You may think Alaskan Klee Kai and Pomskies look similar – but these are two different types of dogs.
The Alaskan Klee Kai is a purebred dog that is recognised by the United Kennel Club.
A Pomsky, on the other hand, is a mix between a Siberian Husky and a Pomeranian.
Although Pomskies are often dubbed as a designer breed, they’re not a “breed” but a mixed dog.
In this article, we’re going to take a close look at differences between Alaskan Klee Kai and Pomsky.
We hope to provide a clear insight into both dogs by breaking up this feature into the following secitions:
With the introduction over, let’s take a closer look at the Alaskan Klee Kai.
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What Is An Alaskan Klee Kai?
Skye the Alaskan Klee Kai (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
Alaskan Klee Kai are purebred dogs that originate in Alaska, USA. The breed was started by an American woman called Linda Spurlin in the 1970s.
Spurlin encountered an undersized Husky called Curious during a trip to Colorado. She decided to adopt Curious and bring her new Husky dog back to Alaska. Inspired by the attention that Curious received, Spurlin looked to create a companion-sized Husky.
Writing on the Alaskan Klee Kai Association of America’s website, Spurlin explains the role that the Alaskan Husky played in the creation of her Alaskan Klee Kai:
These are the ancestors of the Alaskan Klee Kai. The Alaskan Husky is a mixture of the best, and so was the creation of the Alaskan Klee Kai. I also added a small dose of Siberian Husky, and just the right amount of smaller dogs of similar conformation for developing my original stock.
The smaller breeds that Spurlin used were the American Eskimo Dog and Schipperke.
It’s important to note that you can’t “create” an Alaskan Klee Kai by breeding any combination of an Alaskan Husky, Siberian Husky, American Eskimo Dog and Schipperke. The only way to “create” an Alaskan Klee Kai is by breeding two Alaskan Klee Kai (registered with the United Kennel Club).
After a lot of hard working refining the breed, Spurlin released her Alaskan Klee Kai to the general public in 1988 due to popular demand.
She explains on the AKKAOA’s website:
I knew eventually, that even though my goal for my little dogs was just to have them be a beloved little companion dog, that there would be those who would purchase them who would be interested in showing them. This would require recognition by a major kennel club.
The United Kennel Club granted the Alaskan Klee Kai status as a breed in 1997. These little dogs have also received full recognition by the Federation of International Canines, the American Rare Breed Association and Canine Rarity Shows.
What Is A Pomsky?
Pomsky cost between $1000 and $5000 (Photo: Adobe Stock)
Unlike Alaskan Klee Kai, Pomskies aren’t purebred dogs – that’s an important distinction to note. A Pomsky is a mix between a Pomeranian and a Siberian Husky.
The Pomsky breed is thought to have first originated in the late 2000s in the United States. These mixed dogs are one of the more popular “designer dogs”. They incorporate the traits of both Pomeranians and Siberian Huskies. However, there are no guarantees which traits they’ll inherit from each parent.
The Pomeranian is a Spitz dog that hails from the Pomerania region in northern Germany and Poland along the Baltic Sea. Queen Victoria is credited with reducing the size of Pomeranians from around 30 inches to their current size of seven inches.
Siberian Huskies come from a nomadic Chukchi tribe in the Siberian region of Asia. Adept at hauling light loads over long distances, Siberian Huskies were popular dogs during the Gold Rush in Alaska after they were imported from Russia.
The Pomsky Club of America explain how breeding a Husky with a Pomeranian works on their website:
All breedings are done with a husky female and a pomeranian male. We do not do natural breedings as they would be ineffcetive and dangerous. Artificial inseminations are the safest for all involved and are much more comfortable for the female than a natural tie with a husky would be.
Alaskan Klee Kai Size v Pomsky Size
Alaskan Klee Kai were created to be a small to medium-sized dog. The breed has three different sizes: standard, miniature and toy. Standard Klee Kai are between 15 and 17 inches in height, miniature Klee Kai are between 13 and 15 inches tall, and toy Alaskan Klee Kai can grow to a height of 13 inches. Alaskan Klee Kai size is measured by height rather than weight but usually they fall within the 15lb to 20lb range. The AKKAOA add that they don’t have a lot of pups going oversized (over 17 ½”) but there are still some.
Given the Pomsky isn’t a breed, there isn’t a breed standard unlike Alaskan Klee Kai. Therefore, theres a lack of conformation amongst these “designer dogs”. By their own admission, the PCA state that breeders cannot guarantee size. A 50/50 Pomsky could be betwen 15 to 25 lbs in weight. WagWalking suggest Pomskies can grow to between 10 and 15 inches tall and 20 to 30 lbs.
While Alaskan Klee Kai breeders have a breed standard set out by the UKC, there is no such breed standard set out by the American Kennel Club or UKC for Pomsky breeders.
Alaskan Klee Kai Colors v Pomsky Colors
Alaskan Klee Kai come in three different colors as set out in the breed standard: black and white, gray and white and red and white. However, the AKKAOA’s website says there are some white (accredited to the American Eskimo Dog) and dark (accredited to the Schipperke) Alaskan Klee Kai.
In an interview with helloBARK!, AKKAOA president Alicia Beider explained:
Coat colors in shades of black, gray or red are acceptable provided that the facial mask is distinct and clearly visible, and there is a contrasting lighter color on the bottom half of the dogs face, throat, chest, breeches, feet, legs and underside.
Pomskies can come in a wide variety of colors. The colors will usually be a combination of fawn, gray, black, brown, cream and white. The lack of “breed standard” for these dogs means there’s no conformity. As with their size, no one breeding Pomsky can guarantee the color of their puppies.
Alaskan Klee Kai Temperament
Copper, the Alaskan Klee Kai (Photo: lifewithkleekai/Instagram)
Alaskan Klee Kai are loyal and affectionate with family members. Bred to be companion pets, they can sometimes be aloof or shy around strangers. However, lots of socialization from a young age will help Klee Kai to become accustomed to meeting new people and different situations.
Although Klee Kai aren’t big enough to make effective guard dogs, they’re usually an alert breed which makes them good watchdogs.
While each dog is different, Alaskan Klee Kai do have a reputation for being escape artists with a prey drive. This is something that the AKKAOA alludes to on their website. You’ll want to make sure you’re garden or yard is impregnable before you bring home an Alaskan Klee Kai. You can work on their recall with consistent and persistent training – or hire the services of an experienced dog trainer. There are lots of Klee Kai with good recall.
Some Alaskan Klee Kai owners will attest to some issues with separation anxiety. However, this issue isn’t exclusively a Klee Kai issue. It’s a condition that can afflict a lot of purebred dogs and mixed breeds.
Alaskan Klee Kai are active dogs that’ll require between 30 and 60 minutes of exercise a day. They’re an energetic breed that will usually be happy to run with their owner or even go for a swim. However, they’re adaptable dogs that will be happy to snuggle up with their owner on the sofa too.
Pomsky Temperament
While we’re able to say with some authority some of the key personality traits to look out for in Alaskan Klee Kai, it’s more difficult to predict the temperament of a Pomsky pup. Their personalities could be representative of their Pomeranian or Siberian Husky parent.
This is something which the PCA allude to on their website:
Pomsky personalities will vary but they all have some Pom traits and some Husky traits.
Pomsky tend to be quite vocal dogs, a trait which can be found in both of their parents. They like to be part of a family unit, while they can be quite social like the Siberian Husky.
While they’re not purebred dogs like Alaskan Klee Kai, the PCA describes Pomskies as escape artists, which is a trait that is often attributed to Klee Kai.
Alaskan Klee Kai Breeders
Alaskan Klee Kai come in three different sizes (Photo: lifewithkleekai / Instagram)
If you’re looking to find an Alaskan Klee Kai breeder, you can visit the AKKAOA’s website. They have 50 breeders that have signed up to the organization’s code of ethic that describe good breeding ethics.
Heres AKKAOA president Alicia Beider to explain more:
When breeders do not follow a code of ethics, there are a plethora of problems that can occur, including no accountability for overall breeding programs, habits, goals, health testing, or even purity of the breed.
You want to make sure your Alaskan Klee Kai breeder is breeding UKC registered dogs, is doing health and genetic screens and are working with other breeders to improve genetic diversity.
Pomsky Breeders
A Pomsky is a designer dog and not a breed recognised by the AKC or UKC.
By the PCA’s own admission on their website, there are “all kinds of Pomsky scams” from people purporting to be breeders. The PCA advise anyone interested in purchasing a Pomsky to be very cautious.
There are not a lot of people having any success breeding these guys and even fewer that are doing it right so you will more than likely have to have a puppy shipped to you and will need to be patient if you really want a quality Pomsky. Just remember that if it sounds too good to be true it’s probably a scam.
The PCA endorse some Pomsky breeders on their website that have signed up the club’s code of ethics. If you’ve got your heart set on a Pomsky pup, a lot of careful research is required before you decide to buy one of these mixed dogs.
Alaskan Klee Kai Price v Pomsky Price
Alaskan Klee Kai will usually cost between $1500 and $3000. You’re best bet is to contact one of the 50 breeders who have signed up to the AKKAOA’s code of ethics. We don’t recommend using websites or third-party dealers. The price of Alaskan Klee Kai is a direct result of health tests and participation in the UKC confirmation to prove breeding stock.
The AKKAOA list some other factors that can drive up the price of a Klee Kai pup:
Some things that may influence the price may be, location of the breeder, your location, what quality you are looking for, bloodlines and the potential quality the dog/puppy.
As we’ve mentioned above, find a Pomsky breeder can be a confusing and difficult experience. For that reason, the prices of Pomsky can vary a lot.
The PCA suggest that potential Pomsky owners should be wary of anyone selling a Pomsky pup for less than $2000 as it’s “likely a scam”.
There are a lot of people selling huskies and other mixes as Pomskies which is why we demand DNA proof that our breeders are producing true Pomskies before we even allow them to join the PCA.
If you’re worried about potentially being scammed when it comes to buying a Pomsky, you may prefer to go for a purebred dog such as Alaskan Klee Kai, Pomeranians or Siberian Huskies.
Alaskan Klee Kai To Follow On Instagram
For those who want to learn more about Alaskan Klee Kai, a great way to find out more information is to follow some Klee Kai on social media.
In our experience, dog owners are usually forthcoming and willing to help on platforms such as Instagram.
Anything Else To Consider?
It’s good practice to ask any breeder to see a puppy interact with both their Mom and Dad (if possible). At the very least, you should ask to see your pup with the mother.
Most ethical and reputable breeders will ask potential dog owners to fill out an exhaustive questionnaire to learn more about your lifestyle and living situation.
You’ll usually have to put down a deposit to get on a waiting list for a puppy.
In conclusion
The biggest difference between Alaskan Klee Kai and Pomskies are Alaskan Klee Kai are purebred dogs. A Pomsky is a mixed dog resulting from the breeding of a Pomeranian and a Siberian Husky.
Alaskan Klee Kai are recognised by the United Kennel Club, as well as Federation of International Canines, the American Rare Breed Association and Canine Rarity Shows.
Pomskies, on the other hand, aren’t a breed so aren’t recognised by the AKC or UKC.
If you’re looking for more information about Alaskan Klee Kai or Pomskies, we recommend contacting the AKKAOA or PCA.
