The Alaskan Klee Kai is being touted as an ideal companion and house (or apartment dog). Small in stature, intelligent, and caring, the Alaskan Klee Kai quickly takes to life in the home and proves itself as a useful watchdog to boot.
The Cautious Nature Of The Alaskan Klee Kai
By nature, the Alaskan Klee Kai is a cautious breed. This trait is quite manageable in properly trained and socialized dogs, particularly when socialization and training begins at an early age. While these dogs will likely always have a reserved nature with new people and in new situations, they are not, as a rule, aggressive.
This cautiousness, when coupled with a love and a loyalty to its owner, makes the Alaskan Klee Kai a very good home watchdog.
Living Home Alert System
The Alaskan Klee Kai is a sort of walking, breathing home alert system; with excellent hearing and good intuition, the Alaskan Klee Kai easily senses when a visitor or intruder enters the home or property. These smart little dogs know what does and does not belong in their home, and they are quick to alert their owners when something is amiss.
Since the Alaskan Klee Kai does not have a particularly aggressive nature, there is little fear of a well-trained Alaskan Klee Kai actually trying to attack an intruder, which is what most home owners want and need. This is particularly true of homes with children where strangers may come and go on a regular basis. This is precisely what makes the Alaskan Klee Kai a good watch dog, but not a good guard dog.
Watch Dog vs. Guard Dog-What Makes The Difference
While the Alaskan Klee Kai makes an excellent watch dog, they are not a good guard dog-and they are not supposed to be.
The difference between a watch dog and a guard dog is simple; a watch dog is supposed to let the owner know when a person or animal is on their property. A guard dog is supposed to warn and/or attack the person or animal in defense of their people and their property.
As small, friendly, companion animals, Alaskan Klee Kais are not bred to be mean and aggressive. Few homeowners would want that in a dog. But their characteristic temperament does well suit them for the purpose of protection via warning, and this is one well-placed expectation of the Alaskan Klee Kai. Anyone breeding them for another purpose, or selectively breeding for aggression, is harming the breed as a whole and is not staying true to the mission of the developers of the Alaskan Klee Kai. For reputable and respectable owners and breeders, though, the watchful nature of the Alaskan Klee Kai is just another advantage of ownership.