The Secret to Success is no secret...
It takes HARD WORK, dedication, and a bull-headed stubbornness to build your program into a true program. Anyone can breed a dog and make puppies, but to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of your bitch and then be able to pick the right stud dog who will strengthen her weaknesses while still accentuating her strengths takes skill, talent, and research.
You can't belong to 'The Flavor of the Month Club' and reliably know what you will get in the whelping box. You will be creating puppies but not building a consistent program.
Step One: Generations of Excellence - build a consistent brand for yourself. Find your ideal type and stick to it. Many breeders will breed and finish a good dog, but can they recreate him or her in the next generation, or did they stumble across the right ingredients for that one good dog? What makes a dog great and what makes a program great is the ability to create consistency through the generations. To create Generations of Excellence!
"When you look at a dog's pedigree, it tells you what he OUGHT to be...
When you look at a dog in the ring, it tells you what he SEEMS to be...
When you look at a dog's progeny, it tells you what he IS."
- Pat Craig Trotter
Step Two: Excellence in the Show Ring - Present your dogs at their best to the best judges who will recognize them for their attributes. Know which judges recognize your type and which don't. Do not waste your time and money showing your dogs to judges who prefer something other than what you have. Then work hard...Condition your dog, train your dog, and don't show up unless you are ready to win. That will create Excellence in the Show Ring!