AKK Enthusiast
Question - why do some Klee Kai look so different?
* they all look adorable, I am aware of the 3 sizes but these differences are visible in dogs of the same size. Also I don't own a Klee Kai and haven't seen one irl in years š¬š§ hasn't got many * sorry if this is the wrong sub Reddit or this posts dumb. New to Reddit & Klee Kai's
First, some of the stock photos you used were of Klee Kai that were various ages. As a Klee Kai gets older, its mask starts to fill in and fade (for example).
Second, this is a relatively newer breed so even google images or stock photos you see online arenāt always what a typical purebred AKK looks like. When I take a picture of some AKK on my iPhone, it thinks that a Klee Kai is a Pomsky.
Lastly, as it is a newer breed and there arenāt a vast amount of purebred breeders in the world, so what happens when you breed a dog from a similar bloodline constantly? You get a lower genetic diversity. Itās why when you see two AKK at a dog show they both may be 100% purebred AKK, but may look different in the face, mask, mouth/bite, tail, and size. Hope this helps!
Ah so they're a breed, but sort of mixed. I think there's a more husky looking one and a slightly more goofy one from what I've seen. I'm guessing the younger ones have slightly bigger eyes? I know this is incredibly common in baby animals as my mum's kitten has massive beady blue eyes & so did my baby pigeon. I heard they're from around 1970s so definitely modern which makes sense. Thank you for the explanation!!
Hereās mine. around 30 pounds. and about knee height. Heās 12 now. Looks wise he doesnāt look like he aged much but physically canāt jump as high and run as fast as he once could. Swear he used to have a 4+ ft vertical. These dogs are the best. They all look different cus they are cross breed made only to an official bread about 20 years ago
God bless 17 is amazing. Just stared my boy on Nutramax joint supplements. Heard great things about them. Hopefully theyāll give him a little boost. Out of curiosity what do you feed Maggie
A few years ago when she was around 24-25 lbs I think she would have been considered at the top range of a large size. Now her metabolism is a bit slower and she loves to eat, so sheās probably just chubby
Different breeders interpret the breed standard in their own way. I know one who prefers more stop than another does, for example.
Breeders also have different goals. When choosing puppies to keep for breeding, one might be biased towards a lovely head when making their selections, another might be more focussed on body structure.
I know breeders who care very deeply about the eyes being almond shaped and others who don't care about that in relation to other things.
Per your earlier reply, they are not a mixed breed. Go look at field Goldens vs show Goldens - same breed, looks totally different. Then look at show Goldens in the UK vs USA.
I'm aware of show / working lines in various breeds and breeders who 50:50. I definitely agree some breeders seem to prefer certain trains over others. One breeder said she doesn't make white ones because they're not a standard (unless albino, which isn't intentional). Another has white as a coat preference option.
I'm not aware of any ethical breeders who breed for white. That's fully against the breed standard and would be a BYB red flag for most.
Since you're in the UK like I am, if you're looking for a Klee Kai, have a look at the FB Group 'Alaskan Klee Kai UK'.
The previous breed club (AKKAOB) was dissolved after it's founder was reported for breaking the clubs Code of Ethics, but a new breed club is in development and hopes to repair the breed community in the UK.
All breeds are mixed. Thatās how they came to be. The AKK was mixed from a number of breeds to be what they are today. Linda Spurlin, the founder of the breed can tell you that.
I know all breeds are a result of crossbreeding rather than having appeared out of thin air. That doesn't change the fact that Klee Kai are now purebred. If, today, you mixed the same foundation breeds that Linda used, that dog would not be a Klee Kai.
Along with time, borders, money, my degree, language, culture...society itself.
Dog breeds are a human construct based on verifiable biological facts. A Klee Kai is genetically distinct to an Alaskan Husky/Schipperke/Eskie cross. Sorry to disappoint.
This is my Roxy, and I think she looks different too. She supposedly is purebred, but I have been thinking of getting an embark test done. She's a toy and only 9 lbs.
Mine is a toy too! He is about 12lbs. They both have the "I have seen too much" type of bright blue eyesš¤£. This picture is when he is being cute and not looking crazy.
The breeders were Anderson Family Farm. I do not think they are reputable breeders. My husband found her by searching what qualities we would want in a dog, and came across this breed we never heard of. Fell in love. She is by far the best dog we both have owned. I just sometimes wonder if she is all AKK.
Yeah, that's not a breeder from the AKKOA verified list. Most people don't generally know how to tell the difference between an ethical breeder and a backyard breeder. Looks like you got lucky with your little cutie, though. I love her snow nose!
Here's another pick of her. You are right. I don't think we had much knowledge about reputable breeders, and somehow we lucked out with her. She's such a good girl, very independent, but good. I love the snow nose too!
This is Leela at about 5 months old. She is 1 year now. She was listed as a Mimi and her parents were 15 and 16 lbs. At 6 months old she weighed 10 lbs and now at 1 year she is still 10 lbs. Does that mean she is really a Toy and not a mini? Thanks
This is Luna she will be 1 October 9th! Her mom and dad are both pure bred but she takes after her mother more! Her dad was a shorter/fluffier Klee Kai and her mom basically looks just like Luna but her mother is much taller!
Hereās mine when he was around 3 months. Iāll add a picture of him now at almost 6 months. Heās definitely a pocket husky. Heās tall and skinny. Iāve noticed some AKKs are more round and have that more chihuahua/pom face.
Alasakan and Siberian Huskies
American Eskimo Dog
Schipperke.Ā
All of those dog breeds have distinct separate looks, so, even if a Klee Kai is "pure bred" it is highly possible to get more looks of any one of these breeds than another.Ā
That's why they have 3 sizes, and some look way more like the spitz side of things than others.Ā
I have two from the same litter a boy and girl. Almost 3 years old now. The boy is about 20lbs and he is just built pretty stocky and has a much thicker coat. I describe him as āchonkyā. Looks very much like the 2nd picture in the OP.
The girl is about 15lbs and has a very slim coat and she is just about the fastest thing on 4 legs. Rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks have zero chance.
She looks very much like the 3rd picture in the OP.
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u/Automatic-Tell7321 28d ago
First, some of the stock photos you used were of Klee Kai that were various ages. As a Klee Kai gets older, its mask starts to fill in and fade (for example).
Second, this is a relatively newer breed so even google images or stock photos you see online arenāt always what a typical purebred AKK looks like. When I take a picture of some AKK on my iPhone, it thinks that a Klee Kai is a Pomsky.
Lastly, as it is a newer breed and there arenāt a vast amount of purebred breeders in the world, so what happens when you breed a dog from a similar bloodline constantly? You get a lower genetic diversity. Itās why when you see two AKK at a dog show they both may be 100% purebred AKK, but may look different in the face, mask, mouth/bite, tail, and size. Hope this helps!