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My girl dog looks totally like a Black Labrador, and her coat has elements of Border Collie (longer hair and feathers). She has neither breed in her! How can that be? The test says she's mainly Australian Cattle Dog (29%) and German Shepherd Dog (27%). Um..... no. She's incredibly extroverted, sweet, people oriented. A former vet felt she has some Chow which is true (11%), now that she's older she's crankier but not bad at all, not a problem at dog parks, etc. She is highly energetic (at 12-1/2 is still like a puppy) and Alpha.
My boy dog came out 63% Australian Cattle Dog, which I expected (his sister totally looks Red Cattle Dog, but she's much smaller with short hair). He has some Chow too, but minimal (8%), with the same amount of Pittie Bull (8%) (I LOVE Pitties!). He is super chill and Beta. He looks like part Shepherd with a bushy feathered tail and a quadruple coat <my joke.
Now here's the catch:
My Cattle Dog has 1% Lab, and 2% Border Collie, but my Lab/Border Collie girl has 0% of those? I don't get it. How can a dog look exactly like a Black Lab but have no Lab in her?
And the Lab/Border Collie girl has 8% POODLE and 8% CHIHUAHUA? Give me a break.
A "close relative" of hers was found 25 miles away (Southern California area), but that dog is mostly German Shepherd/Siberian Husky.
I think there's been a mistake with my girl's results. Thoughts?
Well, my 9 pound rescue who looks like a chihuahua mix turned out to be 3/4 toy fox terrier (that part's believable, she acts more terrier than chi) and 1/4 Weimaraner. Really? And this was an expensive test using her blood! I kind of wonder about these tests, LOL.
That's wild. I saw a dog at the dog park today, a guy had a dog just like that but it was a rare breed, there was another word in there... maybe I'll think of it. Cute looking dog.
Do a web search on “origin of Labrador Retriever”. Apparently they originated in the 1500s and some “small water dogs” were incorporated. That might be where the poodle DNA came from.
What happens with DNA is it looks at a modern dog but with enough samples of all kinds of modern individuals you can find small pieces in common in very diverse seeming individuals that also appear regularly in certain older breeds.
That’s how we humans might even have some neanderthal DNA, especially as more and more ancient remains are discovered.
And, if you repeat the test 5 yrs from now as more and more dogs have been tested, the percentages will change a little. More data leads to more insights.
Yes, that's part of why I waited so long to have my dogs tested. I've had her for 12 years, and him for 10. When I had my son's dog tested 5 years ago, the pool wasn't nearly as large and those results were spot on.
Thanks for that info. I guess the recessive traits are showing up in her? When I look at her head, I can see the Brittany in her. In her temperament I can see the Chow and the Chihuahua... ha! She became cranky at about age 6, which coincided with her beta finally beginning to challenge her on stealing his food.
I'll call the company and ask about this. Normally I wouldn't do that but I really would like some input as to why she looks completely different than her DNA!
If you got an Embark DNA test, they are pretty accurate. Some of the other tests are known to have issues. Many people feel that because a dog "looks" like a breed or "acts" like a breed, it must be that breed. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Do you have a photo of your dog (the lab-looking one)? Just curious, because that's almost the same mix as my old dog... according to his test, Rudy was 12% each of Cattle Dog, German Shepherd, Chow Chow, and Border Collie. And 50% super mutt, lol.
This was him, progression from puppy to old dog: https://imgur.com/a/Q1Oxfi0 (he lived to almost 17; passed away last September)
Do you have a photo of your dog (the lab-looking one)? Just curious, because that's almost the same mix as my old dog... according to his test, Rudy was 12% each of Cattle Dog, German Shepherd, Chow Chow, and Border Collie. And 50% super mutt, lol.
This was him, progression from puppy to old dog: https://imgur.com/a/Q1Oxfi0 (he lived to almost 17; passed away last September)
Yes, that's pretty much what my girl looks like (I don't know how to post photos on here... duh). Her ears are sightly longer, and she's completely black. Her head is small which is probably the mix rather than Lab. She's fluffy too, like a Border Collie.
If you got an Embark DNA test, they are pretty accurate. Some of the other tests are known to have issues. Many people feel that because a dog "looks" like a breed or "acts" like a breed, it must be that breed. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Well, I understand what you are saying. It's just that when everybody looks at her they think "Lab." I mean, I know she's got other stuff in there, but Lab look is dominant.
This test went back to the great-grandparents.
The results for my other dog were spot on, so it's confusing.
I've had 3 Wisdom Panel tests done. 2 of the 3 were spot on. This one was not.
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