pure mutt
Just for fun, I had a DNA test done on Bear last year. At the time, they only tested for 38 breeds, but I had figured he was a lab/shepherd mix -- both breeds they test for. The results were unexpected to say the least. They came back saying that my 85 pound, 27 inch at shoulder dog has the DNA of a beagle and yorkie. Granted they were both just "in the mix" - meaning there's only a traceable amount of the breed DNA. Nothing showed up in the "primary" or "secondary" levels. So, no lab, no shepherd, no golden.
Well, the testing place added a bunch of new breeds and offered an upgrade to retest. I went ahead and did it and the results came today. Obviously the first set of results were for a different dog -- this time there was no yorkie or beagle. There was still nothing at the "primary" or "secondary" levels, but "in the mix" were lab, chow chow, akita and alaskan malamute.
Everyone assumes he's a lab -- or a lab mix - so that part makes sense. He's a bit bigger (taller) than a lab, but he certainly has a lot of the traits, only much more mellow. His fur is softer than a lab's (a girl at our obedience class pet him last week and exclaimed "rabbit fur!"). And the ears obviousy aren't lab. As for the chow - he has a heavily spotted tongue -- not conclusive, but it's something. And I guess the chow part could explain the extra roll of skin around his neck -- he seriously has enough skin to cover himself and another dog his size. The akita and malamute aren't that surprising -- I had thought he was part GSD, but I suppose malamute makes as much sense (I don't really know much about akitas). It's a little surprising though because he seems to dislike the "wolf" dogs (ones that look more like wolves -- malamutes, huskies, etc.) at the dog park -- he's not aggressive toward them, just doesn't like them. I still think there's probably some other breed in him -- maybe great dane to explain his height (he's not as tall as a dane, but he's a lot taller than a lab).
So I have a Japanese sled retrieving chow. And it actually all kind of makes sense.
pure mutt
Just for fun, I had a DNA test done on Bear last year. At the time, they only tested for 38 breeds, but I had figured he was a lab/shepherd mix -- both breeds they test for. The results were unexpected to say the least. They came back saying that my 85 pound, 27 inch at shoulder dog has the DNA of a beagle and yorkie. Granted they were both just "in the mix" - meaning there's only a traceable amount of the breed DNA. Nothing showed up in the "primary" or "secondary" levels. So, no lab, no shepherd, no golden.
Well, the testing place added a bunch of new breeds and offered an upgrade to retest. I went ahead and did it and the results came today. Obviously the first set of results were for a different dog -- this time there was no yorkie or beagle. There was still nothing at the "primary" or "secondary" levels, but "in the mix" were lab, chow chow, akita and alaskan malamute.
Everyone assumes he's a lab -- or a lab mix - so that part makes sense. He's a bit bigger (taller) than a lab, but he certainly has a lot of the traits, only much more mellow. His fur is softer than a lab's (a girl at our obedience class pet him last week and exclaimed "rabbit fur!"). And the ears obviousy aren't lab. As for the chow - he has a heavily spotted tongue -- not conclusive, but it's something. And I guess the chow part could explain the extra roll of skin around his neck -- he seriously has enough skin to cover himself and another dog his size. The akita and malamute aren't that surprising -- I had thought he was part GSD, but I suppose malamute makes as much sense (I don't really know much about akitas). It's a little surprising though because he seems to dislike the "wolf" dogs (ones that look more like wolves -- malamutes, huskies, etc.) at the dog park -- he's not aggressive toward them, just doesn't like them. I still think there's probably some other breed in him -- maybe great dane to explain his height (he's not as tall as a dane, but he's a lot taller than a lab).
So I have a Japanese sled retrieving chow. And it actually all kind of makes sense.