FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

•How much does an Alaskan Klee Kai cost?

The price of an Alaskan Klee Kai can vary from kennel to kennel but some of the basic factors that may determine the price of a puppy include: the puppy's quality in regards to the breed standard, the quality of its pedigree and sometimes gender, eye color, or coat color.  You can expect to spend anywhere between $2500 and $3500 on an Alaskan Klee Kai puppy.

•How long will it take for me to get a puppy?

There is really no way of knowing how long you may have to wait until you receive a puppy. However, if you are requesting a very specific type of puppy, it may take us longer to accommodate your request.  We keep all individuals on our waitlist informed of new litters and available puppies even if we aren't offering any of the the varieties you may have requested. 

We do not give priority according to an individual's position on the waitlist, though it is something that we take into account when placing our puppies.  We want all our puppies to be placed with the most compatible families, so we may reserve certain puppies for specific households.  For example, if we have a particularly vocal puppy, we probably won't place him with a family who lives in an apartment.  The main function of our waitlist is to serve as a means for determining who is interested in our puppies so that we may keep them updated when litters arrive and puppies become available.  If we have an outstanding puppy available, we may occasionally give priority to established breeders and those interested in conformation events.

•Are your dogs registered with the AKC?

The Alaskan Klee Kai is not currently recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).  Our dogs are however, registered with the United Kennel Club (UKC) and all puppies from our kennel come with UKC registration certificates.  Many breeders are working to get the breed recognized by the AKC and the breed has recently been added to the AKC Foundation Stock Services (AKC FSS). The Alaskan Klee Kai may eventually become fully recognized by the AKC in the future, though there are also a number of breeders who are against such efforts. While the AKC is a much larger and more popular kennel club than the UKC, many considered the AKC to be overly commercialized and impersonal, and hard for beginning handlers to break into.

•What is the typical lifespan of an Alaskan Klee Kai?

The typical lifespan is between 12 and 18 years.

•What is included in the price of a puppy?

All puppies will have been microchipped, dewormed, they will have had their dew claws removed, as well as received their first sets of vaccinations upon arrival at their new homes.  We will also include photos of both parents, a binder with veterinary records, a bag of your puppy's current dog food, and a care basket.   Lastly, you will receive a complimentary one-year membership to AKKAOA, as well as your puppy's UKC pedigree and registration certificate.  If your puppy was placed on a spay or neuter contract, we may hold the registration certificate until the spay or neuter has been performed.

•Do you ship puppies out of state?

I prefer not to ship puppies out of state because most airlines place all their animals in cargo.  Shipping a puppy can be a very traumatic experience for a young animal and I would like all puppies from my kennel to have a pleasant transition into the outside world.  I would much prefer for all my puppies to be picked up on-site.  However, if you do plan to have your puppy shipped, I will not ship puppies out via air until I feel they are physically and emotionally ready for the trip.  Shipping will generally cost between $300 and $350, which includes the cost of your puppy's crate, health certificate, and airfare.

•Will you export a puppy out of the country?

We may allow the exportation of a puppy out of the country depending upon the distance and the rules and restrictions of the receiving country. 

•Do you require a deposit?

We do not require a deposit in order to be added to our waiting list.  However, if there is a puppy you are interested in purchasing from us, we do require a nonrefundable $500 deposit in order to hold that puppy for you.  Between the time that the deposit is received and the puppy is delivered, we have the right to cancel the contract at anytime, for any reason.  Upon which, your deposit will be returned in full.

•What's the difference between a pet quality and a show quality Alaskan Klee Kai?

"Pet quality" or "show quality" tends to refer to how well a dog conforms to the breed standard.  Should a puppy possess any serious faults or disqualifications, the puppy will be altered in an effort to remove those traits from the breeding pool.  Something that would separate a pet quality dog from a show quality dog may be as simple as a kink in its tail or an asymmetrical mask. 

Dogs that have been altered cannot participate in standard conformation events, as these types of shows are intended to be evaluations of the breeding stock. However, there are many other performance events, such as agility and obedience, that a pet quality dog may very well excel in.  All pet quality puppies from Nornir Kennels will be sold on spay/neuter contracts.   Those interested in obtaining a show quality puppy must agree to complete a Breed Quality Exam between 12 - 24 months of age.  Should the dog exhibit any serious faults, the owner agrees to immediately alter the dog.

•Do Alaskan Klee Kai shed?

Yes. The Alaskan Klee Kai requires a decent amount of grooming.  I tend to groom my dog around once or twice each week to remove loose hairs and to prevent matting.  However, as with the husky, the Alaskan Klee Kai blows it's dense undercoat twice a year and during those times, daily grooming is suggested.  My advice is to always have a few lent rollers or a ChomChom Pet Hair Remover on hand wherever you go.

•Is there a difference between male and female Alaskan Klee Kai?

There isn't a major difference between male and female Alaskan Klee Kai, but from experience, males tend to be more outgoing and care-free than females.  This isn't the case with all Alaskan Klee Kai but you are more likely to find a cautious and shy female Alaskan Klee Kai than a male. A lot of behavior is genetic, but also a great deal is environmental as well.  You should always try to expose your Alaskan Klee Kai to a variety of different people, places and stimulants so he or she is less likely to react negatively when encountering a new situation. The breed standard states that the breed "may be aloof with strangers" but many breeders are trying to focus more on selecting for outgoing dogs that make ideal companions both inside with the family and outside the home.

•Do Alaskan Klee Kai make good apartment dogs?

Alaskan Klee Kai tend to have a great deal of energy and thus require a fair amount of physical activity.  A yard is nice for allowing a dog to run off some of the energy by itself but even with a yard, daily walks are necessary for sound physical and mental health.  I would not recommend an apartment lifestyle for an Alaskan Klee Kai unless the owner is willing to take their dog on long daily walks.  These dogs are not cats and need more than food, water and some pets each day to keep them happy.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this breed can be very vocal.  I have seen a number of owners return puppies to their breeders due to neighbor noise complaints.  If you live in an apartment, be sure to emphasize your living situation with your breeder so that he or she might be able to pair you with the right puppy.

•Are Alaskan Klee Kai good with other pets?

It is best to expose your Alaskan Klee Kai to other family pets at a young age.  Alaskan Klee Kai tend to develop strong prey drives as they mature, so it is a good idea to teach them how to treat other animals before they have the strength to do any real damage.  I would not recommend allowing your Alaskan Klee Kai access to any small birds or rodents, as this breed is easily excitable and smaller animals tend to be very fragile.

 •Are Alaskan Klee Kai good with children?

As with any other animal, Alaskan Klee Kai will respond according to the manner in which they are treated.  Children should be taught the proper way to care for and handle a puppy.  Though Alaskan Klee Kai are adorable animals, they are not toys and deserve respect from all members of the household.  Typically, if an Alaskan Klee Kai is not raised around children, he or she may be either fearful or aggressive around unrestrained children.  If you have children or expect to sometimes have children around your dog, it is highly recommended that you expose your Alaskan Klee Kai to many different children in many different situations while your dog is still young.