About Apexx Akitas
Twenty years of principled American Akita breeding.
Apexx Akitas is an AKC-registered American Akita breeding program founded by Ron Durant in Sussex County, New Jersey in 2003. Over more than 20 years, the program has produced 10 AKC Champions and Grand Champions including Champion Esther, Best of Opposite Sex winner at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and National Grand Champion Asa, the foundation sire. Every breeding dog carries full OFA health clearances covering hips, elbows, thyroid, eyes, and cardiac evaluation, all publicly verifiable at ofa.org. The program has placed more than 150 American Akitas with families across 20+ states with an 80 percent long-term contact rate. Applications are reviewed personally by Ron Durant, and placement is decided by fit rather than by first-in-line.
American Akitas
Nationwide
Produced
Contact Rate
Ron Durant · Founder & Head Breeder
Ron Durant founded Apexx Akitas in 2003 with a single purpose: to breed American Akitas the right way. Not for production volume, not for profit, and not because it was convenient. He built this program because the breed he loved deserved more than what most breeders were willing to give it.
What began as a personal passion has grown into one of the most respected American Akita breeding programs in the Northeast, placing dogs with families across the country and maintaining active relationships with the majority of those families long after placement. That sustained contact is not incidental. It is what this program was built around from the very beginning.
Over 20 years breeding American Akitas exclusively in Sussex County, New Jersey. Full OFA certification required on all breeding stock including hips, elbows, eyes, thyroid, and cardiac. Champion bloodlines selected from American and European conformation competition records. More than 150 families placed nationwide with documented long-term outcomes across more than 20 states. Aligned with the Akita Club of America and the AKC American Akita breed standard.
A Passion That Became a Standard
Ron's connection to the American Akita started long before Apexx Akitas existed as a formal breeding program. It began with a genuine fascination with what this breed truly is at its best: a powerful, loyal, and deeply intelligent working dog with a history rooted in Japan and a distinct American identity forged through decades of separate development after World War II.
Most people who encounter an Akita are immediately struck by its presence and bearing. Ron wanted to understand why some Akitas embodied the breed's best qualities while others fell short, at a structural, genetic, and temperamental level. That question led to years of study, mentorship from experienced breeders, deep pedigree research across both American and European bloodlines, and extensive hands-on evaluation of breeding stock.
When Apexx Akitas was established in 2003, it was built on conclusions drawn from that foundation rather than assumptions or shortcuts. Health testing became a firm requirement before any other consideration. Champion bloodlines were evaluated for structural correctness rather than selected for name recognition alone. Temperament was tracked across multiple years and multiple generations of offspring. None of that has changed since the first litter was born in Sussex County, New Jersey in 2003.
The Apexx Akitas Mission
Every decision made at Apexx Akitas connects back to a single commitment: to produce American Akitas that are genuinely healthy, structurally correct, temperamentally stable, and placed with families who are fully prepared for what ownership of this breed requires. That commitment does not adjust for convenience, trend, or profit.
The American Akita is not a breed for every household. It is a powerful, independent, and intensely loyal animal that demands more from an owner than most breeds do. We take that seriously. It shapes which dogs we breed, what we test for, how we raise our litters, and which families are approved to receive them.
Health Before Everything
No dog enters our breeding program without full OFA certification. This is the floor, and there are no exceptions regardless of pedigree or conformation record.
Structure Reflects the Standard
The AKC American Akita breed standard exists for functional and health-related reasons. Every breeding dog is evaluated against it in person, not simply reviewed on paper.
Temperament Is a Selection Criterion
We track temperament across multiple years and multiple generations of offspring. No dog with an unstable or unknown behavioral record contributes to this program.
Placement Is Permanent Responsibility
Every Apexx Akita we produce is our responsibility for its entire life. We take dogs back at any age for any reason. We support every family through every stage of ownership.
Six Pillars of the Apexx Akitas Program
OFA Health Testing
Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas carries full OFA certifications covering hips, elbows, eyes, thyroid, and cardiac function. All results are publicly verifiable at ofa.org. We never ask anyone to trust our claims. We direct families to the public database and let the records speak for themselves.
Champion Bloodline Selection
Our pedigrees trace to American and European champions with documented structural correctness, sound movement, and verified health histories across multiple generations. Grand Champion Asa and Prosha are half-brothers through European Grand Champion Joe. Bloodlines are studied and evaluated before every pairing, not selected for name recognition or marketing appeal alone.
Temperament Evaluation
We track each breeding dog's temperament from birth through adulthood and across multiple generations of offspring. Formal temperament testing is conducted at seven weeks on every litter using a standardized protocol. No dog with an unknown or unstable behavioral history contributes to this program.
Early Development Protocols
Every Apexx litter receives Early Neurological Stimulation from days three through sixteen, structured progressive socialization, daily handling by multiple people, exposure to varied sounds and surfaces, and individual assessment through week eight. The first eight weeks of a puppy's life are not passive time in our program.
Selective Family Placement
Every prospective family completes a detailed application and a direct conversation before any placement is confirmed. We evaluate experience level, living situation, lifestyle, and long-term commitment. Families that are not a realistic match for the breed are told that plainly, with respect and with resources to help them find the right dog.
Lifetime Breeder Support
Our relationship with puppy families does not end at pickup. We maintain active contact with approximately 80 percent of our families long after placement, providing health guidance, training consultation, and personal support for the life of the dog. This is not a policy statement. It is what we have done consistently for more than twenty years.
Champion Lineup at Apexx Akitas
Ten AKC Champions and Grand Champions produced across more than 20 years of principled breeding, with three additional dogs currently finishing their titles. Every dog in the current lineup carries full OFA health clearances and champion pedigree documentation.
Foundation sire. Red, black mask. By European GCH Joe x European CH Carrots.
Westminster Kennel Club Best of Opposite Sex winner. Full sister to GCH Asa.
Best in Show at 4 months against 76 puppies. POA Award winner.
Numerous Best of Breed wins.
Red brindle female. By GCH Asa x Suki.
Silver, black mask. By Champion Ash x Lara.
Sable, black mask. By CH Ash x CH Kitnis.
Championed from the puppy class. By GCH Asa x Salu.
Twenty Years of Principled Breeding
Apexx Akitas has been operating in Sussex County, New Jersey since 2003. What has accumulated over that time is more than a record of litters and placements. It is a documented body of outcomes that confirms our approach consistently produces what we intend it to. The families who purchased from us in 2005 are still in contact today. The health data we tracked across early litters informed the breeding decisions we made in later ones. This program is not built on guesswork. It is built on two decades of recorded, traceable evidence.
The Program Begins
Apexx Akitas is established in Sussex County, New Jersey. The first litter is born from health-tested parents selected for structural correctness and temperament stability.
Pedigree Depth & Health Testing Standard
Pedigree development deepens as Ron studies American and European champion bloodlines. OFA health testing protocols are formalized and applied to all breeding stock without exception. Early placement families begin providing multi-year health and temperament feedback.
Regional Expansion
The program expands its geographic reach, placing American Akitas with families across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Champion conformation recognition is achieved by Apexx-bred and owned dogs, confirming structural quality through expert evaluation in AKC events.
Nationwide Placement
Placement expands to families in California, Texas, Florida, Washington, and beyond. Families seek out Apexx Akitas specifically for health testing standards and long-term breeder support. Over 100 families placed across more than 20 states.
Champion Bloodline Milestones
Champion Esther earns Best of Opposite Sex at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Champion Ash takes Best in Show at just 4 months old against 76 entered puppies. Grand Champion Asa becomes the foundation sire that anchors most of the current program.
Winter 2026 Pairings
Two carefully selected pairings define the current litter cycle: Stone (by GCH Asa x CH Starlight) paired with Prosha (by European GCH Joe x European GCH Lova), and Grand Champion Asa paired with Salu. Both pairings anchor multi-generational European Grand Champion Joe bloodlines. Now serving more than 150 families nationwide with an 80 percent long-term contact rate.
Proven in the Show Ring
Conformation titles are not the primary measure of what Apexx Akitas produces, but the show ring provides something valuable that no breeder's own evaluation can replicate: objective, expert, third-party assessment of structure, movement, and breed type measured directly against the AKC standard. Every title in our program was earned in the ring under licensed AKC judges.
Westminster Kennel Club Best of Opposite Sex
Champion Esther, an orange red American Akita female by European Grand Champion Joe and Champion Carrots, won Best of Opposite Sex at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the most prestigious stage in American dog sports.
Best in Show at 4 Months Old
Champion Ash, mahogany red male by Boris and Champion Zila, took Best in Show at just 4 months of age against 76 entered puppies on his debut. He also holds the POA (Puppy Achievement) Award.
National Grand Championship
Grand Champion Asa, our foundation sire, earned his Grand Championship through consistent placement at AKC events across the northeast, anchoring most of the modern Apexx breeding program.
Multiple Best of Breed Wins
Champion Torro, full brother to Champion Bengal, has earned numerous Best of Breed wins in AKC conformation, joining Champion Swatt (titled from the puppy class), Champion Aurora, Champion Astra, and Champion Bengal in the current titled lineup.
About Apexx Akitas FAQ
Who is Ron Durant?
Ron Durant is the founder and head breeder of Apexx Akitas, an AKC-registered American Akita breeding program based in Sussex County, New Jersey. Since founding the program in 2003, Ron has produced 10 AKC Champions and Grand Champions including Champion Esther, Best of Opposite Sex winner at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, and has placed more than 150 American Akitas with families across the United States.
When was Apexx Akitas founded?
Apexx Akitas was founded by Ron Durant in 2003 in Sussex County, New Jersey. The program has been operating exclusively as an American Akita breeder in the same location for more than 20 years, with a documented multi-generational track record of health, structure, and temperament outcomes.
Where is Apexx Akitas located?
Apexx Akitas is located in Wantage, Sussex County, New Jersey, approximately 60 miles from Manhattan. The location makes personal pickup accessible for families across the tri-state area, and professional in-cabin flight nanny service is available for nationwide placements.
What makes Apexx Akitas different from other American Akita breeders?
Four things distinguish Apexx Akitas from most breeders: verifiable OFA health testing on every breeding dog (publicly searchable at ofa.org), two decades of documented multi-generational outcomes, a genuine 80 percent long-term contact rate with placement families, and principled selective placement that turns away applicants who are not a good fit for the breed. Ten AKC Champions produced including a Westminster Best of Opposite Sex winner underline the structural and temperament standards.
How many American Akitas has Apexx Akitas placed?
Apexx Akitas has placed more than 150 American Akita puppies with families across more than 20 states since 2003. Approximately 80 percent of those families remain in active contact with Ron Durant long after placement, providing ongoing health and temperament feedback that informs breeding decisions in later litters.
Does Apexx Akitas ship puppies?
Yes, but never as cargo. Apexx Akitas uses professional in-cabin flight nanny service where a professional handler travels with your puppy as a passenger on the flight. Ground transportation with climate-controlled vehicles is also available for families who prefer it. Personal pickup at our Sussex County, New Jersey facility is welcome and encouraged for families within driving distance.
Can I visit Apexx Akitas in person?
Yes. After an application is reviewed and approved, we welcome families to visit our Wantage, New Jersey facility to meet the parent dogs and see the environment where the puppy was raised. Many families tell us the visit was one of the most valuable steps in the process.
What health testing does Apexx Akitas perform?
Every breeding dog at Apexx Akitas receives full OFA health clearances covering hips, elbows, thyroid (with TgAA), CAER eye examination, and cardiac evaluation before any pairing. Testing is supervised by Dr. Jonathan King, VMD, at Steinbach Veterinary Hospital in Bluebell, Pennsylvania. All results are publicly searchable at ofa.org.
How much does an Apexx Akitas puppy cost?
Puppies from Apexx Akitas are priced between $3,500 and $5,000 based on lineage and placement. Every puppy comes from AKC Champion or Grand Champion parents with full OFA health clearances, and includes AKC registration, health certificate, early socialization from birth, comprehensive care guide, and lifetime breeder support. Full pricing detail is available on the Akita puppy cost guide.
The Bottom Line
Apexx Akitas is a serious 20+ year American Akita breeding program founded by Ron Durant in 2003 in Sussex County, New Jersey. Every breeding dog carries full OFA clearances verifiable at ofa.org. Champion credentials include a Westminster Kennel Club Best of Opposite Sex winner, a Best in Show at 4 months old, a National Grand Championship, and multiple Best of Breed titles. 150+ placements nationwide with an 80 percent long-term contact rate.
If you are researching this breed, start with the American Akita Resources hub or browse our comprehensive American Akita FAQ for answers to 40 common questions. If you are ready to talk about a puppy, begin with the puppy application. Call Ron directly at (732) 850-5435.
Ready to Learn More About Apexx Akitas?
The best way to understand this program is to engage with it directly. Review our health testing standards, explore our pedigrees, and reach out with any questions. We respond to every inquiry personally.