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Our Dog’s DNA Results Received: With Surprises!

Just last month we told you about the Wisdom Panel MX DNA test we had run on our former shelter dog, Tiki. Well, the results are back: and they’re a total surprise!

We had thought Tiki, a white with red ticking, 40-ish pound, smart, sweeter than sweet dog was a border collie mix. We believed she might have traces of some other breeds like Australian cattle dog, Australian shepherd, or even some type of spitz, to explain her curled tail.

Wrong.

The results we received from Mars Veterinary showed a far different ancestry for Tiki! Although her heritage was too mixed to have a “significant” amount of any breed, she did have clear ancestry of two breeds: Doberman Pinscher and Poodle!

The test also showed distant traces of Bulldog and Shetland Sheepdog (which, of all the four, wasn’t too much of a surprise.) The report also showed “faint signals from other breeds which are not strong enough to identify.”

For many dog owners, the test is a way to learn more about potential traits and behaviors of their dog. The results offers three levels of detection. For Tiki, the results were:

You Should see traits from: ——-

You May see traits from: Doberman Pinscher and Poodle

There is a slight Chance of seeing traits from: Bulldog and Shetland Sheepdog

The test results also came with profiles of each of the identifiable breeds detected in Tiki’s genetics

Although it’s a little disappointing that we can’t determine the most significant factors in her genetics, it’s not unusual.

According to the report from Mars Veterinary, “Results like Tiki’s are found in about 70% of mixed breed dogs in the U.S.” Tiki’s parents, like their offspring, were mixed breed dogs themselves so there are no dominant breeds that make up the majority of her heritage.

Nonetheless, the results will be helpful. We’ve sent our vet a copy of the results for Tiki’s file so we can be aware of any problems especially prominent in her breeds. Also, the test helps satisfy some of our curiosity about Tiki’s life before she arrived at our home.

In all, it confirms to us what we, like so many dog lovers who now have shelter dogs in their families, already know: our dog is one of a kind.

Paris Permenter
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This post originally appeared on DogTipper.com and is the sole property of DogTipper.com.