Alaskan kli-kai, or dwarf husky, belongs to the northern breed of dogs and has a playful and sociable nature. A smart dog will quickly find an approach to all family members, becoming an indispensable companion.
How and when was the breed bred?
The Kli-kai breed was first bred by mating Siberian and Alaskan huskies, and in order to reduce the overall characteristics, a husky and an American Eskimo dog were added to the mating, which made it possible to obtain a unique medium-sized breed that did not show dwarf properties.
The start of the breeding mini-husky Kli-kai was laid by Linda S. Spurlin from Alaska in the seventies. She was engaged in breeding as a private owner, and in the late eighties she allowed to use the genus for general breeding.
Dwarf Husky the name of the breed originally had a common - Kli-kai, but due to political trends in 95 they began to be classified into the Alaskan Kli-kai and Kli-kai. The subsequent unification of the genus happened after the breed was recognized by clubs and associations of rare breeds.
Features of external characteristics
Kli-kai dog is characterized by the following external signs:
- The transition from the frontal to the muzzle is moderate. The skull has a wedge-shaped shape, the muzzle narrows to the nose.
- The size of the muzzle is equal to the size of the head from the occipital protuberance to the forehead. The lower jaw does not stand out. The lip is predominantly black, but a lighter, hepatic color for red and white dogs is acceptable.
- The nose is predominantly black, but whitish blotches (snow) are acceptable, in lighter colors it is dark gray.
- Medium-sized eyes set a little slanting. The color of the cornea is possible different, different shades can be combined. The section of the eyes is either almond-shaped, or oval, or round. The rim around the eyes should be black, and in light colors - dark gray.
- The ears are triangular erect, the tips are rounded, located perpendicular to the head. Thickly covered with wool. They look large relative to the head.
- The structure of the body: medium-sized cervical arched and elevated. During the run, the dog extends its neck so that the head is parallel to the body. The top line, from the withers to the front of the sternum, is straight. The sternum itself is wide oval in shape, slightly protruding beyond the line of the front paws. The croup is powerful. The lumbar region is shortened and powerful, the groin is flat and narrower than the chest.
- The front legs are flat, the shoulders extend back at an angle of about 100 degrees relative to the shoulder blades. Metacarpus shortened, slightly inclined, characterized by strength and flexibility.
- The hind limbs are slightly divorced, the lower leg and metatarsus form a small angle relative to the heels and hocks, which form an angle of 90 degrees relative to the ground.
- The paws are oval in shape and have a thick woolen coat. The pads are thick and dense.
- The tail is fluffy and wrapped in a pretzel. The tip is painted in a darker tone.
- The coat is double. Pile in the neck area longer than on the body, and forms a collar. The undercoat is thick and delicate, serves as a support for the upper layer of wool.
Growth and weight characteristics
Dwarf Husky has three dimensional parameters:
- Kli-kai toy grows to 35 cm and reaches a weight of four kilograms.
- Miniature Husky is in the growth range from 34 to 39 cm and weight category from 4.5 to 6.9 kg.
- A standard click is from 39 to 44 cm tall and weighs from 7.2 to 11 kg.
A dog’s height exceeding 44 cm qualifies as a flaw, and above 45 cm - as a disqualification. Such dogs are no longer suitable for contests and competitions.
Features of color and coat
Dogs from the dwarf husky breed have four characteristic colors:
- gray with white;
- black and white;
- red with white (red color refers to the color of cinnamon or chestnut);
- white - such a suit was recognized relatively recently and is not always allowed to participate in exhibitions and tribal mating.
The coat of cliques is divided into standard and long-haired. However, the length of the pile should not obscure the natural silhouette. Otherwise, the owner of too long coat runs the risk of losing the competition and getting the stigma of "flaw".
Psychological characteristics
If the appearance of a click-kai is very similar to a husky, then the nature of these breeds have significant differences:
- miniature husky is fun-loving and likes to participate in outdoor games, never refuses to have fun in the fresh air or take part in long walks;
- the dog does not tolerate loneliness, so this breed is not suitable for those who are absent from the house all day;
- kli-kai do not bark, but communicate with the owner, and the individual sounds of the dogs speech ’are very similar to human dialect, vocal abilities in dogs of this breed and the art of washing with the front paws, like cats, can also be noted;
- the dog is very affectionate and obedient in the family circle, and with strangers is on guard;
- It lends itself well to training, memorizing a lot of teams and performing them with pleasure;
- can easily live in apartment conditions and in a country house;
- Does not conflict with other pets. It gets along well with children, never showing aggression.
According to all psychological characteristics, the dwarf husky is recognized as an ideal family dog, capable, if necessary, to defend its owner.
How to choose a puppy?
Alaskan clique puppies at a young age may not show breed signs. It is recommended to buy a pet at the age of eight months, when a bite will already be formed, tests for the color of the reverse mask are carried out and the necessary vaccinations are made. If the puppy is purchased for exhibitions, then you should contact a reputable specialist who can easily identify the flaws and imperfections of the animal. It is also recommended to buy a pet in special nurseries or from trusted, reliable breeders, and not from your hands or on the Internet.
The cost of dwarf huskies varies between two thousand in dollar terms, which indicates the rarity of the breed. According to experts, a click-on justifies such investments - it is a great friend and companion who will become a member of the family for a long time, because the life expectancy of a dog is from 11 to 17 years.
The subtleties of care
It is not difficult to look after the clique, as well as the Siberian husky. These dogs are clean and rarely go dirty. Many representatives of the breed spend about an hour and a half on their hygiene daily. They have no pronounced dog smell and stench from the mouth. The only thing they can’t clean out is their paws when the weather is wet and dirty.
When caring for a miniature husky, you should adhere to some simple principles:
- They bathe a dog quite rarely, as it is practically not susceptible to disease and is not allergic.
- Due to the rare molting, the hair needs to be combed out as necessary.
- To avoid diseases of the oral cavity, it is necessary to replace rubber toys in time.
- Ears are a weak point, so you should pay special attention to them.
- Food should be varied, because mini-husky along with an active lifestyle can relax for half a day. The diet should include both dry and wet foods, vitamins in the form of treats and vegetables. Moderate consumption of sweets will not harm the dog.
- Twice a year, claws should be sheared.
- Due to the thick undercoat, Kli-kai does not need additional warm clothes in the winter. And for the same reason, one should not be in direct sunlight for a long time in the summer.
Hair care
Dwarf Husky is the owner of a thick coat, which is recommended to comb once a week using a fumigator or a thick comb. When seasonal molting occurs, the interval between combing is reduced to two to three days in order to exclude knocking of wool into tangles.
Pet Walking Requirements
In the conditions of the city, the dog needs to provide walking in a spacious territory with the organization of games, and in crowded places it is advisable not to let the dog off the leash.
If the animal is kept in the yard of a country house, then you need to pay attention to the behavior of the pet.
Kli-kai digs very well under the fence, and this may be unsafe for his health. Indeed, outside the home and familiar courtyard, many dangers can lie in wait.
Diet Selection
Mini-huskies are not particularly picky about food. This can be explained by a hereditary trait adopted from the parent breeds.
The pet does not need to draw up a special diet. It is easy to please him by offering porridge or vegetables. When feeding the animal should adhere to the principle of "do not overfeed."
When using dry food, experts advise you to purchase premium feeds designed for small and active dogs.
Possible diseases and necessary vaccinations
From the moment of breeding, no genetic defects were detected in this species, which means that there are no characteristic diseases in Klicai. However, there always remains the risk of infection with typically canine sores, such as cystitis, diarrhea, fleas, lichen, colds and poisoning.
Very rarely, a blood disease can be detected in which a fatal outcome is inevitable if no action is taken in terms of treatment. But this is rather an exception to the rule.
Despite the excellent health, it is still necessary to instill clicks.
The first planned comprehensive vaccination is carried out by the breeder when the puppy reaches the age of 8-9 weeks, and the second - after 3-4 weeks.
Subsequent preventive vaccinations are carried out at one-year intervals.
The vaccine includes drugs that can withstand canine ailments such as parvovirus (hemorrhagic) enteritis, pyroplasmosis, leptospirosis, plague and rabies.
How to knit clicks?
Due to the small number and youth of the breed, it is not easy to find a partner for breeding. Also in different cynological associations there are different breed standards. In addition to all this, it is rather difficult to identify genital defects.
For breeding, you should use the services of a trusted nursery, and even better to choose a partner in the historical homeland, but it is quite troublesome and expensive.
Before mating, both partners must undergo helminth prophylaxis and have good physical condition and health.
Also required is the presence of an experienced dog handler for mating, because the breed is quite rare and expensive.
Parenting Mistakes
A feature of the Alaskan clique is the ability to instantly grasp commands and quickly get used to human speech, including its imitation. Due to such features, it is necessary to know what is possible and what cannot be done in the process of raising a pet:
- the dog should have enough rest time to restore the energy expended;
- you can’t leave the pet alone for a long time, and leaving for a while, you should close the windows and balconies so that the jumper does not have a desire to jump out into the street and be crippled;
- since kli-kai belong to companion dogs, any activity should be common for the owner and pet. This will entertain and delight a devoted friend.
Mini-Husky is an exclusive breed that looks like the famous Husky, but is the exact opposite in terms of character. The dog is not afraid of cold weather, nor city smog. She feels equally comfortable in the apartment and in the country. They do not cause much trouble and willingly respond with kindness to care. In addition, this is a great and faithful friend and nanny, who is not afraid to entrust the child. The acquisition of such a comrade as mini-husky (kli-kai), involves noise and fun. Boredom or loneliness will never be felt with him.