My wife and I were pondering enlarging the pack at some point after our oldest dog, Scooby, a Lhasa Apso goes...probably won't be for a few years. We definitely will get two of whatever we get to go along with Sushi and Mochi. I of course am a strong advocate for simply getting two more sibes but my wife is a little worried about being able to handle all of that 'dog'. The pups are already really strong and she has a tough time with walking both of them at once when they get a wild hair up their rear or see something to chase.

So the convo drifted towards smaller dogs but neither of us wants a typical "small dog". We really do love the energy our huskies have - it keeps us active and on our toes. And we both love the spitz-breed characteristics. Shedding and zoomies are to be expected.

She loves Sammys but I hear they can be rather loud and they aren't that much smaller than the huskies anyways. Lots of loud high-pitched barks are the one thing we don't want.

So what about Alaskan Klee Kai's? They have all the desirable physical characteristics in a smaller package. I've heard in terms of their independent nature, need for companionship, general cleanliness and active personality that they aren't too far off from the bigger cousins.

The one thing that did strike me reading about them was that they are not as social and not as trusting of strangers...quite the opposite of sibes. I would assume that raised with other dogs, around people and with lots of interaction and experiences they would be perfectly friendly and social around all.

Generally...our goal is to find a smaller breed of spitz that can hang with the huskies. Endurance to go on long hikes in all kinds of weather...durable enough to hold their own with the huskies when they rough-play and when we are with our extended family (multiple 90+ pound dogs). But small enough for my wife to handle together on her own while I manage the huskies.

Here's a list of spitz:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Breed_Group

Here are some pros and cons of Klee Kais:

http://alaskankleekai101.com/alaskan-klee-kai/pros-and-cons-of-the-alaskan-klee-kai/

Honestly, though, every one of them I've met has been kind of growly. It's entirely possible that they just were not properly trained. In my opinion they also kind of look a little more like chihuahuas than huskies.


^See what I'm saying?

They're also hella expensive, and since they're kind of a fad right now, you have to be extra careful not to buy from a backyard breeder.

Hmm...

I would have thrown out Finnish Spitz but for the fact that they are quite barky.

I've met the klee kias at a recent dog show and they were cute and all but they had the high pitched bark you mentioned you dont like its probably has something to do with the half Pomeranian in them they're trying to make them a breed mixing the sibes and poms to me that's just wrong. Imho.

Anyway my good friend had a sammy and she was a lot quieter and noticably smaller than most sibes I have met.
I have noticed with Miya she only gets loud when she's excited so I imagine it'd be the same. Unless you just get a yeller like some siberians I know lol we love them just the same even though they talk back!

Have you considered a Shiba Inu
I dont think they're barkers. Or a Japanese Spitz?
Good luck on your search

Just thought I would clarify alaskan klee kias are not mixed with pomeranian, they are siberian husky, alaskan husky(which is a mix of fast dogs for dog sledding races) and American Eskimo dogs to have their small size. They come in three sizes toy which is 9lbs miniature I think it's like 15 and standard is like 22. All of the ones I meet are pretty snappy and they don't really like to play with other dogs. Overall I wouldn't go for one.

Jane I think you're thinking of the terrifying "pomsky".

Snappy and high pitch bark? Ugh! Not what I wanted to hear but since we have plenty of time I'll probably try to look up some people who have AKK's. I'm sure experience may vary.

Rum - I agree some of them look a little too chihuahua-esque with buggy eyes but I've also seen some cute ones that are like husky clones. Part of me wonders if some of the images floating around aren't just "mini" huskies...as in real sibes bred to be small. I'm not keen on going to a breeder who breeds for certain traits like that, something about it doesn't make me feel comfortable. Sushi's breeder told me they breed simply for healthy genetic quality and things like size, color and eyes are what they are.

The Japanese Spitz looks very Sammy like. I like Sammys but I dunno. It may just be nothing can matcha husky in my eyes. Except maybe a nice big Malamute. Hmmm...why go smaller when you can go bigger?!?!

American Eskimo dogs are also a good dog.

I've only met a couple of AKKs. They didn't look right to me. I'm sure if you found a reputable breeder of the AKK though you could maybe see the dogs they have and what they are producing.

The Klee Kai is very tricky. They are not all the same. I have met one from an excellent Klee Kai breeder and it was not at all barky or fearful like AKK (and a lot of toy dogs) tend to get a bad rap for. Just like with sibes, every dog has it's own personality. So if you did decide to get AKK's be sure to do a ton of research and find an exceptional breeder who will pair you with a confident dog with all the traits you desire. It may be harder to find that perfect Klee Kai than a sibe counterpart but they can be worth the wait. Be advised that because they are a relatively new breed there are health issues that have not yet been discovered or worked out but there are health risks with any dog so that sort of goes without saying. I was set on an AKK being my next dog but have been having second thoughts due to the exorbitant cost that breeders collaborate on for the sole purpose of keeping the breed from landing in the wrong hands or shelters. I have talked in depth with AKK breeders and am disgusted with the practice and cannot come to terms with supporting that no matter how much I would like a Klee Kai...for me it comes down to principle. I get what they are trying to do but think it's going a little too far. Hell, one of the breeders (a very reputable AKK breeder by the way) offered to rehome one of her 2 yr old grey/white AKK's that wasn't show quality for $1,800. Seriously?!

Also, the Klee Kai that have that "chihuahua-ish" look tend to be the small variety like the toy and/or miniature. The Standard size tends to looks more husky-esque, but then even the standards tend to look overly lean and leggy compared to their sibe counterparts. But some do look very much like a mini husky, something you can't tell when you purchase one as a puppy. I think if I ever did get a klee kai I would wait until it was full grown to know how it would look as an adult. But I question whether I will ever get a klee kai. I have turned my attention more to the Shiba Inu as an alternative to the Klee Kai but have not completely ruled out the AKK in my future.

Good luck with your search!

Wow. $1,800 for a 2 year old non show quality dog....

Reminds me of the exorbitant prices that French Bulldogs go for...

I've met several Klee Kai's and have been unimpressed--they are yappy and odd looking to me--their proportions seem really off.

But I can speak to Sammys! They are about the same size as a Husky (in the range of 35-60 lbs, which is a pretty big range). My Anya is on the smaller end of the spectrum--she's just 38 lbs.)

I've had huskies and Sammys, and my Sammys have been much quieter. They don't really bark or howl--they do a WOOO WOOOO sound.

In my own experience, I find Sammys to be more easily trainable than Huskies--they seem a bit more eager to please and I've had good luck doing obedience with them.

Thanks Anya! We may still consider Sammys as well...love the way they look, don't mind shedding at all. The only thing I was concerned about was barking tendencies. Obviously it varies from dog to dog though.

Couple of other Sammy questions:
- Pulling tendency/prey drive compared to huskies? That's the thing with the sibes and my wife...she can handle their size just fine when they are behaving well on leash but their natural instinct to pull combined with their prey drive can make them difficult for her to handle at times on her own.
- Grooming requirements compared to huskies? We brush the huskies down once a week (more often when they are blowing) but other than that - they are extremely low-maintenance and clean themselves very well. I can take them out and they can get pretty dirty and within a day they are looking perfectly clean again (mostly anyways). I wonder about Sammys...their coats are such a brilliant white...

Thanks

In terms of pulling, I would say in general, they tend to be less prey driven. They still need training of course, but we've been able to teach all of our Sammies (even my current maniac ) to heel nicely and stay at a heel, no matter what squirrel crosses her path. I do spend significant time training at the walk, though.

Grooming for me is also the same for Sibes and Sammys, but I spent a lot more time grooming overall! My pups all got brushed daily.

Don't worry about the white coats--Anya has rolled around in the mud and resembled a German Shepherd, then an hour later appear back to her white self. The coat is amazing at just shaking off dirt without staining. We bath Anya every few weeks, but she's a therapy dog--otherwise she could go 6 month without a bath easily and still look pristine.

I would also say American Eskimo.

Megan "Mobezilla" has one and he has even sledded and pulled with the huskes. They are small without being tiny and can hang with the big dogs.