The DNA results are finally in for the “Valentine Litter” of puppies that have been featured in this column for the past several weeks. As we expected, they come from a real hodgepodge of wonderful canine breeds. What we didn’t expect was mom’s lineage; we felt very sure that she was a wire-hair Jack Russell mix, but not so!
We ran a Wisdom Panel 3.0 on one of the puppies, which shows not only what his breed line is, but also shows the family tree of both mom and dad. The test is done by taking a swab sample from the inside of the dog’s cheek and sending it into the lab. The sample is then registered online and, in two or three weeks, the results are delivered by email. I’ve done it for a few dogs, and although there was a glitch for some reason with the initial registration this time, I called and was very impressed with the courteous and professional receptionist that resolved the problem immediately.
The results are delivered in the form of a colored pie chart representing the breeds and their percentages, and an ancestral chart that shows the parent and grandparent makeup. So, the results are as follows:
- 25% Schnauzer
- 25% Yorkie
- 12.5% Lhasa Apso
- 12.5% Pug
- 12.5% Beagle
- 12.5% Common Terrier mix breed
It turns out that Molly, the mother of the brood, is half Schnauzer and half puggle. Puggle is a more recent designer breed that came from mixing beagles and pugs. Puggles were first bred in the 1980s and became commercially popular by 2000. Molly’s wiry hair obviously comes from her Schnauzer background. Her coloring, white with grizzled gray and tan patches, must come from the beagle. Although her snout is not short like that of a pug, some of that trait has been passed down to a few of the puppies. The family tree showed that the father of the pups was half Yorkshire Terrier mixed with a Lhasa Apso/mixed terrier. The puppies definitely reflect the father’s Lhasa influence in their long hair and markings.
It’s been amazing to watch this litter as they grow and transform pretty much on a daily basis. Now that we know what’s behind their development, it’s really interesting to see how their ancestry plays into their different characteristics. Cupid and Romeo have fur that had to have been passed down from their Lhasa-mixed father. Ruby and Valentino are more reflective of Molly’s traits with their coloring and structure. Scarlett, Juliet, Eros and Casanova all look as though they haven’t made up their minds yet about what color they want to be or what length and texture their coats will be; they continue to lighten up with more and more tan and white coming out and their fur is a mix of textures with both the long smooth hairs and wispy, wiry hairs sticking out all over.
It’s been a fun and fascinating journey with these little guys. I hope you’ve enjoyed following their progress. The South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter was flooded with applications for them as well as for Molly and, if all goes smoothly, they will be making nine families very, very happy in just a few days!
If you have a mixed breed dog and are curious about his or her lineage, I highly recommend the DNA testing. It’s reasonably priced and it’s easy to do. The results can not only explain your dog’s physical traits, but also give you insight to some behaviors and be valuable for veterinary diagnosis purposes.
Source: Doggy DNA helps solve a mystery