About a month ago Murph and I ran into a neighbor, Marlene, and her dog Zeus. Zeus is a very big dog (I want to say in the 100 pound range) and a mix of some sort. Maybe Saint Bernard, maybe Newfoundland, maybe even Lab. Marlene’s not quite sure…but she now has a way to find out.
Unlocking The Genetic Safe to Determine a Dog’s Breed
She told me about a company called MetaMorphix that sells a DNA testing kit specifically designed to determine a dog’s breed. It’s called the Canine Heritage Breed Test.
You order the kit online (costs $65 plus shipping) and they send you everything you’ll need to collect a sample, in this case a swab from your dog’s cheek. Then you send it back to them for analysis.
Results take four to six weeks and are limited to identifying 38 breeds.
Speaking of Results
You can also send in a photo when you return your sample, which will be printed on their test result certificate. (Which will come back to you framed, by the way.)
Results are specified as Primary, Secondary, and In the Mix. Primary is DNA that’s 50% or greater of a specific breed. Secondary are breeds that may influence your pet’s appearance and such, but that don’t comprise 50% of the DNA. In the Mix are breeds that show up at some level, just not very high.
What to Make of It All
Some breeds have specific health problems, and if you find out your dog’s Primary DNA is one of these breeds you’ll be better able to manager their health. On the other hand, some breeds have distinct behavioral patterns. Knowing that breed is present in your dog can help you better understand and communicate with him or her.
As for me, I’d be curious just to know what Murph is, but none of what I suspect he is (Bluetick Coonhound and possibly Australian Cattle Dog) makes the list of 38 breeds the test can identify. Guess Murph’s genetic secret is safe for a little longer.
As far as Marlene and Zeus…Newfoundland isn’t one of the 38 breeds either, but Saint Bernard and Lab are. I’ll be curious to see what Zeus’s genetic makeup turns out to be.
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