Every dog breed has its pros and cons, and the Alaskan Klee Kai is no exception; the important thing is finding out whether or not they will be a good match for your lifestyle.

On this page, we will be discussing the “goods and bads” of the Alaskan Klee Kai breed.

Pros of the Alaskan Klee Kai

1.) They are highly intelligent

The Alaskan Klee Kai is highly intelligent. They tend to pick up commands and tricks quickly and excel at obedience classes. The fact that they are highly motivated to please also helps with their training. As they are also fairly agile, many Alaskan Klee Kai also do excellent in dog agility.

2.) They are incredibly loyal

The Alaskan Klee Kai are incredibly loyal to their human companions- they see them as their “people”. They crave your attention and would love nothing more than being able to simply lie by your side all day long. They stick like glue!

3.) They are very affectionate

They love being pet, rubbed, scratched and pretty much everything in between by their humans. Kobi, for example would always perform a dramatic roll onto his back every time he wants a belly rub.

4.) They love to talk and are very vocal

The Alaskan Klee Kai is a very vocal breed of dog- they all have their own distinctive little “voices” and love to talk and talk. Opening the front door and coming home? Well, be ready to hear an earful once you step into the house! They will also be extremely vocal when things are not the way they want them to be. Take Kobi for example, he will not hesitate to verbally let us know when he is dissatisfied with something. Perhaps we’re busy on the computer, well, leave it to him to tell us to get off and play with him.

Cons of the Alaskan Klee Kai

1.) They are highly intelligent

Yes, their intelligence can definitely go both ways and get them into trouble every once in a while. For instance, they tend to be able to teach themselves various tricks on their own. Kobi for example, has mastered the art of opening zippers and drawers, and yup all on his own.

2.) There appears to be a higher instance of separation anxiety with the breed

Separation anxiety by definition, is a psychological response in which the dog experiences excessive anxiety when they are separated from their caregivers. In other words, your Alaskan Klee Kai will make it blatantly clear to you that they do NOT want you to leave them alone- they will cry, whine and bark. This can often be quite troubling for owners as it can lead to potential trouble with neighbours.

3.) They are generally not good with strangers, i.e. any people that they are unfamiliar with

This is a huge point to consider. Alaskan Klee Kai are not good with strangers; they are weary, skittish and cautious with those who they do not know. For this reason, they will require constant socialization throughout their lives. For those who are unable to provide this, the AKK may not be the ideal dog breed of choice. It is also not uncommon for an Alaskan Klee Kai to take a while before being accustomed to someone outside of their family; many will not let you touch them unless they “know” you. However having said all this, it is important to remember that each dog is different and while the majority of AKK are iffy with strangers (it seems to be in their genes), there are some they may be friendly with strangers.

4.) They cannot be trusted off leash, never ever

Similar to the husky, the Alaskan Klee Kai is a breed that simply cannot be trusted off leash. As they have a high predatory drive, they WILL run away at the sight of a squirrel or a bird. It doesn’t matter that they’ve never done it before or that you’ve trained him or her to have excellent recall; all it takes is that one time, and by the time you’ve realized that it has actually happened, it is already TOO late.

In fact, “being a hit by a car” is the most common cause of death in the AKK breed, this alone should be convincing enough that is is very important never to trust them off leash.

5.) They cannot be left unattended in a fenced yard

The Alaskan Klee Kai can dig, and they can dig good. They are known to be able to dig and tunnel their way out of an enclosed yard. To make matters worse, they are also excellent jumpers and have been noted to be able to jump their way out of 6 feet high fences. For these reasons, they should always be supervised in a fenced yard environment.

Also, remember that the AKK is still a fairly new and rare breed of dog. Leaving your AKK unattended in your backyard may attract unwanted attention. There have been cases of AKK being stolen from their own yards, please do everything in your power to prevent that from happening.