Breeding Healthy Dogs – Presented by Madeline Zimmermann

What traits should you prioritize, and which are most heritable? Plus estimates of heritability of common traits: hip, elbow, skin, epilepsy.

Madeline Zimmermann earned her B.S. in Animal and Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech, followed by an M.S. studying quantitative animal breeding and genetics at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Her interest in animal breeding and genetics began as a “horse-crazy” child but was solidified by her undergraduate animal breeding and genetics course – particularly a simulated sheep breeding project – and a subsequent summer internship calculating estimated breeding values at Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Madeline then worked at Guiding Eyes for the Blind as the Genetic Analyst for 3 years. During this time, she developed and modified genetic models for various health and behavior traits, maintained routine estimated breeding value and genetic selection index calculations, oversaw breeding colony management to advance genetic progress, and assisted in data integrity management and research projects. For the past year, she has worked with the IWDR team to support other organizations’ breeding colony management and breeder selection.