Cory Crayton | Titan Akitas

Interview with Cory Crayton, Breeder of Titan Akitas

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a breeder? What is your kennel name?
2. What are the hallmarks of your breed and why are they important for maintaining breed type?
3. In your opinion, are there enough puppy homes to support breeding a litter this year?
4. How have you implemented new technologies in science and communications as a breeder?
5. In your community, have you noticed a change in the public’s perception of purebred dogs?
6. Have you noticed any trends in the sport? Anything to be concerned about?
7. What are some of the positive changes you’ve seen in the sport in recent years?

Cory Crayton

1. I live in Lexington, Georgia, just outside Athens. I have been in Akitas for about 22 years, and this has been my only breed; I’ve been breeding for 20 of those years and my kennel name is Titan Akitas.

2. For me, the hallmark of the breed is their attitude. I love the independence and intelligence of the breed. That’s what initially attracted me to them. They are a working breed and known as good hunters. Most aren’t used for this anymore, so the striking physical characteristic for me now is the distinctive head. It is an exceptionally beautiful breed when all the proportions are correct: head balanced by the tail, good bone, and a powerful body with a nice heavy coat.

3. I have historically been successful with finding good homes. This year has been no different so far.

4. Scientifically, I have not implemented new technologies, but I have started doing most of it in-house. I have not focused on getting the name out there in any special way because that’s just not a focus that I wish for my breeding program. I don’t know that being popular makes for a great or poor program. My focus has been, and will always be, constant improvement on what we produce. I do have private social media groups for current and former dog owners who have dogs from our kennel. We share success stories, heartbreaks, pictures, and give good advice in a safe place.

5. Generally, the public seems to be very interested in purebred dogs. We take time to talk to people we encounter in public to answer their questions and guide them in the right direction, should they want to pursue purebred dog ownership. Especially with Akitas, it is not uncommon to be stopped when out walking; people enjoy hearing about the breed.

6. In a lot of ways, the sportsmanship has declined and that’s a concern. The circles have become really tight, and I feel that negatively affects the gene pool diversity.

7. There are some exciting things going on in the breed that we didn’t see in the past, such as Akitas in Agility, Scent Work and Tracking, Fast CAT, Barn Hunt, and Rally. In the right hands, Akitas are really proving they can do it all.