What makes a Shirescot Champion? What makes any Champion? Hard work! Knowing the standards, knowing that no dog is perfect and working to improve what you have. An “imperfect” dog can still be shown, and could be a champion.
Then the real work starts – research. Responsible breeding. As I wrote in the “about us” section, breeding isn’t just about putting two pretty dogs together and hoping you’ll get a good result. It’s about understanding conformation, temperament and finding the right boy for the right girl.
It’s about understanding how to shorten a long back, and how to move a tail set in the next generation. So…research!
Go to shows, talk to experts, touch the dogs (after asking permission). I drove Hope to Chicago to breed her to Darby because we (and others) felt he was the right match for her. Jeff drove Jenny to Dallas to meet Shooter for the same reason.
Why is being a Champion important? Well, a championship isn’t mandatory, but if you want to be taken seriously and included in other responsible breeding programs, you and others need to know that your dog meets conformation standards. You can’t just advertise in the paper and expect people to call to arrange for a breeding. That’s not responsible breeding.