wildchild,

Learn from mistakes, and successes. Never stop striving for improvement. Learn to evaluate each dog. If it has something to offer that the rest of the yard doesn't have, but lacks some of the other traits that the rest yard has it still might be worth a breeding to try and blend the best of both. Test all of your breedings. Just because a breeder doesn't compete doesn't mean he/she isin't testing his/her stock.