On the surface, it would seem that when champion dogs are mated, they will regularly produce champion offspring. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. I know of champion sires that were mated with champion bitches and produced litters that had a few nice pups, but the majority of the dogs were mediocre at best. I have also known of champion sires who were mated with non-champion bitches and produced exactly the same mix of pups.

It is important observations for us to consider when we deal with more and more stud owners who are focusing on the appearance of their champion studs. Their primary concern is to create and maintain a working pedigree wherein all canines within that pedigree, are 100 percent titled and clean dogs (non-titled dogs) are never used in such breeding programs. Paying too much attention to the dogs purity within the pedigree, instead of the dogs intelligence could lead to thin quality lines. Sacrificing the innate quality of the animal in order to win technical points might make the dog look great but his hereditary instincts will likely become diluted. Ironically, this practice also has the effect of filtering out many of the attributes that made the dog a champion in the first place.

Think of it as a beauty pageant with the swimsuit competition as the only event. This obsession to fix one problem usually leads to the introduction of several other problems depending upon the specific genetic changes being manipulated within the line. Put another way, the selective stud owner is almost always looking to repair a perceived problem in his line. This is contrary to the efforts of most other owners who are simply trying to continue the basic attributes of an already existing breed. A selective mating for a cosmetic effect accomplishes nothing unless the dog has basic latent intelligence. Breeding dogs must be intelligent and intelligent dogs are the most likely to pass along the best characteristics of the breed. Ask the breeder who has produced the most champions to explain his mate selection strategy, and you will probably discover that his kennels are full of exceptionally bright dogs that includes clean lines. It is a side effect of this beauty vs. brains dilemma that many dog owners who choose not to enter competitions, may very well have the better dog.