With the rising popularity of the Alaskan Klee Kai, there is also an increasing amount of Alaskan Klee Kai scams on the internet. There are many “breeders” out there who are looking to take advantage of the breed’s increasing popularity for monetary profit. Remember, as a potential Alaskan Klee Kai owner, you want to do research not only on the breed, but also on the breeder! This is key in avoiding scams. In this article, we will be discussing the different types of Alaskan Klee Kai scams and how to avoid them.

Be wary of “Alaskan Klee Kai for sale” advertisements on the internet

Reputable Alaskan Klee Kai breeders do not advertise on sites such as Puppyfind, Craigslist or Kijiji. They often have wait-lists for their litters- meaning that their puppies are usually reserved even before they are born. Puppyfind, in particular, has been the source of many Alaskan Klee Kai scams as of late; many of the puppies advertised appear to be mixes being passed off as purebred puppies- this is just from their appearances. On the rare occasion that a puppy advertised appears to match the standards of the Alaskan Klee Kai in terms of looks, they are almost always being sold by a non-reputable breeder. Should you choose to purchase your puppy from them, it is almost certain that you will not be receiving any papers for your “purebred” puppy. Pay attention to the name of a breeder’s kennel as it may also offer information regarding their reputability. Generally, you want to avoid any that contains the word “farm,” as this implicates that they are running a business by raising and selling puppies- like puppy mills. The bottomline: AVOID purchasing an Alaskan Klee Kai puppy from the breeders advertising on such sites.

Alaskan Klee Kai mixes being sold and passed off as pure bred Alaskan Klee Kai

There are many breeders that sell and pass off mixes as pure-bred Alaskan Klee Kai, often for the same price as a registered, pure-bred puppy from a reputable breeder. Some of the most common mixes that are being sold include the Alaskan Klee Kai and Shiba mix and the Alaskan Klee Kai and Mini-husky mix.

Alaskan Klee Kai and Shiba mix: You can often tell if a puppy is an Alaskan Klee Kai and Shiba mix by it’s fur coloring and mask. Due to the distinct differences in a Shiba’s fur coloring (even if the Shiba is white/black), mixed Shiba and Alaskan Klee Kai puppies will tend to a fur coloring that is representative of their ancestry- they often have the Shiba’s characteristic orange fur. Some may also have black markings in the face and muzzle area, which are also distinctive of the Shiba. The shape of their muzzle and overall body structure may also be different.

 

Alaskan Klee Kai and Mini-husky mix: Remember that while the Alaskan Klee Kai resembles a mini-husky and are often coined as such, the terms “Alaskan Klee Kai’ and “Mini-husky” are not in fact, synonymous. The Mini-husky is a separate breed that is larger than the Alaskan Klee Kai. However, due to their similar husky appearance, individuals have started to breed them with the Alaskan Klee Kai to produce and sell “Alaskan Klee Kai puppies.” For the inexperienced, it may be harder to discern the difference between a purebred puppy and such a mix. The easiest way to avoid such mini-husky mixes is to pay attention to what the breeder says or has written on their website. Do they mention anything about their dogs being “mini-huskies” or “miniature-huskies?” Many people see those two terms on a website and assume that the breeders are selling Alaskan Klee Kai but that is not true. In fact, many reputable breeders are aware of the differences between the Alaskan Klee Kai and the Miniature Husky and will therefore not use those terms to describe their dogs and puppies.

When in doubt whether or not a puppy in question is a pure-bred Alaskan Klee Kai, ask the breeder for the puppy’s parent’s registration information or even information regarding where their breeding Alaskan Klee Kai had come from. In many cases, the Alaskan Klee Kai used to breed and produce such mixes are done so in violation of the written contract that they had signed with their original Alaskan Klee Kai breeder- because of this, the original breeder would not have sent them their registration papers; consequently, the “breeder” in question would have nothing to show for their Alaskan Klee Kai.

Outright fake Alaskan Klee Kai scams

This refers to individuals trying to sell Alaskan Klee Kai puppies when in reality, there are no puppies and no dogs. These types of scams are most often seen in online buy/sell websites such as the ones mentioned above. In a way, these scams are the easiest to distinguish as being scams as they often will have an asking price that is way out of the range for a typical Alaskan Klee Kai puppy. For reference, Alaskan Klee Kai puppies range anywhere from about $1800-3000+ from a reputable breeder, these ads often ask for a fraction of this price (ex. $1000, $800). These fake puppy ads may also claim to require a “deposit” in order to hold your puppy. If you see a sale that seems to be too good to true, it probably is. Often times, photos of Alaskan Klee Kai puppies from authentic breeders/owners or stock photos will be used without permission in their ads. The descriptions in the ad will also tend to be short, generic and vague. Example 1:

Note the low asking price of $400 and the vague description.

Example 2:

Note the prices of $800 and $950, well under the price range for an Alaskan Klee Kai. The photos used in the ad also do not seem to be those of pure-bred AKK. Appears to ask for a fake deposit amount of $100.

Importance of knowing which scammers/mix and backyard breeders to avoid

Please visit the Alaskan Klee Kai Scam Watch Facebook Group for a list of known scammers and mix/backyard Alaskan Klee Kai breeders. The post also contains information and details on said “breeders.” Knowing which breeders to avoid is crucial and will help you in your process of finding a reputable breeder. For more information regarding Alaskan Klee Kai scams, please visit http://alaskankleekaiscam.com/.