About the Breeding Program
At Apricity Kennel, we want to ensure the dogs we breed are the very best. Health, temperament, and adherence to the written breed standard are of utmost importance to our program. Whether looking for your next show dog, performance dog, or just a family pet; we will always strive for perfection. This breed is family before anything else. When not actively hunting, the Hokkaido is a cherished family companion and guardian in Japan. When not actively showing or trialing, our dogs can be found playing in the backyard with the kids, cuddling with us on the couch, or accompanying us on many outdoor adventures.
All our breeding dogs go through extensive health testing and thorough pedigree research. They have passed their OFA or PennHip exam, have had their eyes checked by a certified ophthalmologist, have passed their cardiac exam, and are genetically tested and cleared for over 160 diseases prior to breeding. All health and genetic testing certificates are a public record. If you ever have any questions, just ask!
As of 2017, Apricity (アプリシテ) is now officially a NIPPO registered kennel. NIPPO is an abbreviation for the Nihon Ken Hozonkai (日本犬保存会), a Japanese breed preservation society in Japan. All our dogs are registered as Hokkaido with AKC Foundation Stock Service and UKC. They are compete not only in conformation, but various performance activities as well. Puppies born here will come with AKC FSS, UKC, and NIPPO registration.
Puppies are evaluated between 6-8 weeks for show/breed quality. During this time period, puppies are matched with their potential buyers based upon puppy evaluations, puppy personality, and the buyer's goals for their new furry family member. Although you can see which puppy you are taking home as early as 6 weeks, they will not leave our home until minimum age of 8 weeks. Puppies come up-to-date vaccinations and dewormings, and they have been examined and cleared by a veterinarian prior to leaving for their new homes. They will be microchipped at 8 weeks, and the chip will be registered with my contact information. Once the contract is signed and the puppy is paid in full, the buyer will be listed as another owner.
Because of the rarity of the Hokkaido in North America, all puppy buyers (whether purchasing a show prospect, performance prospect, or a family pet) are expected to become ambassadors for this growing breed. Please note: this is not an easy breed, even for an experienced dog owner. Taking your Hokkaido to obedience and socialization classes is a must! Hokkaido are a sensitive breed, and they do not respond well to harsh training methods. Positive reinforcement is best! Along with obedience classes, we highly encourage puppy buyers to show their Hokkaido in performance events, and and give their Hokkaido a "job" to do. Otherwise, they can become bored, anxious, and hyperactive.
We are building our program small and slow to insure each and every one of our dogs is the very best they can be. We spend hours researching all our dog's pedigrees. If there is a problem anywhere in the lines, we know about it and our buyers to too! There's nothing to hide with these dogs. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we will get back to you. We stand by our dogs and puppies all the way!
All our breeding dogs go through extensive health testing and thorough pedigree research. They have passed their OFA or PennHip exam, have had their eyes checked by a certified ophthalmologist, have passed their cardiac exam, and are genetically tested and cleared for over 160 diseases prior to breeding. All health and genetic testing certificates are a public record. If you ever have any questions, just ask!
As of 2017, Apricity (アプリシテ) is now officially a NIPPO registered kennel. NIPPO is an abbreviation for the Nihon Ken Hozonkai (日本犬保存会), a Japanese breed preservation society in Japan. All our dogs are registered as Hokkaido with AKC Foundation Stock Service and UKC. They are compete not only in conformation, but various performance activities as well. Puppies born here will come with AKC FSS, UKC, and NIPPO registration.
Puppies are evaluated between 6-8 weeks for show/breed quality. During this time period, puppies are matched with their potential buyers based upon puppy evaluations, puppy personality, and the buyer's goals for their new furry family member. Although you can see which puppy you are taking home as early as 6 weeks, they will not leave our home until minimum age of 8 weeks. Puppies come up-to-date vaccinations and dewormings, and they have been examined and cleared by a veterinarian prior to leaving for their new homes. They will be microchipped at 8 weeks, and the chip will be registered with my contact information. Once the contract is signed and the puppy is paid in full, the buyer will be listed as another owner.
Because of the rarity of the Hokkaido in North America, all puppy buyers (whether purchasing a show prospect, performance prospect, or a family pet) are expected to become ambassadors for this growing breed. Please note: this is not an easy breed, even for an experienced dog owner. Taking your Hokkaido to obedience and socialization classes is a must! Hokkaido are a sensitive breed, and they do not respond well to harsh training methods. Positive reinforcement is best! Along with obedience classes, we highly encourage puppy buyers to show their Hokkaido in performance events, and and give their Hokkaido a "job" to do. Otherwise, they can become bored, anxious, and hyperactive.
We are building our program small and slow to insure each and every one of our dogs is the very best they can be. We spend hours researching all our dog's pedigrees. If there is a problem anywhere in the lines, we know about it and our buyers to too! There's nothing to hide with these dogs. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to contact us and we will get back to you. We stand by our dogs and puppies all the way!
About the Owner
My name is Lex Blanton, and my family owns and operates Apricity Kennel. I am a certified professional dog trainer and canine behavior consultant, having worked with challenging behavior cases around the country and abroad. I also hold fear-free certifications in animal training, dog grooming, and shelter work.
I have been involved in the sport of purebred dogs through showing, trialing, and breeding since I was 13, frequently taking part in AKC & UKC Junior Showmanship competitions and assisting my mentor with puppy care. I have also been involved in the rescue and rehab of shelter dogs for many years. Working rescue cases and taking in difficult foster dogs has taught me first hand the importance of responsible breeding practices, as well as the need for socialization and training that starts right out of the whelping box. Many of my most challenging and ultimately heartbreaking behavior cases were rescue dogs originally purchased from backyard breeders.
I have been an active member in good standing with the Hokkaido Association of North America (HANA) since its infancy. I am currently vice president of the HANA board, HANA’s webmaster and content writer, and content writer for the American Kennel Club (AKC) Hokkaido page. I also serve on breed club committees for both Hokkaido and Kai Ken.
My goal is to take everything I have learned and breed dogs who are sound of body and mind. I’m putting temperament and biddability at the forefront of my program. I strove to produce dogs who meet the standard temperament of carefree towards strangers (aloof), neither shy/aggressive nor overly exuberant during greetings, bold in new surroundings, work driven, handler focused, and willing to please. I want to increase their tolerance of body handling by strangers in the future. Temperament has become such a huge issues for this breed and I do not want to see Hokkaido going down that route. I also want to produce Hokkaido capable of performing a wide variety of jobs.
I also aim to keep genetic diversity as much as possible, because once diversity is lost, it is impossible to get back without outcrossing. This means making breeding sacrifices such as not throwing away dogs affected/carrying autosomal recessive disorders yet. You may notice many of my foundation dogs were affected by Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), but we need to think big picture-- not just breeding for today.
Lastly, I want to maintain a good relationship with Hokkaido breeders, owners, and breed clubs both in the US and overseas. We're all in this together. We are not (or should not be) in competition with each other. I will always be here to mentor and support Hokkaido enthusiasts throughout their journey.
I have been involved in the sport of purebred dogs through showing, trialing, and breeding since I was 13, frequently taking part in AKC & UKC Junior Showmanship competitions and assisting my mentor with puppy care. I have also been involved in the rescue and rehab of shelter dogs for many years. Working rescue cases and taking in difficult foster dogs has taught me first hand the importance of responsible breeding practices, as well as the need for socialization and training that starts right out of the whelping box. Many of my most challenging and ultimately heartbreaking behavior cases were rescue dogs originally purchased from backyard breeders.
I have been an active member in good standing with the Hokkaido Association of North America (HANA) since its infancy. I am currently vice president of the HANA board, HANA’s webmaster and content writer, and content writer for the American Kennel Club (AKC) Hokkaido page. I also serve on breed club committees for both Hokkaido and Kai Ken.
My goal is to take everything I have learned and breed dogs who are sound of body and mind. I’m putting temperament and biddability at the forefront of my program. I strove to produce dogs who meet the standard temperament of carefree towards strangers (aloof), neither shy/aggressive nor overly exuberant during greetings, bold in new surroundings, work driven, handler focused, and willing to please. I want to increase their tolerance of body handling by strangers in the future. Temperament has become such a huge issues for this breed and I do not want to see Hokkaido going down that route. I also want to produce Hokkaido capable of performing a wide variety of jobs.
I also aim to keep genetic diversity as much as possible, because once diversity is lost, it is impossible to get back without outcrossing. This means making breeding sacrifices such as not throwing away dogs affected/carrying autosomal recessive disorders yet. You may notice many of my foundation dogs were affected by Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), but we need to think big picture-- not just breeding for today.
Lastly, I want to maintain a good relationship with Hokkaido breeders, owners, and breed clubs both in the US and overseas. We're all in this together. We are not (or should not be) in competition with each other. I will always be here to mentor and support Hokkaido enthusiasts throughout their journey.