German Shepherd dog

Looking at all the different GSD kennels out there, the dogs within those kennels and what is winning or not.  How do you define a top kennel?

Is it

A   One that spends years refining its lines, improving on faults or

B   One that has more money, and has a knack for buying in good dogs and whose lines are only a couple of generations at most?

Having spent many hours looking at pedigrees of dogs there are some kennels who are proud to have their affix on a line or more within a 5 generation pedigree, others have bought in both parents and therefore only have their affix on the progeny and possible parents of progeny if they have then used those dogs.

So what Im trying to work out is a better breeder one with money, ability to travel and buy in dogs or one who has the staying power to keep improving their own lines?

Hi Beepy - this was a really thought provoking question as well as a very interesting one. So I felt compelled to reply and will really look forward to reading those of others. 

Regarding the question you have asked above, when assessing (as you put it) a better breeder, IMO there is nothing to differenciate between the two examples. Being ( I believe) to be an undisputed authority of your 'staying power' example (in that over the past 28yrs I have bred 9 generations of progeny bearing my affix from my original foundation female. Every generation has produced Championship Show winners, 2 Champions, three res cc winners and four 2 Day show winners from the total sum of 27 litters (less than 1 litter per year), considering that some of those litters consisted of only two or three pups, I am proud of the achievements our dogs have made.

Obviously not the BIG impact made by other kennels, but then we dont produce anywhere near as many litters, only breeding when we want something ourselves, which doesn't always come to pass - take litter no. 27 for example - K.Damera x Cedric vom Amur produced only 3 pups (2 males, 1 female) we wanted a female and with sods law it was almost predictable that the 1 female would be a long coat and sure enough she was. So upshot is all three little darlings went into pet homes and I have nothing to show for my efforts except the three lovely families who are absolutely thrilled with their new additions and quite frankly the pleasure I get from their feed back is more than enough for me these days.

I think what I am trying to say to you is that at any mating the breeder needs to have done their homework, firstly by having the knowledge to accurately assess both animals in question, including any progeny either of them have previously  produced, whilst at the same time ensuring the conformation and bloodlines of both compliment each other in that to the best of their ability they are NOT doubling up on the SAME FAULT. 

Nelle Wright (my mentor , god bless her) would tell me of those breeders who could produced a Silk Purse (Champion) from a Sows Ear, but there were twice as many more who could do no better than produce the reversal.

Perhaps then (in reflection) it is better to look to both, those whose money can buy in the dogs but at the same time can then produce from those dogs and go on to produce a second , third , fourth generation from those dogs. For I would agree in your thinking that if they can only produce one successful generation from a new bought in female, then they either choose unwisely with their purchase in the first place or they have to rely totally on the females reproduction capabilities put their of course by her breeder.  

Regards

Sue B

When buying a puppy or an adult dog the First thing to do is:

1) See the litter or puppy/dog yourself

2) Have someone that you TRUST look at the litter or dog and advise you

3) Otherwise don't buy the puppy/dog...

~Bob~