That best to the best rule doesn't necessarily mean the best you have to the best you have either though, it means best to the best.
If you have the very best bitch among your entire group of buddies, you should be looking for the very best dog you can possibly get access to wether its yours, your buddies or somebody across the state. If you know you don't have a dog or bitch that could be fit in the category of "best" then don't breed but get in line for pups out of a best to best breeding.
Good post Terry, shoulda specified that
.......... funny but sad story, last night I was down the road at a younger buddies house, (this cat was VERY lucky in that he started dating the daughter of a well known dogman who has over time hooked him up with pups) he started pointin to pups and talkin about im gonna breed this one to this one and that one to that one and blah blah blah........ I had to shake my head, while these dogs come from the right places they ain't seen the first damn hog yet and then to top it off he said "i'll keep what I want and sell the rest"
..........
in my opinion this is one of the biggest problems with dogs now days..........not too many folks still give a damn about breeding good dogs and therefore we end up with piles and piles of culls being passed around......... if it don't work for me it won't work for anyone, I can guarantee you that lol, the right person may have that special touch to make a dog that I couldn't but they will never have the chance, nip it in the bud and take it out of the equation right then and there. it may be tough to some but its a fact of life if you are going to be serious about breeding good dogs, period..........im not where I would like to be yet but im gettin closer everyday
