If It Looks Like a Duck…
A couple of weeks ago I sent in my dog Sea’s cheek swab sample for DNA analysis. I was curious to see what breed mix she might be – as while she looks to be a terrier/Chihuahua mix to me, she is certainly lacking in the terrier behavioral traits. While I had been curious for a while, it was Sea’s friend Jake that motivated me to buy the kits and send them off.
Jake and Sea
Jake looks to be in the bully breed camp. When Jake’s guardian Pam (name changed) and I first met, Jake was not with her – she asked about my dog, and I asked about hers. She was very hesitant to tell me about what type of dog Jake was. When I told her who I worked for and what type of work I do, she softened and told me that Jake was a pit bull-type mix. Pam lives in NYC and has felt the breed bias at a personal level. She has been told to keep her type of dog away from others at one dog park, and has heard that pit type dogs are treated differently if they have an aggression incident.
When Pam adopted Jake, he was labeled “pit mix.” While he looks like he may have some bully breed of some sort in him, it was not clear to me that Jake was a “pit mix.” Pam’s anxiety had nothing to do with Jake’s potential to be aggressive – the boy is the softest, kindest low-arousal guy I have met – but everything to do with the incorrect perception folks had around the label “pit bull.” I told Pam about the DNA breed analysis we could do, and we both decided to conduct a Wisdom Panel™ analysis on our dogs.
Dr. Victoria Voith (et al) published a research report in 2009 in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science on the comparison of adoption agency breed identification and DNA breed identification. While it is a small sample size (20 dogs), the results were compelling – 87% of the dogs who were identified to have 1 or 2 specific breeds in their ancestry did not have those breeds in their DNA analysis. Of the five dogs who were identified by the adoption agency by breed “type” (terrier, for example), only 2 actually had that breed type in their analysis.
The authors point to the compelling photos from studies conducted by Scott and Fuller (1965) that showed that puppies from purebred parents of different breeds (cocker spaniel mother and beagle father, for example) can look nothing like either of their parents. Yet we in shelters (and in our homes) continue to assign breeds to the mixed breed dogs we encounter.
For Sea, being mislabeled as a terrier mix is less of an issue than for Jake to be mislabeled as a pit mix. The tragic fact is that pit mixes stay longer in our shelters, are vilified by insurance companies and some community members, and are at higher risk of euthanasia.
This weekend Sea’s and Jake’s Wisdom Panel results came in – Sea is in fact half Chihuahua – and half miniature poodle! And Jake – yep, you got it – not a speck of Am Staff, American bull dog or the like in his DNA… Instead, Lab, pointer, Rottweiler and more.
I know some of you will respond like some of my Facebook friends and simply choose to discount the scientific analysis and tell me that Sea must be a terrier mix ‘cause she looks like one. I will respectfully, and with science behind me, disagree.
A Poochi she is.
More important are the implications for the many, many dogs who look like Jake in our shelters today. If we do not have the ancestry in our hands, should we be picking breeds based on what he or she looks like? What can we replace that with for our clients whose first question is often, “What kind of dog is he? “ How about we answer, “The good kind.”
Related links:
“Barriers and Pit (bull) falls”
“An At-Risk Dog By Any Other Name”
Tags: Breed, Pit Bulls, Research, Research & Data, Saving Lives
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Sandy M Says:
WOW – that is stunning on many levels, not the least of which is miniature poodle!
From now on when people ask me about my dog, I think I will change my answer to “the good kind”.
Brad Says:
Never would have guessed Poodle for Sea.
I agree that we often get breeds wrong. Since we can’t afford Wisdom Panels for every dog, and people really seem to feel that breed is an important thing for them to know when adopting, what do you suggest shelters do?
Liz Says:
Sorry, but those doggie DNA tests are misleading, and a waste of time and money.
When it comes to DNA testing for dogs it is approved by the AKC to tell parentage, not breed type. The thing with DNA profiles is you always need something to compare it to as a reference…if there is no reference the profile is basically useless.
The way human DNA testing works (which is more advanced than canine testing) is you have a sample from your crime scene and you run your profile. What you get is a series of numbers, similar to a bar code. The numbers are meaningless until you get a reference sample from your suspect. Once you have that you can compare the two bar codes. That is all that DNA can do. If it could do more they would be using it for human testing…but the sad truth is it can’t.
On top of the limitation of genetic markers, the evolution of dogs isn’t that distinguished genetically. I highly doubt there would be any highly distinguishable genetic attributes to tell between pure bred dogs and mixes.
It’s also misleading because many DNA testing kits don’t test for all breeds of dogs. Of COURSE a DNA kit won’t reveal American Pit Bull Terrier in a dog’s ancestry, if the kit doesn’t test for that breed of dog!
So….readers digest version: if you can’t use DNA to tell “breeds” (Caucasian, African American, etc.) of people apart you can’t use it to tell breeds of dogs. Read the AKC’s statement on DNA testing.
Sally Westerhoff Says:
Thanks Emily! Awesome information!
Becky Says:
Awesome article! Very well put!
Rachel Says:
I think that is such a great idea and would like to do that for my guy. Can you recommend the place you used? I have been wanting to do this for my family as well.
Angie Says:
I had the DNA test done on my poodle/terrier mix I adopted from the shelter and he came back as poodle/beagle/basset/britany spaniel/belgian teruvian. Umm Wow! And he’s only 20 pounds
The beagle and poodle both make sense though. My lab mix came back as lab/spitz/bull terrier. It was interesting to see the results.
Heather Mohan Says:
Another great post. Thank you for bringing about this issue, there are many ways we can look to provide the best possible outcome and support for our at-risk dogs, and this is yet another way. Human DNA found on a crime scene can put people behind bars, so I’m not sure why trying to determine DNA in a dog causes so much controversy. All dogs are mixed breeds (some are just mixed more recently than others which helps them determine those ancestral lines).
My own dog I adopted was listed as Pit who had been through a few shelters and faced euthanasia due to this label placed on him. People have guessed Boxer, Pit, GShep, Rhodesian, etc. I did 3 different DNA tests (2 blood and one cheek swab) in order to answer this question. All said he had no primary breed (meaning no single breed made up over 50% of his genetic composition) and traces of 3 breeds were detected: Rott, Chihuahua, and Beagle. His photo is here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=182447455129736&set=a.182446868463128.36650.172419529465862&type=1&theater
It doesn’t mater where you stand in your opinion on the DNA tests. The reality for me and my dog, over the past 6 years together it has meant that I can get homeowners insurance, go to dog parks, board him, and rent in places I would not have otherwise.
We love to use labels and compartmentalize. In a shelter setting, it can mean the loss of a life if they are labeled with one breed or another. In a homeowner situation, it can mean the difference of getting insurance or not. Currently we are making decisions based on our gut, and I side with this idea and the research that are wrong most of the time. Let’s drop the labels on dogs. Since all dogs are mixes (even AKC) I vote for labeling every dog in the shelter, no matter what they look like, as “American Shelter Mix”. Then rather than choosing what resources to allocate based on breed, we can consider the individual’s behavioral needs.
Angela Says:
I love this article. My dog, too, looks like some kind of bully breed with her big head. I ALWAYS tell people who ask me what kind of dog she is that she is “a good dog”. Thought I was the only one who thought like me!
I will sometimes tell them she is a purebred mutt, too. That gives them pause. One of these days I am going to have her tested, too, just to see what it says.
Ericka Wendell Says:
Hello!
I absolutely loved your article! I have two rescue “bully” looking dogs of my own, and continually have that stigma put upon my animals. I was wondering what company you did the DNA analysis through? I was thinking that if I could trace their history, maybe it would be easier to find a place to live & not constantly have to worry about getting evicted for having “pit-bulls.” Thank you very much! My email is:
ericka.wendell@gmail.com
trix Says:
The word mutt has negative connotations but that is what my response always was. Or “What do you think he is?”
I find the greater the diversity the smarter the mutt!
It would have been interesting to know what my boys were tho.
How much does the test run?
Nicole Says:
You never know what is really in a mix. I had my lab mix done and she came back with lab, sheltie, collie, basenji, and shih tzu. DNA swaps are very interesting. You do have to see how many and what kind of breeds are actually in each companies data base. The company i went with didn’t have many breeds ( I think 40). What they do is they will tell you the breed that matches the closest with the DNA of your dog. (as just an example: say your breed really does have a APBT in it but that breed isn’t in their data base so they will tell you the next closest match; maybe a bull terrier. There was also a study where they sent the same DNA samples to several different places and they all came back with different results. Although it is very interesting I wouldn’t rely on the results 100%.
Carrie Says:
In Kansas city a dog owner who has a DNA profile on her dog was given a ticket for having a pit mix in BSL Territory. She told them she had DNA done on the dog and there is no pit in it. She was told by the animal control officer that it “looks pit” so you have to pay the ticket and get rid of it. What can she do?
Emily Weiss Says:
Brad – you ask a great question – our potential adopters want to know what breed their dog may be… This was actually one of the reasons why we developed Meet Your Match – if we could focus folks on the “Canine-ality” of the dog, the potential breeds tended to matter less. One option might be to say “he looks like a “insert breed name here” but acts like a “insert other breed name here.” And lets be frank about the likelihood that we are correct…
A few of you have asked for more details around the analysis we chose to use for Sea and Jake. We used the Wisdom Panel Insight test http://www.wisdompanel.com/insights//
Aditi Terpstra, CPDT-KA Says:
Great article and I support the science behind it. Now if we could only get Petfinder, Pet Point, etc… on board for supporting a breed listing as All American Dog or American Shelter Dog that would be awesome. As of right now, when I enter a dog into one of these data bases for the shelter I work for, I don’t have a choice but to list a primary and possibly a secondary breed. We aren’t given the option to select Mixed breed or one of the above options. This frustrates me, as I know most of our shelter dogs are mixes and I don’t want to put a label on them.
Michelle Hayes Says:
As a vet tech I see many bully type dogs, and yes some have aggression problems mostly toward other dogs. But, I have to say on the whole, bully dogs are the best, most lovable, friendliest of them all. I would take a bully dog over a Chihuahua any day.
Sami Draper Says:
Heather…Your dog is beautiful! I do see beagle and rott, but honestly, I have always believed that “mutts” are the most intelligent and loving dogs there are.
As for DNA testing, Liz, I disagree with you completely; They can and do test for human “breeds” as you put it. My sister had genetic testing on her sons because both are autistic, and we were both adopted at a young age, so our medical/genetic history was a mystery. It was found that they/we do, indeed, have a strong Scandinavian background (which I already knew since I located our biological father when I was 18), and a small amount of Ashkenazi Jew.
Funny, but over the years, people have asked if I was Jewish…
Michelle Says:
Too bad shelters will never have these types of test done on an animal. Most shelters operate on a shoestring budget as it is and can barely afford to feed and adequetly vet the animals to reduce illness with in the shelter system. Perhaps the Natiional ASPCA should look into implementing a plan for shelters to have this done at minimal expence so that the needless death of so many dogs that are PTS simply because they LOOK like a pit mix can stop!!!
Trish McMillan Loehr Says:
Fascinating topic – I would have guessed terrier mix for Sea, too! Interesting that it was her behavior that sent you for DNA analysis. I wonder how this new knowledge has changed Jake’s guardian’s outlook on people’s breed biases about her dog, too.
I’ve lived with a wonderful mixed breed shelter dog for ten years now. Kenya was labeled a “Malinois mix” by the shelter as a tiny puppy. I’ve often called her a “San Francisco Squirrelhound,” as she finds squirrels absolutely irresistible. Here’s what she looks like:
http://tinyurl.com/3q978ew
With the shelter’s breed guess in mind, I’ve spent the last decade looking for – and finding – herding dog traits in Kenya (high intelligence, high prey drive, trainability, athletic ability) and empathizing with other owners of various “Shepherdy things” with similar behavior traits.
Earlier his year, we finally did her Wisdom panel and I was absolutely stunned to be told she’s *half* Tibetan Mastiff! Here’s what they look like: http://tinyurl.com/3o2mkfd
I asked them to run the test a second time, because this is such a rare breed, and so unlike Kenya physically and behaviorally. I was assured there’s a very high probability she has one TM parent.
It’s amazing how much we invest in our dogs’ breed identities. And how little it truly means, in the end. Kenya is definitely the “good kind” of dog. Unless you’re a squirrel
Connie Says:
Timely article, I was at a meeting today and found out that the City of Aurora (CO) is allowing DNA testing of pit types for proof of breed. Unfortunately they ban the three pit breeds,however I believe this is a progressive step for many dog owners to be able to keep their beloved dogs. They have to be over 50% pit to be banned. DNA testing will save a lot of dogs that have been mistakenly identified as pit types.
John Says:
DNA test or not, the Pit has been Judged and Sentenced unfairly. The news media has done this to people as well but for the dog, with no voice, many are killed just because someone heard something bad sometime in the past and believed it. We have a full blood Pit Bull that is the very kind, loving and more afraid of things than any other dog I have seen. If dog bites and problems for all dogs were reported like the pit group, you would be amazed at the results.
Marci Says:
I disagree with you too, Liz. While there are some fly-by-night DNA labs, Wisdom Panel has more than 185 breed profiles in their database as references, and this database includes both miniature poodle and chihuahua along with most other commonly encountered dog breeds.
Coincidentally I also happen to own a small rescue dog whose test results from Wisdom Panel are a cross between a miniature poodle and a chihuahua. Crosses between two purebred dogs are the most readily identifiable matches. The more breeds represented in a mixed breed dog, the more ambiguous the results.
My “Brynn” has many of the same physical attributes as “Sea” in the above photos. If you were to substitute a long haired chi coat for Sea’s short haired chi coat and change his coat color, my “Brynn” would look quite similar.
However what Brynn most closely resembles is a cross between a cocker spaniel and a small herding breed. He was, in fact, classified as a cocker mix by the pound, and then as a sheltie mix by the rescue group who bailed him out and listed him on petfinder. Both were excellent guesses based on his physical attributes.
Despite his appearance, Brynn displays none of the behaviors of spaniel or herding dog, but rather shows many poodle and chihuahua characteristics.
Poodle crosses are apparently just as likely to inherit the coat type of the other parent. I’m willing to bet that if either “Sea” or “Brynn” had been endowed with a curly poodle coat, both would have been tagged as poodle mixes.
Marci Says:
On another subject I should think that the Kansas City dog owner could contest the ticket and present the DNA evidence to the judge at the hearing. There is a good likelihood that a judge would rule that scientific evidence trumps an animal control officer’s assessment based on appearance alone. It would also be a good idea for the dog owner to be represented at the hearing by an attorney.
Donna Says:
We’ve always had ‘mutts’ in our family and the only one we knew for sure had collie in it was the one puppy born to what appeared to be a black lab/black bear mix (90 pounds of wrestling love). Our answer to that question, “what kind of dog is that” is always “American Curbside Setter”. We probably had at least 5 dogs that had some pit-bull in them, but, back then, no one thought anything of it (40+ years ago). It’s only in recent years that dog fighting has given rise to the ‘mean breed’ associated with pits, the first dog I ever knew was mostly pit, by looking at the old pictures now. I was 4 years old and he was my baby sitter, playmate and best friend.
Kaylee Says:
I volunteer at a shelter, and we tell potential adopters that the breed listing is our best guess. It’s kind of funny, several of us sitting around trying to determine what we should classify a new arrival as. I mean, you’re not going to mistake an Irish wolfhound for a poodle, but we have a lot of “terrier mix” and “lab mix” dogs, simply because of the physical features. It’s a lot easier with cats, because unless it has obvious breed characteristics (you know that a Siamese cat is a Siamese cat), you can just say “domestic short hair” and be done with it.
Terri Says:
If we as shelters, rescues and dog owners could unify with classifications similar to those of the cats (domestic shorthair, medium shorthair, longhair) maybe we could get rid of breed prejudice. Wouldn’t that be nice. Maybe just say – small , medium , large, giant …
Katie Says:
I too did a DNA test on my dog and I disagree 100% with the results. I know for a fact one of the breeds my dog is. That did not show up on the results at all. In fact it said my dog was all breeds which would make her 10-15 lbs bigger. They are a waste of time and money! I love her no matter what she is. But you would think by now they would have this down to a science.