Alaskan Klee Kai Characteristics
Life expectancy: 12 – 16 years
Adult weight: 15 – 25 lbs.
Adult height: 15 – 18 in.
Origin – United States
Alaskan Klee Kai, popularly and fondly known as Klee Kai, is a Husky look-alike, small, spitz-type of dog breed. The small size is self-explained by the term ‘Klee kai’ itself as it means ‘little dog’. It is an energetic, intelligent dog who is also very territorial but despite the high energy levels, it is not very aggressive like the other Huskies. Available in four color combinations; black and white, red and white, grey and white, and only white, these dogs also look somewhat like the Alaskan Malamute.
Originally developed in Alaska by Linda Spurlin in the 1970s, these are small in size and a mix of Alaskan Husky, Siberian Husky, American Eskimo Dog, and Schipperkes. Temperament-wise, they are highly active but not typically hyper, curious, eager to please, and suspicious of strangers. So, if you’re looking to buy a watchdog, they can make the perfect ones.
What is the price of an Alaskan Klee Kai?
Let’s break down the price by categorizing it into adoption costs, vaccinations, diets, healthcare, insurance, etc. According to Rover and the OVMA, here are the average costs of puppy ownership in Canada.
Buying: $2500 – $3000
These American dogs are not very cheap when you look at the initial adoption cost itself. The cost of adopting a pup may vary from breeder to breeder, but you should be able to find one between 2.5-3 grand from a reputed breeder. There are several online portals available through which you can get one for your home.
You might even find some local shelters or national rescue clubs where owners surrender their pets, and then these small beautiful creatures look for their next permanent home. With this option, you may spend less, and it can also make you feel very proud to provide a new home to an abandoned Klee Kai. They provide a detailed description of the dog, including its temperament, history, and habits. Thank us later!
The long-Term cost of Alaskan Klee Kai
Diets: $110-$130
Small Klee Kai pups would require 3-4 bowls of food every day. As they keep growing, the number of food bowls will keep reducing and eventually reach 1 food bowl per day or 2 small bowls per day for an adult AKK. Raw, high-quality dog food is recommended for your AKK. However, you can also include eggs, cottage cheese, fruits, and raw vegetables in the diet but keep it lower than 10% of the meal. Overall, the food costs per month would be around $110-$130 or can go higher depending on the type of food you choose.
Medical Costs: $1000-$1200
Apart from the vaccines, there can be some other routine check-ups and tests that would be necessary every once in a while. For e.g., heartworm tests, dental cleaning, flea and tick prevention, deworming, etc. Exams like fecal exams, physical exams, and allergy testing should also be done. And then there is spaying or neutering. All of these would cost you around $1000.
Vaccinations: $150-$200
Core vaccinations for an Alaskan Klee Kai can include distemper, parvovirus, Adenovirus, type 1, Adenovirus, type 2, and rabies. All of these would cost you around $150-$200, depending on your location and the type of medical facility you’re using.
There are certain non-core vaccinations as well, which would be prescribed by most vets. These include parainfluenza, Lyme disease, and leptospirosis. The cost of these can go up to another $130-$150.
Microchipping: $50-$70
We encourage pet parents to microchip all their pets. The cost can vary depending on where you live, but an average cost of it would be around $60.
Grooming: $50-$75
Klee Kai is a shedding type of dog breed. So, you will frequently see hair lying around your furniture and on your clothes. So as grooming is considered, brushing would be required 2-3 times a week. Flea and tick inspection and cleaning at least once a month, especially during warm weather. Most of the dog owners prefer professional grooming. This would cost you around $50-$75. Also, for the hair on your clothes, a lint roller shouldn’t cost you more than $5-$7.
Training: $200-$250
An untrained AKK can tend to bark for no reason, get aggressive at times, soil indoors, and even disobey its owners. This shows that it’s important to train them. With their high intelligence, it shouldn’t be very difficult anyways. There are several training facilities that can provide group and private training for AKKs. They could cost you around $40 per session. Some owners prefer a personal trainer who will stay with the dog for a week or so and teach all the basic commands. This could be an expensive option though reaching about $1000 per week.
Lifetime Klee Kai Cost
Looking at all the expenses that you will have to manage for your Alaskan Klee Kai puppy throughout the life including adoption, diets, health, training, grooming, emergencies, etc. you can expect the figure to be somewhere around $10,000-$12,000. This of course will depend on the quality of life you give to the dog, food and diet choices, training and grooming choices, etc. But when you lift the beautiful pup in your hand, you will happily feel like paying all the bills for the amount of love that it will make you feel.
Conclusion
If you are a Husky fan but cannot keep up with its high exercise requirements and also the huge size, the Alaskan Klee Kai could be the perfect one for you with almost the same features in a small size. The breed is a rare one, which adds one more reason for you to feel special when you get one home.
Happy Parenting to you and Lots of Love to your Pup!
With 10 years of experience as a pet parent, I aim to empower pet owners with insights into pet insurance and maintaining their pet's well-being. I aspire to be a trusted source, combining knowledge with a commitment to the welfare of our beloved pets.
“How Much Does it Cost to be a Dog Parent?” Rover, https://www.rover.com/ca/blog/cost-of-dog-parenthood, n.d.
“Annual Cost of Owning a Puppy,” OVMA, https://www.ovma.org/assets/1/6/CostOfCare%20PuppyDog%202022.pdf, n.d.
