Genetics: An Introduction for Dog Breeders [Paperback]

Jackie Isabell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

A comprehensive yet easy-to-understand guide covering: the nature of heredity, evolutionary and behavioral genetics, the application of genetics to specific breeds, the art of breed selection, breeding for coat color and type, improving structural traits, how to control genetic disorders, evaluating the results, current genetic research, terminology, and a catalog of known congenital and hereditary disorders by breed.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Whether you are currently breeding pure bred dogs or are planning your first mating, you will find Genetics: An Introduction for Dog Breeders truly an invaluable addition to your library. The dog breeder who understands genetics has a better chance of consistently producing sound, healthy puppies with desired breed temperament and aptitude and with fewer undesired genetic traits. An awareness of the intricate patterns of heredity is the only way to begin to realize why traits don’t always fall into predictable dominant-recessive patterns. Yet, many breeders find understanding and applying these principles too challenging to attempt.

From the Author

Isabell wrote this book to introduce breeders to basic practical genetics in the hope that it will help them produce sounder, healthier dogs with better temperament and breed characteristics. If that is the goal of your breeding program, or if you are just starting out in breeding, you need this book!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 322 pages
• Publisher: Alpine Blue Ribbon Books (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577790413
• ISBN-13: 978-1577790419
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,073,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute necessity, April 12, 2004

By 

Barbara Johannes (Missouri) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Genetics: An Introduction for Dog Breeders (Paperback)

This book should be read by anyone the least bit interested in breeding better dogs. Not light reading but extremely valuable to the serious breeder. The Author gives a basic course on genetics and backs up her facts. She applies these principles easily to dogs and makes it easy to understand. The photos and graphs are very helpful.The section on color inheritance is fascinating!If you are not interested in improving your breed do not bother but if you dedicated to your breed this book is invaluable.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd put this at the top of my list, October 31, 2003

By 

Beverly Kohler (Olympia, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Genetics: An Introduction for Dog Breeders (Paperback)

Jackie Isabell has a wonderful way of explaining genetics that is detailed yet easily understood. She brings you along with her in an enjoyable discovery of what could be very dry subject, and even adds a bit of humour from time to time. I learned what I set out to learn from this book and I thank Jackie Isabell for being an excellent teacher.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable resource, January 29, 2006

By 

Stacey Amirov "stacey_venancio" (usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Genetics: An Introduction for Dog Breeders (Paperback)

Every single dedicated breeder should have the knowledge found in this book.
In addition to important information on genetics, it has very interesting information on the evolution of dogs and a great chapter on behavior which even goes into detail on the stages of development in puppies and effects of environment on behavior.
There is excellent information about hereditary problems, genetic disorders, and even mate selection. There is a list at the back of every breed with their hereditary disorders listed and mode of inheritance when known, which should be especially helpful for breeders. There is also breed-specific information on coat colors and alleles- which, by the way, used to look like an exotic foreign language to me and now makes sense!

I had a very simple understanding of Mendelian genetics before I read this (from reading "The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog by Anne Seranne- another great book.) This book made my understanding complete.

Before I read this book I thought that genetics were going to be difficult and boring to learn, but the author does a great job of keeping the subject interesting. The preface mentions that the author had her breeder friend, who was confused and intimidated by genetics, read the manuscript and point out areas that were especially confusing to a beginner or areas that needed clarification, etc. Maybe this is one of the reasons why this book is so effective.

A great, absolute must-have book that I highly recommend!