Mini Huskies, or Alaskan Kli-kai, is a unique breed of miniature dogs. They managed to keep all the positive aspects of the Huskies and add decorativeness from the dwarf dogs to the breed. Despite the simplicity of the name, this breed is considered the most successful of all bred over the last century.
History of origin
The Alaskan Kli-kai appeared at the dawn of the XIX century. The breed is so called by chance - in the Eskimo language “Kli-kai” means “small dog”.
In the 70s in the United States, a girl named Linda decided to have a husky pet in her house. At that moment, when the pet was still too small, Linde thought that it would be great to have a dwarf husky. The girl started to fulfill her idea with the support of her friend Eileen Gregory. The ladies spent two decades to get a new breed that has All characteristics of Huskies, but different small stature.
In 1989, the breed officially showed up. The event was immense, the wide scope of the event allowed new loyal fans to gain new dogs. The end of the 90s marked the final stage of selection. In the same period, the Association of rare breeds of dogs recognized the Alaskan clique officially as an independent breed.
How the breeders turned out to create a miniature husky is unknown. According to one assumption, the girls were selected for the smallest representatives of the Huskies, crossing them together to get the same miniature offspring. Another version speaks of the original selection with small breeds, because the dwarf husky is remotely similar to the Pomeranian Spitz.
Today, it does not matter how this work was done, because the result exceeded all expectations. Mini Huskies are still rare, but the breed is quickly gaining popularity among dog lovers and professional breeders.
Characteristics of dogs
Today, this miniature breed of dog can be divided into 3 growth groups.
- Standard. The adult dog does not grow above 43 cm, the weight category is in the region of 10 kilograms.
- Mini. The size of the dog is 38 cm at the withers or lower, the weight is about 7 kilograms.
- That or toy. The smallest of all individuals. Growth of an animal is not higher than 33 cm, weight - no more than 5 kilograms.
When choosing a miniature husky should consider the characteristics of the exterior of the breed.
Description of external signs of the breed.
- Head. The shape of the muzzle is wedge-shaped, without skin folds or sagging of the skin. Muzzle slightly stretched to the nose. The ears are erect, triangular in shape, wide, set high. Scissor bite, lips tight to jaw. Stroke mucous in black and dark brown tones. The eyes are almond-shaped, the color of the iris varies from black to brown. There are individuals with heterochromia.
- Body. The body is well built, the back is straight, the paws are flat, correctly set. Fingers are collected in dense brushes. The bones of the limbs are thin. The paw pads are plump and dense. The neck is strong, short. The tail is elastic, located high, wrapped in a ring. The tail may be on the side of the pet or lay on his back. The belly is taut.
- The coat is thick, double-layered. On the face and paws shortened.
All these characteristics correspond to northern dogs, because it was from them that the described breed was derived.Defects of the Kli-kai can be attributed to direct occlusion, protruding eyes or improperly seated (close or far from each other). If you are offered such an animal, it is better to refuse it.
In individuals with gray or black hair, the stroke will be black. The red color is supported by a dark brown stroke. The coat of dogs is painted in two shades - white and any additional: red, gray, black. There are individuals with color under the fawn or saturated brown.
For any type of characteristic location of white spots on the abdomen, chest, neck, limbs, partly on the face and "riding breeches". The mask on the face must be pronounced, contrast. Drawing on the face closed, symmetrical. Visible zones of eyebrows, cheeks, possible longitudinal strip on the nose or forehead.
White color of wool is entered in the register of standard colors of the breed. Such an animal is purebred, but is not allowed to breed due to the novelty of the gene pool. Albino dogs are deemed disqualified.
A soft thick undercoat helps keep the animal's fur in a raised position. During the molt, there is a complete change of undercoat, which is the norm.
The Alaskan Kli-Kai is officially registered with two types of coat.
- Shorthair, or standard. Hair is elastic, straight, well outlines the shape of a dog.
- Longhair Ostev hair longer, resilient. Fluffy wool does not hide the contours of the torso of dogs. The fur gets the greatest length in the area of the tail, paws, and ears.
Fur coat dwarf pet should display the contours of the pet's body, but not hide them. Exhibition species are prohibited any type of haircuts with the exception of hygienic haircuts between the pads and fingers of the animal.
The main distinctive feature of the clique from the northern brothers is a contrast mask, the contours of which should be clearly visible. In comparison with husky, the miniature baby is more active, mobile, energetic. Like his brothers, an animal devotedly to the owner, can serve him as a companion, watchman or guard.
The Alaskan Kli-kai is not a descendant of huskies, nor is the Malamute, the Siberian Husky. This confusion arose because of the beginning use of Malamutes and Huskies as riding animals. A miniature copy will not be able to drag a sleigh with a rider.
Alaskan Huskies do not have any kindred roots with the Malamutes and were not brought to the territory of Alaska from the shores of Russia. Siberian Huskies are direct descendants of huskies and are related to malumats.
Remember that Siberian and Alaskan Huskies are different breeds. In the veins of the clique, the blood of an Alaskan and a little Siberian breed flows.
How to choose a puppy?
Breed miniature husky is rare and therefore expensive. These figures lure scammers. To buy a real clique puppy you need to get in line. There are not many official kennels in which the Kli-kaev are bred, which is why there is a queue.
If this does not bother you, then you can safely go to the kennel for a dog, after having drawn up a contract of sale. If the breeder does not want to provide you with all the necessary papers, you should be wary, most likely you are dealing with a fraudster.
All existing nurseries are working on the same plan, developed by Linda. There are no dashes in the pedigree of the babies, as careful tracking and tight control over breeding of the breed is carried out.
Every breeder is required to control the purity of the breed. A baby who has reached the age of 8 months is subjected to a metric and compared with the generally accepted breed standard. Be sure to take into account the following possible defects of Kli-kai:
- wrong mask, if the picture is located on the reverse side;
- bite problems;
- coat color of the animal.
All animals that did not go to the test, subject to culling and forced sterilization.
Naturally, A pet that has not passed the test will be sold cheaper than its purebred right brothers, but the difference will not be significant.
Considering how rare this breed is, as well as tight control over the quality of individuals, the price of mini-husky pets is understandable, ranging in the region of 300-350 thousand rubles.
Maintenance and care
The big plus of this breed is the lack of smell from the skin or hair of the dog. If the pet's nutrition is disturbed, then the first signal of the wrong diet is the appearance of smell. The animal belongs to the clean, the dog will not bathe in puddles or dirt, dig in the trash. Although the mini husky licks itself like a cat, It is necessary to check the pet's hair for the presence of ticks, fleas.
Grooming
It is recommended to comb the wool regularly, especially after walks. If the pet is kept all the time in the apartment, the wool is combed once a week. For this you should purchase a massage comb. Puppies require daily combing. In the fifth month of life, their wool becomes denser. At this time it will be enough weekly combing.
The most important thing in care is regular cleaning of the dog from traces of dirt or dust. You can do this with a dry or wet cloth, shaking off stained places or washing the animal. Bathing techniques for a pet should not be done frequently so as not to dry out the dog's skin. Bathing is carried out in warm water using shampoos for short-haired or other breeds. If you have an albino dog, you can use shampoos.
It is desirable to conduct bathing no more than three times a year. After the bath, the animal is allowed to dry naturally in a warm room. After drying, proceed to combing wool. Extremely neat worth processing tail. Best to do this when the pet has taken a lying position so that the dog does not have any unpleasant sensations.
During the molting period, dog combing is applied. Furminator, allowing fast and easy to gather a thick undercoat. Particularly noteworthy is the area between the pillows on the legs, it is in this place that ticks most often occur in dogs.
Trimming claws is an important hygienic procedure for dogs living exclusively in the house or walking on soft surfaces. Long claws prevent the animal from moving, which can cause injury to the paws. For clipping claws used claw cutter guillotine type. The cut is performed vertical, without affecting the capillary area. The indent is 5 or more millimeters.
Ears - a vulnerable area of representatives of this breed. They need every week several times to clean with cleaning lotiondesigned for dog ears, use hydrogen peroxide or warm water. Processing is carried out using a cotton pad, gauze or cotton swab.
Eyes are also cleaned with veterinary pharmacy products. It is necessary to wipe the eyes of the dog after each walk. In case of mucus, tears or other discharge from them, you should consult a doctor.
When choosing the type of food you should pay attention to the condition of the pet's mouth. The formation of caries and tartar is not something supernatural for this breed. A small dog should be taught to brush the teeth. To use for this, an ordinary toothbrush is not worth it, it is better to purchase a special dog like tooth powder. Brushing your teeth should be done once a week. When signs of the formation of tartar, a pet should be taken to a doctor for its removal. This procedure is painless and in the early stages passes quickly.
The Kli-kai dog is very active, playful, so long walks or jogs are recommended. Pet must at least twice a day to visit the street or issued to the closed courtyard. To the dog was not boring, you can buy her various toys, including interactive.
Kli-kai practically did not reveal severe hereditary genetic diseases. The strength of the pet's health is also due to the strict rules of breeding dogs. The average lifespan of miniature pets is 15 years, which is quite a lot for dogs. Cli kai can be attributed to long-lived breeds.
The small size of the dog makes it easy to keep it in the apartment, however, the dog may begin to spoil the furniture or gnaw soft objects. To avoid this, you should get toys at home or teach the dog the command "no". Walking on the territory of the apartment will not be able to replace walking in the fresh air, as well as reduce the activity of the dog.
Nutrition
Little Kli-kai must be fed on a schedule. Puppies under the age of 5 weeks eat 5 times a day, and the older the dog becomes, the less he eatswhile the amount of food increases. An adult individual feeds twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.
Feed your pet is desirable to start in the morning hours, the last meal to be held late in the evening. At night, the dog is desirable to give nothing. A bowl of food should be 20 minutes. This time will be enough for a pet to eat everything, then the food container should be removed. Throughout the day, the dog must have access to drinking water.
Before performing physical exertion, it is not necessary to offer food to a small baby, otherwise it may happen vomiting, torsion of the stomach, intestines.
When feeding the dog dry food should be preferred only super premium segment. Suitable feed for any decorative dogs or huskies. The portions indicated on the back of the package are recommendations only. Each dog has its own individual characteristics and requirements for the amount of feed absorbed, associated with such indicators as activity, age, weight, and so on.
Dry food is a balanced diet. Adding additional vitamins or mineral complexes to the diet occurs only after consulting a veterinarian. Food is also chosen according to the age of the dog - it is not necessary to give the adult food for puppies and vice versa. You should also feed your pet. one brand over the long term.
It is not recommended to constantly change the manufacturer or mix feed of different brands, types and classes.
Before giving the dog natural foods, you will have to create a menu for your pet. The food offered is even to be balanced. It must include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, microelements.
What can be given:
- poultry meat or beef, be sure to be without veins, bone fragments;
- vegetables;
- beef tripe, entrails;
- boiled fish without bones;
- low fat kefir;
- hard cheeses;
- liver;
- fruits in small quantities;
- raw chicken eggs once a week;
- porridge (preferably rice or buckwheat).
Any cooked food should be unsalted, without seasoning or spices. Food that a person consumes is not suitable for the Alaskan Kli-Kai.
What is forbidden:
- pork (any fatty foods that cause diarrhea in the Kli-Kai);
- raw potatoes;
- cream products, milk;
- sweets, flour products;
- smoked meat;
- pickled vegetables;
- legumes;
- offal.
It is advisable to add fats and oils of plant origin to dog food in order to maintain an optimal state of the dog's coat and skin. It is also recommended to give her grass roots. Vegetation has a beneficial effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
You can alternate the feeding of natural products with dry food. The change of diet should not take place in one day; you should add the selected ingredient to the food in small portions. The transition is necessarily built so that it is smooth, otherwise it may affect the health of the pet.
Upbringing and training
Compared to his brother Siberian Husky, the Kli-kai's behavior can be called feline.The tiny crumb is kind, trusting, the dog, just like a cat, can wash its face with its front paws.
The dog kindly treats all family members and other animals, does not show signs of aggression, mistrust. With small children, the pet behaves carefully, showing tenderness.
The dog behaves cautiously with strangers, but politely, and if the owner shows signs of sympathy, the clique will support it.
The breed has its own way of giving voice. Animals “chatter”, make harmonious sounds, similar to howling, gurgling, maukanie. A dog will never bark loudly. Barking is an aggression for which this breed is incapable.
Despite its size, the crumb needs training, control, physical exertion. All puppies are socialized. Training will allow the dog to be more disciplined, to perform simple commands or light tricks. Mental stress also has a positive effect on the dog. The breed is not considered shy, which allows the pet to train for the role of a guard.
The main skill of the breed is companion dogTherefore, this animal should not be brought to those who first take a dog or people with an active lifestyle. The size of the dog makes it a pet. If the pet is not given proper attention and care, it can begin to spoil the objects in the apartment, crap in the wrong places.
Alaskan Kli-kai can be taught swimming, commands "carry", "aport" and others. Training should take place in the form of a game. It is enough to take an hour to one team, the repetition rate of the covered material is three days.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that this breed loves to dig holes. The dog is also able to hear the activities of underground animals, which will also cause the dug hole.
Suitable nicknames
The names of the dogs are invented in accordance with their temperament, for example, Kipish, Puma, Joysik (from the English joy - joy).
For males suitable following nicknames in English manners: Bill, Day, Henri, Largi, Archon. Names can also be affectionate: Capcake, Toys, Buddy.
Beautiful graceful female names are selected for girls: Jewel, Lucy, Anouka, Raquel, Gabi, Albi.
It is not necessary for an animal to give foreign nicknames, you can think up your own ones: Plush, Max, Bim and others.
Owners of dogs of this breed speak positively about their pets. Small sizes make it easy to keep them in houses, walking. Animals get along with children, but they do not become nannies. Dogs do not emit irritating barking, behave playfully, but they obey the owner the first time if they have been trained.
The price of a representative of this breed is a fat minus, as well as the difficulties of obtaining a dog. But the positive traits of character, ease of care for a pet smooth out this shortcoming.
The Alaskan Kli-Kai is a new breed of ornamental animals that has achieved worldwide success.
Interesting facts about the breed, see the following video.