The Breed

Is the Alaskan Klee Kai a good dog for everyone?
Alaskan Klee Kai are great dogs, but not the best for everyone and may not be a good dog for an owner unfamiliar with primitive and spitz breeds. They are very active dogs that are talkative, stubborn, and independent. Training and socialization are an everyday requirement and they are not the type of dog to please as much as a Golden Retriever or German Shepherd. However, don't be discouraged as you have to start somewhere and there are many resources at your fingertips. Be sure to do your research, attend dog shows or AKC Meet the Breeds, learn the breed, and ask questions!

Are there purebred all-white Alaskan Klee Kai?
There certainly are! An all-white coat is a heritable color in the breed and does not indicate any health issues! It is carried via the E locus (MC1R gene) as a recessive trait. If the parents both carry the recessive trait, there is a 25% chance an all-white puppy will be produced. However, they are a disqualification in the show ring, so they are not actively pursued to produce.

I've seen really dark, almost solid-black, Klee Kai before. Are those purebred?
They can be! It is just another heritable color in the breed that is carried via the A locus (ASIP gene). These may be more prevalent than all-whites as some of these display what are considered faults in the show ring, but the color-to-white ratio is very particular in the standard and it is up to the judge's discretion. "Darks" can be used to help bring out color in lines, but, as with any show and breeding prospect, they are health-tested, shown, and responsibly utilized.

What's the difference between an Alaskan Klee Kai, a Pomsky, and a Miniature Husky?
The main difference is that the Alaskan Klee Kai is a purebred dog while Pomskies and Miniature Huskies are mixed breeds. The Alaskan Klee Kai was developed using Alaskan Huskies, Siberian Huskies, American Eskimo Dogs, and Schipperkes and was recognized as a breed in 1997 by the United Kennel Club. While similar, Pomskies and Mini Huskies are mixes and not recognized as official breeds. A Pomsky is a mix of a Pomerianian and Siberian Husky. A Mini Husky, first started as breeding runts of Siberian Huskies, eventually also were mixed with Pomskies and American Eskimos. Other similar designer breeds include Kolu Huskies, Alaskan Nanuks, and Huskimos. If you're interested in a miniature version of a husky, we encourage researching purebreds and their responsible breeders as their health, appearance, and temperament are much more predictable. Purchasing designer breeds involving rolling die and there is no guarantee on how the dog will turn out. Little to no health testing is completed, work ability is not utilized, and they are typically extremely overpriced (some being sold for over $5,000).

Do Alaskan Klee Kai shed?
YES! They shed year-round with their heaviest when they "blow" their coats, when they shed their undercoats in preparation for a new one to grow in. Coat-blowing season is generally in the spring (shedding for their summer coat) and the fall (growing in their winter coats). While it's a smaller amount relative to their husky ancestors, it is still a lot of fur compared to another dog of their size. You can easily make another dog with the amount of fur you can brush off during these times of year!

Are Klee Kai loud?
Their "loudness" truly based on the individual, but, yes, they are a vocal, noisy breed. They don't bark much more than any dog breed on average, but they do talk and speak their minds. Some may be more vocal than others though. If you are in an urban or suburban area and concerned about noise complaints due to excessive barking, we recommend speaking with your neighbors and/or landlord, then work on training to help harness the energy behind those charming voices! However, if a noisy life isn't your forte, you may need to pass on this breed.

I did an Embark/Wisdom Panel/etc. on my dog and it had a small percentage of another breed (i.e. Schipperke, Siberian Husky, Alaskan Husky type, American Eskimo). Is my dog really a purebred?
It still can be! There are still some dogs in the breeding pool that are only a few generations away from the foundation stock, so some tests can still pick up one of the foundation breeds. At the moment, it really depends on which lines your dog is from. If you have its pedigree, a number of us can tell you where that sliver of another breed came from. As time passes and more generations are born, eventually those percentages will begin to drop off. (Keep in mind that Alaskan Huskies have a very mixed gene pool, so you may get rather surprising breeds popping up.) This is really not a common occurence at this point. However, if you've received your dog from a pet store or a questionable breeder, the likelihood of the dogs being actual mixes is rather high. (Shiba Inu tends to pop up often in these DNA tests, which means those dogs are indeed mixes. The Shiba Inu was never used in the development of the breed.)

The Program

How much is an Alaskan Klee Kai?
An Alaskan Klee Kai puppy from an ethical breeder tend to range from $2,000 - $4,000 USD, although some may charge extra based on specific characteristics and/or combinations (i.e. miniature black and white with double blue eyes). Deviations from the price would likely be contributed to by the present exchange rate (if being purchased outside the program's native country), taxes, transportation, etc. Occasionally, rehomed or rescued puppies or adults and retired breeding dogs will be available at a discounted rate. Aspen Veil Klee Kai are currently priced at $3,500, no matter the eye and fur colors, size variety, sex, etc. Keep in mind though, as with any breed, if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

How do I apply for a puppy?
You can head over to the Application section which will include some pre-submission information along with how our application process goes. (The same application and process will be used with rehoming of puppies and adults.)

How long is the wait?
This breed is in high demand while also known to have small litters. The more specific your wants, the longer the wait could be. We are not a high volume breeder, so litters are sparse while the rest of the time is spent proving our dogs in sports, shows, and performance. When we're not busy with puppies, we are busy with working our dogs. While we try to follow our waitlist in chronological order based on receipt of the application and deposit, we pick homes based on the puppy's temperament and the applicant's needs. You can expect a wait of at least six months to two years, depending on the timing, success rate, waitlist length, and the economy.

When do you do health tests and how often?
We do our health-testing through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and participate in the CHIC program to obtain a CHIC number for every dog. All four required tests (cardiac, patellas, thyroid, and eyes) can be completed and recorded at one year old. We usually aim to obtain the CHIC numbers shortly after their first birthdays to get those tests out of the way. At two years old, we will then test for hips and elbows to screen for dysplasia. While eye certification is only valid for a year, we will usually renew it every other year unless there is an early concern.

What is the difference between pet/companion and show/breeding/performance prospects?
While every puppy produced here is a purebred Alaskan Klee Kai, no puppy will perfectly fit the breed standard set by the associated kennel clubs. Keep in mind that all of our pups are pets first, but the terminology of "pet/companion-quality" is because the puppy has an disqualifying fault, the number of faults outweigh what is correct, the temperament does not fit the program's goals, certain undesirable genotypes, or a congenital or health issue. There are many factors that apply to what "pet quality" is, but it does not make the pup any less of a beautiful, loved Klee Kai.
Puppies that are "show" or "breeding prospects" are currently rather exclusive, especially in a breed with a small gene pool. Shows (a.k.a. conformation) are meant to judge breeding stock, so those that are breeding quality should also be show quality. While every puppy changes as they grow, these ones show promise with fitting the breed standard as an adult, without any disqualifiers and minimal faults -- that is why they're considered "prospects".
Performance is a happy medium between pets and show. At Aspen Veil, we aim for every puppy to be capable in performance, such as dock diving, lure coursing, nosework, obedience, and agility. While show/breeding prospects are expected to also be able to be performance dogs as well, companions should be able to as well because performance sports are great for even just pets and their owners, no matter the breed, pedigree, or handicaps!

What does the 'PR' in front of the dogs' registered names mean?
PR stands for "Purple Ribbon", a distinction presented by the United Kennel Club to indicate the entirety of a dog's three-generation pedigree (14 ancestors) is registered under UKC under the same breed. Since most of the Alaskan Klee Kai are registered with the UKC, 'PR' precedes nearly all registered names.

How do I know when a dog is from you on a pedigree?
Depending on the registry (as each registry will have character limits for registered names), you'll know a dog is from the program if its registered name is preceded by any of the following: AVKK, AVKK's, ASPENVEIL, ASPENVEIL'S. (Some registered names may end with '@ AVKK', which means a dog from an outside program was placed here as a puppy, like Cinder's registered name: Regal Raspberry Beret @ AVKK).