1. When breeders are supposed to be breeding to "better the breed", what generally needs to be made better, and who decides it? Is it up to the individual breeder, to produce what their perception of a better ___(insert breed here)___ is? And what if so many different _____ breeders have different ideas of what a ______ should be? Who is more right? Is there anyone more right than another? Especially since there seem to be many splits between working dogs and show dogs in the herding and working breeds. 
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There will be some that are more right than others because they have trained and titled dogs in working AND show. They will understand the different problems within their breed and how conformation and temperament compliment each other. Different breeds have their different strengths and weaknesses so this will never be the same between them.

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2. Also on bettering the breed, shouldn't this realistically start with one litter at a time? Combining a sire and dam who will hopefully produce puppies better than themselves? Is that how one "betters the breed" in the long run, to continuously produce better pups? 
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Not necessarily. Combining a sire and a dam are great ideas, but background information is as important if not more so. Also understanding linebreeding vs out crossing and inbreeding, and when to use these different tools is a must.

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3. What are the biggest issues in breeding and producing fine dogs? Conformation? Health? Temperament? Talent for herding? Trainability? Work ethic? Versatility to compete in many things vs being bred specifically for one event? Being capable of doing actual work that the ______ was intended to originally do? Color? Markings? Coat length? 

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It will depend on the breed. In some breeds, deadly genetic diseases are most important for obvious reasons.

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4. Would you breed a male or female before the end of their careers, especially if they are involved in a sport/event that takes many years to reach the highest level? (especially for females who might surpass their "prime" age for whelping and raising a litter) 
5. Would you breed to an up and coming younger dog who you know is on his way to canine super-stardom before his career has reached an advanced level? 

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Of course. If someone were educated enough about the ancestors of the dogs there is no reason not to.

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6. Would you plan a breeding of two more-than qualified dogs who you thought would be an excellent match for each other, if you knew they wouldn't be considered "marketable" (not my words, but have been told such terms) to prospective puppy owners? Especially if they are exactly the kind of dogs you have dreamed of pairing together in hopes to produce a fantastic litter of pups, and are pups of which you will be keeping and training/trialing for yourself? Does what the individual breeder hope to produce for him/herself hold any value or is it considered "selfish" although "bettering the breed" at the same time is definitely a priority? 

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If the person doing the breeding is qualified to make such decisions yes. I would also think they would be willing to cull or just wait until more homes are found before doing the breeding.

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7. How many good breeders out there have to deal with people who are very negative against anyone breeding anything, and how do you actually deal with it when you do know that you have fine dogs who are excellent representatives of their breed?

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Your dogs track record will show for itself if they are or are not excellent representatives of their breed. Use what is available to title and show your dogs. That is what most sports and shows are about anyway. Showing in one form or another will tell you more about your dogs than you can ever imagine.

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8. How can one define the Backyard Breeder, the Hobby Breeder, and the Responsible, Ethical Breeder? 

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BB, the one that uses the check to buy groceries. 
HB, shows as much as possible, titles dogs and makes educated decisions. Usually for personal satisfaction, not monetary gain. Allot of times the most Ethical.

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SOCIAL AGGRESSION IN BREEDING

by Mark Edward