Meet Kimm McDowell: Master Breeder of DerHagen Rottweilers
About this episode
Kimm McDowell shares her journey from struggling breeder to Best in Show champion with her Rottweilers.
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…
People in this episode
Guest: Kimm McDowell
Topics covered
- breeding
- dog shows
- Rottweilers
- best in show
- breeding practices
Keywords
- breeding
- Rottweilers
- Best in Show
- dog shows
- breeding practices
- gene pool
- showing dogs
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: DerHagen Rottweilers
More episodes of Better Breeder Chronicles
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- Meet Andrea Jordan-Lane: Master Breeder of Jordean Brittanys
- Meet Barbara Heidenreich: Master Breeder of Fernhill Scottish Deerhounds
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