Kimm McDowell of DerHagen Rottweilers went 5 years without winning a single point… then turned an overlooked dog into a Best in Show champion.
Kimm shares the real story behind her decades in the ring and the whelping box, shaped by persistence, hard lessons, and a clear focus on breeding better dogs, not just chasing wins.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How going 5 years without a single win pushed her to improve
- The one trait she always prioritizes and why it matters
- How she turned an overlooked dog into a Best in Show winner
- The reality of breeding vs. showing and why the “best” dog isn’t always the right stud choice
- What many breeders get wrong today, and how it’s affecting the gene pool
This is a story of patience, instinct, and staying the course when the easy path would be to quit. Watch now to see what it really takes to build something that lasts.
Timestamps:
(00:36) Meet Kimm McDowell
(02:10) Starting with Purebred Dogs
(03:52) Early Failures and First Big Win
(10:20) Discovering Rottweilers
(14:04) Jade’s Rise to Best in Show
(21:08) Building the DerHagen Bloodline
(32:15) Outcrossing vs Linebreeding
(35:34) Why Structure and Movement Matter
(36:28) The Hardest Trait to Preserve
(38:28) The Closest Dog to the Breed Standard
(40:09) Kimm’s Most Successful Litter
(43:21) Breeding Decisions She Would Change
(44:15) The Story Behind “Rip”
(51:58) Modern Challenges for Breeders
(54:37) How to Market Yourself Better
(56:55) Why Specialty Shows Still Matter
(59:44) What Gives Hope for the Breed
(1:00:35) Kimm’s Proudest Achievement
(1:01:28) Advice for New Breeders
(1:02:18) Breeder Kimm Wants Featured Next
🔗 This episode is brought to you by: EZwhelp — https://www.ezwhelp.com/
With additional support from: Ororo — https://www.ororowear.com/
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