The Atlas of Dog Breeds of the World (Hardcover)

by Bonnie Wilcox (Author), Chris Walkowicz (Author) "Although many beasts have served humanity throughout time, only one serves by choice..." (more)
Key Phrases: Great Britain, Bull Terrier, United States (more...)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 896 pages
• Publisher: TFH Publications; 5 edition (March 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793812844
• ISBN-13: 978-0793812844
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #510,175 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best reference book on dog breeds, May 2, 2000

By	Angel Lee "Liocorno Amethyst Moonstone" (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is absolutely the best reference book on dog breeds I have ever seen. It is huge, containing over 900 pages. There is information on every dog breed. Even extinct breeds are included accompanied by drawings.

There is a least one photograph of each dog breed shown in full-color on glossy stock. The more popular the breed, the more photos there are of it. Most are large and several are in full-page format.

Information on each breed includes country of origin, registry, group, colors, height/weight, other names & coat description. A detailed history & their personality traits are also included.

This is the book to get if you want a great way to learn about rare & seldom seen breeds. The unusual appearance of some the dogs is fascinating.

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Breed Book, December 18, 2002

By	Yeoh Siok Kee (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We collect books on Dog Breeds and this is by far the most complete and comprehensive book we have found.

There are over 900 pages of dogs and more dogs, with reference to over 400 different breeds from all over the world ... Middle Asian Owtcharka? ... Hygenhund? ... the Majestic Tree Hound? ... and even reference to the rare tree climbing Telomian from the tropical jungles of Malaya ... wonderful!

It's a very substantial and heavy book. Paper quality is reasonable but the binding (for such a heavy book) could have been better. A few rare breeds (possibly extinct) are depicted with drawings, but all other breeds are represented by at least one photograph (often more). Photograph reproduction is unfortunately only of average quality.

Chapters describing each major dog group (Gun Dogs, Herding Dogs etc) preface the book, providing the reader with useful introduction to canine diversity and function

Each breed is described by country of origin, weight, height, coat, registry and group. The authors also provide reasonable summary of each breed's function, temperament, historical background and current development. Subtle humour permeates the book ... "Like a Dr. Suess creation, the Basset has the head & bone of a Bloodhound, the colouring of a Foxhound and the legs of a Dachshund ...".

The authors' stated aim was to produce a survey on the breeds of dog known to man. While some reviews say the book is not complete, this reader believes the authors have (for the most part) succeeded admirably with a volume that's well researched, as interesting to read as it is informative.

All in all, a very good read and an excellent reference source.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For dog lovers only!, March 13, 2000

By	The Godfather "The Godfather" (Urbana, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This impressive tome (about 14 pounds of book) is a delight for any dog lover. While some photographs are of questionable quality, the majority are stunning. Information on most breeds is interesting and accurate. I went through this book and fell in love with many breeds I had never seen or heard of before. Breeds from all over the world are represented here as well as a few that have sadly disappeared. I have often used it as a reference work when I heard of certain breeds. It helps to see and read a bit about them. It also is a reference to point out to friends what certain breeds look like and for them to get a little insight into the breed. A book this size would seem, however, to be an exhaustive reference work on the world's dog breeds. It is not. But that does not take away from it being a great addition to any dog lover's library.