I'd like to know the process breeders use to choose which male to use. Having been around the dogs/kennel my females come from for more then 10 years now, I feel very confident in the health of the line. The breeder I worked with has always advised me, but being at the end of our co-ownerships, I feel I haven't learned enough about this process. I know there are no sure things, and everything that can go wrong will, but I still want to make the best decisions possible when it comes to my babies.

Assuming all the dogs you are looking at have appropriate clearances, start looking for dogs that have consistently produced what needs to be strengthened in your bitch (topline, tailset, front, more rear, etc.) because they all have something that could be better. No one has bred the perfect dog.
Type to type works well. Don't get too caught up in pedigrees. Loose linebreedings work nicely. There is no sectet formula. Pick what you like and have the confidence that it will turn out wonderful. Have fun.

The first thing a breeder should do is get caught up in a pedigree when choosing a stud dog. That pedigree is the road map to genetics which also include Type and Temperament and who well the dogs behind the stud dog is producing.

Why do a loose line breeding uless your own bitch is so tightly linebred that you need to incorporate some fresh genes ? If you know your bitch lines fairly well and you are looking for an outcross, it is always nice to search for a stud dog who has a tightly line bred pedigree and who has been producing for a few years so you get to see how sound and prepotent his genes are.

Sometimes a total outcross breeding can be a big success and sometimes it can be a disaster. For some reason, people feel safer doing an outcross breeding. Those outcross dogs also have recessive genes that can pass on health problems just as easy as a tight line breeding on your girls.

Take your time in doing reserch and you'll soon feel confident in your stud dog choice. Also, if you are not much of a risk taker with using the younger stud dogs, choose a boy who much older and established at being a Proven Boy. Good luck !!

I first look for the type and appearance I like. Then Pedigee, FOR SURE, can not imagine not looking back and reseaching for generations back. The pups you get might look more like the grandparents than the dog you bred to. Then look for the health clearances. Look at pups that the stud dog has sired. Do they have the look you like. What does he offer to improve your lines that your female is weak in. Bone, head, coat, topline, front, rears, etc. Back to pedigree, I have seen dogs I liked from appearance, but would not touch the dog because of the pedigee. Knowing what is behind him. JMO