What Is In Your Mix??

Hi, My name is Lucy. Aren't I the cutest dog you ever saw? I am a rescue from the Humane Society of DC. My Mommy found me on Petfinder by typing in Chihuahua. Obviously I am not a full blooded Chi. My Mom didn't care. She wanted me anyway. She even had to beat out 35 other applicants in order to take me home. Boy am I glad she won!

Anyway, the first thing she did was take me to the nice folks at Kingsbrook. During my first exam, Mommy asked what else they thought I was mixed up with. Obviously, everyone could see the Chi in me. However, no one was sure what else was in here. Everyone did agree that it was some sort of Terrier. The guesses ran the gambit.

When my Mommy walks me, almost everyone who sees us asks "What kind of dog is that?" For the longest time, my Mommy would say Chihuahua and some sort of Terrier. That would prompt guesses and advice from everyone. Yeah, she looks Carin Terrier, or Maltese, Shitzu, Jack Russell, etc. They always gave reasons for their guesses, my eyes, my hair, my beautiful smile, etc.

One Saturday, I was at Kingsbrook getting a Lyme booster. Miss Kelly gave Mommy a brochure for the Wisdom Test. It was sure to tell us what kind of Terrier I was. So, Mommy immediately had my blood drawn for the test. We anxiously waited for about 2 weeks. Then one day Mommy came home to a message that my results were back. We could hardly wait to call back the next day to find out my ancestry.

Well, boy did Mommy find what they told her interesting...Miss Lynn told my Mommy I was of course, Chihuahua and....Miniature Poodle. Poodle, who would have thought?!! Not a drop of Terrier showed up in the analysis. Boy was everyone wrong about me. But of course, if someone would have asked me, I would have said, "Terrier, ha, fat chance!" "I'm a Chi Min Oodle!"

Nemo's Recipe

Nemo looked like a little Labrador cross as a puppy.  A former service dog in training, his heritage didn't really matter - any breed (or mix) can make a good service dog.  As he grew, it was apparent that he was more than just a Lab-X.  Some people saw Great Dane, others saw some sort of Hound.  No one could tell for certain what mix of breeds contributed to his handsome good looks.  Until, that is, Kingsbrook Animal Hospital began offering the Wisdom Panel, a DNA heritage test.  Just one quick blood draw was all it took to reveal they mystery of Nemo's lineage.

Turns out he's a mix of mixes!  The breeds of his parents couldn't be determined - there were too many dogs in the mix.  It's likely that his parents themselves were mixed breeds.  The Wisdom Panel did, however give us come clues to Nemo's distant ancestors.  The panel identified Golden Retriever and Dalmation, as well as Newfoundland and Boxer in Nemo's distant past.  Nemo's got the friendly nature of the Golden, but doesn't look a thing like one!  I can't see the Boxer in him either, but he does like to use his paws during play time - just like the typical Boxer.  Perhaps he looks more like a Newfoundland, minus the shaggy, dense coat.  He's got lots of loose skin around his neck like a Newfie.  He's got very short hair, like a Dalmation (but no spots.)  Perhaps he's also got another breed in him - one of the few that the Wisdom Panel can't yet detect.

To find out more about the Wisdom Panel, click here.  Or better yet, join us on May 5th at 7:00pm at Kingsbrook Animal Hospital for our "What Your Pet Wants You To Know" series, where the topic will be "Mixed Breeds, Mutts and Heinz 57s: DNA Testing for Fun and Health." Anyone who attends will receive a gift certificate good for $20 off the Wisdom Panel Testing at Kingsbrook Animal Hospital. Details can be found by clicking here.