What’s My Mutt?
June 2nd, 2009By Meredeth Barzen
Everyone likes a mutt. And while you love your mixed breed dog regardless of its makeup, have you ever looked into that totally unique face and thought ‘what exactly is going on here?’
Samson: An enigma no more.
Jason Hastings often wondered, and finally got an answer when he received a full doggie DNA testing procedure as a gift. When Hastings adopted Samson, a 9-week-old mixed breed, he had any number of guesses as to the dog’s genetic background, which remained a mystery for 8 years. Most importantly, Samson grew to be healthy, friendly and loyal, but a nagging question turned into a great gift idea, with a little help from the folks at Lake Harriet Veterinary.
“It was a great gift,” says Hastings. “I was surprised by the pamphlet that came with it, which broke down all the results. This was extremely valuable information.” It turns out that Samson gets his good looks from a mix of Labrador Retriever, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, and American Eskimo.
Dr. Cathy Sinning of Lake Harriet Veterinary, who has performed the test, explains that (should your curiosity take over) your vet will take a blood sample from your mystery mutt and send it into the company, who will analyze it, send your vet a basic report and send you a more formal, extensive report with your dog’s family history exposed at last.
“Most people use it for curiosity or fun,” Sinning says. At-home doggie DNA kits are also available, but are considered less accurate by some since they generally use a swab test instead of a blood sample.
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June 7th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
This is a great idea! I want to take my dog Cash to see if I am right about her lineage!