Alaskan Klee Kai, her love for the breed continues undiminished to this date and she actively helps, supports, and counsels those of us who have taken up her dream and her vision. In 1997, The United Kennel Club recognized the Alaskan Klee Kai as part of their Northern Breeds and is now the only official registry of Alaskan Klee Kai and owns the copyright to the Alaskan Klee Kai Breed Standard.
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Alaskan Klee Kai Personailty
Alaskan Klee Kai are truly companion huskies. They are devoted to their family and friends with their favorite spot being anywhere their owners are. That said, they are NOT a breed for everyone. They are by nature EXTREMELY reserved almost to the point of being EXTREMELY SHY around strangers and people they do not know well. On the good side, this is not a breed that will willingly be stolen away from you. On the negative side, in our world, dogs need to be social animals accepting of far more than immediate family and friends. Therefore, owners must SERIOUSLY work to SOCIALIZE their AKK to not just tolerating “strangers” but to accepting strangers.And by strangers I mean everyone from their attending veterinarian to dog sitters to occasional house guests to people you and they will meet on the streets. And you and they will meet people on the streets….because Alaskan Klee Kai are true attention getters….everywhere you go people will come up and want to meet your dog. If you are not prepared to be inundated with attention and questions about your dog wherever you go…..then…..the Alaskan Klee Kai is NOT the breed for you. Alaskan Klee Kai require this same socialization to get them use to other dogs and animals. They do not think of themselves as small dogs….they will seriously consider taking on even the largest dogs.
If you are not prepared to take your Alaskan Klee Kai to puppy kindergarten, and on to organized obedience classes and to places where they can meet and learn proper behavior around other animals….then…..the Alaskan Klee Kai is NOT the breed for you. The socialization process is NOT a puppy only thing. You MUST continue socializing Alaskan Klee Kai throughout their maturity process. The Alaskan Klee Kai (even well socialized as a pup) will regress during their teenage months (between 8months and 2 or 3 years) to being once again very unsure about the attention of strangers (human or animal). Constant and continuous work during this time will enable them to outgrow this natural stage of development and blossom into a wonderfully social animal.
Alaskan Klee Kai and children can either get along very well together or not. Pretty much, in my opinion, dependant on the training of both the Alaskan Klee Kai and the children. There have been cases of Alaskan Klee Kai being nippy around children….but then many households have a wonderful blend of Alaskan Klee Kai with children. Alaskan Klee Kai can be fence and property protective. They will view their yard and their crate as their domain. As a dog show person, I am forever watchful that people do not stick their fingers into our dogs’ x-pens (fence) or crates. Generally once mentally mature providing properly trained and socialized, Alaskan Klee Kai moderate their protective behavior to appropriate an appropriate level.
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AKK do not like dealing with fast gestures from people they do not know well. Fast movement and motions make Alaskan Klee Kai somewhat unsure what to expect especially when they are young themselves. This may be one reason why some Alaskan Klee Kai (especially those not yet mentally mature) have a problem with children. Children are prone to moving quickly and suddenly and that includes reaching towards something and then snatching their hand away. When introducing your Alaskan Klee Kai to people of all ages, remind them make their motions slowly and smoothly and to present their hand palm side down unless they are giving the dog a treat.
Not long ago, I was socializing our Harmony having strangers hand him a treat which he would gently take and then back away if the person reached towards him. Sort of a “I take treats from you, but you are not allowed to touch me” behavior seen in young adults not fully mentally mature. One person (and a person I expected to know better) handed him a treat and with her other hand GRABBED at Harmony. Harmony jumped back and closed jaws on empty air. It will be an extremely long time before Harmony forgets her attempt to grab him, and now he is extremely leery of this person whenever she is near him.
Alaskan Klee Kai look like miniature huskies, but as the above paragraphs indicate that they do not have the same friendly outgoing personality of the Siberian Husky. But on the other hand, AKK do not have the tendency to run so far so fast that they forget where they came from that is a behavior tendency Siberian Huskies are well know for. Alaskan Klee Kai are or can be escape artists but both by digging and / or by climbing and / or by simply slipping out through the smallest of holes or door openings. Their nature is to remain with and near their family…..so likely they will not go far…..BUT….horrible accidents can happen right out side your door and yard.
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