Meet Kimm McDowell: Master Breeder of DerHagen 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 Preserve

(38:28) The Closest Dog to the Breed Standard

(40:09) Kimm’s Most Successful Litter

(43:21) Breeding Decisions She Would Change

(44:15) The Story Behind “Rip”

(51:58) Modern Challenges for Breeders

(54:37) How to Market Yourself Better

(56:55) Why Specialty Shows Still Matter

(59:44) What Gives Hope for the Breed

(1:00:35) Kimm’s Proudest Achievement

(1:01:28) Advice for New Breeders

(1:02:18) Breeder Kimm Wants Featured Next

🔗 This episode is brought to you by: EZwhelp — https://www.ezwhelp.com/

With additional support from: Ororo — https://www.ororowear.com/

#PurebredDogs #BetterBreederChronicles #PreservationBreeder #ConservationBreeder #AKCDogShows #WestminsterDogShow #WestminsterDogShowWinner #BestInShow #BestInShowRottweilers #KimmMcDowell #DerHagenRottweilers #RottweilerBreeder #RottweilerLife #RottweilerBreedingProgramInterview