I agree with TexasHogDog in that if you can find what the bird dog boys call a prepotent producer that is the dog you want. If you can get a pup from a repeat mating that is proven that is good as it gets. Some of the champion dogs never produced jack. Some of the dogs that never won a championship were producers.
They kept good records such as total number of pups produced, winners produced, and number of wins by those pups. Some dogs would have more winners but had many more pups produced. Some dogs had a very high percentage of pups produced that won----that is dog you want.
The worst dog I ever owned in my life was bred the very best--all in the purple on both sides. His mama was a no account run off heifer that should have been shot for the good of the breed. I get mad every time I think about the hours, dollars, miles, horse flesh, etc. I wasted on that dog.
Hog Dog Mike...you are talking about second rate dogs that produce the best and there is no doubt that happens...but look at that last paragraph...you said that the dog was sorry and he was bred the best...and in the next sentence you said that the dam was no account and should have been shot...all I can say is that he was not bred the best...the over all pedigree might have been full of great dogs but the one closest to the male who was the dam was a cull...
So how many times do we breed second class dogs to get the better to best dogs???I say do it if there is no other option but then move on to the offspring who has inherited all the good qualities...it's a good feeling when great dogs are producing great dogs...and it is a big concern for me when one already has a well established line breeding second rate dogs to produce great dogs...