Doggie DNA test aims to sniff out breeds

Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 4:43 PM

By Linda Dahlstrom, health editor

What it is: Canine Heritage Breed Test, $65

What it claims to do: Genetically determine the breed composition of your dog based on a DNA swab. It tests for 38 different breeds and reports back your dog’s primary breed, secondary ones and those leftovers that are somewhere “in the mix.”

Our experience: When people meet my dog, the first question I get is usually, “What is he?” The truth is, he looks like he’s a combination of bear, llama and Labrador, possibly with some three-toed sloth thrown in. In the summer, when he’s shaved, it seems clear there’s a black Lab underneath all that hair. But in the winter, all bets are off.

Sherman is from the pound, so I have no clue who his canine ancestors are, only that there were probably many, many kinds of them.

I hoped the Canine Heritage Breed Test might settle his lineage question once and for all. MSNBC.com ordered two tests – one for Sherman and one for our control group, a purebred Chihuahua named Bobo.

Doing the test is easy – you just swab the inside of your dog’s cheek with a special brush the company sends, mail it back and wait for the results.

When the envelope arrived about five weeks later, I tore it open, eager to at last know the truth. Would he be a Lab? A Newfoundland? A border collie mix? A pug? And the envelope said …. The company really has no clue. Sherman appears to have stumped even science.

Vote: What do you think is Sherman's primary breed?

The letter accompanying his test results said whatever he is probably isn’t represented in the 38 breeds it tests for and invited me to have him retested for a “deeply discounted price” after the company expands the range of dogs it detects. It did say that somewhere in his mix are likely a German shepherd and a golden retriever, both totally believable.

Newfoundland isn’t included in the 38 breeds and, partly due to Sherman’s single-minded passion for swimming and his ridiculous amount of hair, that’s what I suspect he is, primarily. I was surprised by what the test ruled out, specifically Labrador and border collie.

And our control group, the purebred? His test showed him to be 100 percent Chihuahua.

Bottom line: While Sherman remains a dog of mystery, the test appears to work perfectly for pooches who fall into the 38 breeds Canine Heritage can identify. If you’ve got a true mutt like I do, it might be worth it to wait for a future version that can test for more types.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

My dog is clearly a Labrador mix, we think with Border Collie...but they came back as an Akita mix, there is no way she is an Akita. Both Lab and Border Collie our on the list of 85 breeds and neither one came up.

Kristin, Baden, PA (Sent Friday, November 09, 2007 11:44 AM)

Aww, that's disappointing. Sounds like I'll be waiting a while before shelling out the money for the kit. I have a rescue mutt that is part shepard and from appearance, some form of terrier (pitbull or similar). It's been a big mystery since we brought her home but I guess I can wait a little while longer.

Kelly Johnson, Des Plaines, IL (Sent Friday, November 09, 2007 7:46 PM)

There is another DNA test which includes 130 different breeds (including Newfoundland). It's only available through vet offices as it's done using blood for the DNA. It's called the Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel, and you can find more information at whatsmydog.com

I requested my vet to offer the test, and they'll be set up for it next month (not all vets currently offer it). There's information on the website to give to your vet so they can get the necessary supplies to test. I'm not affilated with them ... just found out about the service since I've recently acquired a mix breed from a rescue group, and I'm anxious to determine his "heritage" since everyone has a different idea what he might be.

Pamela Marrache (Sent Friday, November 09, 2007 10:43 PM)

I really don't think it matters what breed he is. As long as you love and take care of him.

Margaret Henley (Sent Saturday, November 10, 2007 3:33 PM)

check his toes for webbing. newfs have webbed feet.
grew up with them. father used to show them. all but 1 of the 8 he had over the years sufferd from OCD for anything wet, ridding in the car or sleeping over the ac vent. father was very involved with rescueing and many passed thrugh his hands on the way to new homes. he looks like several of the newf mixes he had pass by. but he might be a Snuffleupagus too. mothers 15-20 lbs cats would terrorize all of them and chase the 150 lbs dogs around the house and yard. very strange and funny thing to watch.

just a reader (Sent Saturday, November 10, 2007 5:31 PM)

Sherman could easily be Flat-coated Retriever. Without seeing any 'more' of Sherman it's difficult to speculate further, but his head definitely says Flat-coat, his coat length, texture, and color speaks of Flat-coat (black is a dominate color), and, Flat-coats LOVE water! This link shows an AKC picture of a Flat-coated Retriever... and, "Nope", I don't have Flat-coats... just having fun guessing! http://www.akc.org/breeds/flat_coated_retriever/photos.cfm

Lisa Parker, Scottsdale, AZ (Sent Sunday, November 11, 2007 12:53 PM)

The pictured dog looks very much like our dog, it could be a flat-coat retreiver. They look very much like a lab but are a newfoundland setter mix.

Libby Wiley (Sent Friday, November 23, 2007 3:23 PM)

OH, THIS IS MY DOG! She is sleeping upstairs, I wonder if she has been moonlighting as Linda's dog as well. We got her 15 years ago from a neighbors' litter. She is half flat-coat-black-lab and half husky. She has the exact same white spot on her chest ( which I am told is common with flat coat labs)
I wouldn't waste the money on a DNA test--I would spoil the dog with toys and treats!

Kallie, Akron, Ohio (Sent Friday, November 23, 2007 4:56 PM)

Try a Flat Coated Retriver (FCR). Most have never heard of one & those who have have probibly never seen one. The FCR was developed in the 1800's this was done buy crossing several already established breeds. This includes the Irish Setter, Labrador, Water dog and St. Johns Newfoundland. Being that he has some white on him he is not a purebred but would bet he's got a good deal of FCR in him. I do rescue and Because most people don't know what they are we find them being under Retriver mix, Lab mix, Setter mix, Newfie mix even the purebreds we find in pound are marked as mixed. You can look them up on puppyfind.com or dogbreedinfo.com

Ruth, Ravenna, OH (Sent Saturday, November 24, 2007 4:03 PM)

He looks like a Newfie/Labrador mix to me. Labs love to swim too -- my friends two Labs make daily use of her swimming pool. Their favorite game is 'catch the water' -- water sqirted from high pressure hose attachment. Anyway, if he's furry and bigger than a regular Lab, I'd say thats a good guess. Congratulations on you lovable mutt!!

Maryjane, Austin Texas (Sent Sunday, November 25, 2007 10:07 AM)

I've got a rather wonderful mutt. We don't know her doggie heritage, but instead refer to her as "custom blend" dog.

Matt, Jackson, MS (Sent Monday, November 26, 2007 9:41 AM)

My experience with Canine Heritage was very dissapointing. My 50lb dog, according to my vet most likely a Black Lab/Sheperd mix with some Samoyed thrown in, came back as follows: No Primary Breed; Secondary Breed: German Shorthaired Pointer, In The Mix: Italian Grayhound

This test is completely useless unless you have a purebred dog; yet, it is marketed to the mixed breed owner. This is false advertising in my opinion and I told the company that.

Anette Penenr (Sent Tuesday, November 27, 2007 2:07 PM)

Did the test and the results showed a single Secondary breed of Boxer. That was it. My dog is a rescued mutt who is clearly a black lab mix (vet and trainer's professional opinion), but Boxer is the only breed that was listed on the certificate. I paid $65 for someone to tell me that? What a useless piece of information. I've called MMI Genomics and requested a re-test or refund...all they offer is a "discounted" re-test when more breeds are added to the test early next year. I thought businesses who were that confident in their product or service would back it up, but I was wrong. Major disappointment.

Jackson, San Diego, CA (Sent Thursday, December 06, 2007 12:30 PM)

It seems your dog has to be so specific...that you wouldn't need the test! This would only help the mutt lovers of the world (me included), I wonder who their target audience was on this?

Adam Kontras, Los Angeles, California (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 12:56 PM)

Um, my doggie is 100% person, I don't need ANY test to tell me that!

Erik Van den Akker (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 1:22 PM)

Sherman looks quite a bit like a long-haried West Virginia Black Dog.
I have a short haired version, which is a lot like a West Virginia Brown Dog, except they are black.

Dog Farmer (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 2:50 PM)

Send in your own swab, and see what they say .............

woof (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 2:52 PM)

I have two Newfoundlands and I can tell you for sure that this is a Newfie mix. The coat and white on the chest are dead give away. And, I disagree with the others about flat coat retriever. This dog has the head of a golden and the coat of a newfie.

D. Hansen Akron, OH (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 4:47 PM)

we too used the test and hoped to get info to help in future problems that our dog might develope- as others have stated the results were not good and another discounted test would be necessary- we'll just save our money and do the blood test next year- we were disappointed like the others

deb & david- leeds al (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 4:48 PM)

Your dog looks part golden retriever to me. And they love to swim and boy do they have fur, believe me! I've got two of them.

I've got a GSD mix also, but I'm going to try the Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel if I can get my vet to test for it. It's new, so not many vets test for it. It's just a blood test, so I don't know why it's taking so long for vets to jump on board.

Debbie (Sent Friday, December 07, 2007 8:56 PM)

What differance does it really make. Do you love him and does he love you. So settle down with him and stop worring.

Love you dog (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 5:24 PM)

To those who question `What difference does it make`, here's one. Not to sound too morbid, BUT, our dog just turned 10 yrs old. We're not sure if he's a pure Boxer or a mix. Life expectancy of Boxers is around 10. Mixed breeds are around 3 yrs longer. In an extreme medical situation, knowing the answer may be helpful in making the `right` decision regarding how much to put him thru. (We just lost our 5yr old boxer to Cancer after a year long battle, which included Surgery, Chemo, and Radiation).

After reading this feedback about the `Swab` test, I think I'll go a different route - thanks.

Dog Lover, Long Island, NY (Sent Tuesday, December 11, 2007 9:07 PM)

What does it matter? Sherman is bee-u-tee-ful and that's all that matters!!!

ingrid ft.lauderdale, florida (Sent Friday, January 04, 2008 10:26 AM)

I, too, was disappointed with Canine Heritage for incomplete/questionable results, but I probably will try another company. To those who say "who cares what the dog is", thank you for giving them a home. However, there is an important reason to know your 'mutt's' breeding: Health & Temperament. If you have a hound or terrier mix, don't bother with standard obedience training, they need a job to keep busy; If you have a large or giant breed mix you need to be aware of cancer or joint problems and a shorter life span, so don't try to make them run marathons with you. We all love our 4-legged family members and wouldn't trade them for all the money in the world. But, understanding what they have in their genes might prevent us from labeling them aggressive, untrainable, destructive, etc., and having our shelters and rescues overflowing with unwanted "problem dogs". And, knowing what makes them 'tick' would help us to provide them with a fullfilling life appropriate for their 'uniqueness'.

Susan Levine, Palmdale, CA (Sent Friday, January 04, 2008 6:02 PM)

Our dog looks JUST LIKE the dog is this articles photo - they look like they from the same litter (it's not possible,but it cracks me up). People are always asking us what kind of dog he is and where they can get one.....they seem so disappointed to find out he is a mixed breed mystery....and then begin to insist he is a newfie-lab mix, or a border collie-German shepherd mix, etc., etc....all we know for sure is that he is a funny, sweet, smart and lovable pup that I am hoping has the 'live-for-a-really-long-time' gene buried somewhere in his doggy DNA.

Brigitte, Roanoke, VA (Sent Saturday, January 05, 2008 7:25 PM)

I did the DNA test as well on my mutt. No primary breed, secondary was pug and in the mix were beagle, akita, chow, and saluki. All these made sense except for saluki. My dog is short and wide, not at all like a saluki.

Now, my question: I send in a photo of my dog (headshot) to be placed on the certificate they send back; I wonder if that prejudices the test in some way.

Diane (Sent Sunday, January 06, 2008 7:38 PM)

I think he is a flat coated retriever. or how about canine?

Steve Utah (Sent Sunday, January 20, 2008 2:04 PM)

I purchased a Bichon freise(AKC papers) he's 3-1/2 yrs old now. at 34 lbs, he's rather large for his breed. We Love him and would like to get his DNA checked. please instruck us on the proceedures to do this.

ROGER H. JOHNSON 6 MIKES WAY, WEBSTER, MA 01570 (Sent Sunday, January 20, 2008 2:06 PM)

I am 48 years old. I've owned the expensive purebreds and rescued several mutt dogs from the SPCA.
Our society has become so hung up on labels, name brands, etc. A dog is a dog is a dog no matter if his ancestors were pets of Kings. After all I am a mutt....german, indian, and irish, with God knows what else thrown in.

virginia Hanover, MD. (Sent Sunday, January 20, 2008 3:03 PM)

Just for kicks and giggles...we have a pup from our accidental rottweiler litter. She's 5 now and looks similar to your Sherman,very similar, in fact, and we know for certain, the mother of our pup is a rotty and the father was an Alaskan Malamute, so, go figure!
We don't know where the longish silky hair came from or the head shape, or the coloring, but we witnessed the "moment of conception" (unfortunately!) and found great homes for the entire litter.

Shirley Rosamond, CA (Sent Sunday, January 20, 2008 3:25 PM)

Our dog looks almost exactly like yours...but no white spot. And he has one brown eye, and one blue eye. We thought he was Lab/Border Collie because he would chase a frisbee before he would chase a steak. We don't care what he has, as long as he is ours.

Kim (Sent Thursday, January 24, 2008 6:42 PM)

My opinion would be don't waste your money!!I got the blood test Mars Wisdom Panel done and i know who my dogs parents are and that they are both Chihuahuas.Miles is a bit large for a Chi weighing 15 lbs,so i got him tested.The results came back no primary or secondary breed and only trace amounts of Afghan Hound,Cavalier Spaniel and Toy Rat Terrier came up.He clearly looks like a Chihuahua and acts like one too!I was very disappointed and feel very scammed by this test :(

Wendi Lindelli,Arlington Heights,IL (Sent Friday, February 22, 2008 12:31 AM)

We had the Mars Wisdom Panel done. Our 12 pound character came back with Chihuahua, Tibetan Terrier, Smooth Fox Terrier, Pug, Minature Poodle, Bouvier des Flandres and Borzoi ancestry. What a great deal to have this all rolled into one small dog! He is a multi-breed masterpiece!
His ancestry is global. He was an abandoned dog that we have had for 10 years. He looks mostly looks like a cross between a Smooth Fox Terrier and a Chihuahua. What a kick to get a glimpse of his ancestry!
We are trying to figure out what to call him when someone asks what kind of dog we have, other than mutt. Maybe Austin Powers, international dog of mystery...

Lynn (Sent Wednesday, March 05, 2008 11:28 PM)

Wish I had read these comments before doing the Metamorphix test--I too had very disappointing results and am glad (but sort of irritated) that I am not alone. Clearly the test isn't ready for "prime time" and shouldn't have been rushed so quickly to market.

I am owned by a rescue dog that is obviously part German Shepherd. I paid for the test and found out he is part GSD and part...well the test didn't say. No other breeds were identified. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

Huh?

Now that I have lived with him for over a year I am a lot less concerned about knowing his lineage. He has proven himself to be smart, good-natured and loyal.

But I understand the "wanting" to know. Temperment, health, longevity can all be influenced by breed. It also helps to prove you don't have an aggressive, uninsurable dog when applying for homeowner's insurance or when traveling with a companion animal.

In short: there area many good reasons to know your dog--but the Canine Heritage test shouldn't be the one you choose to try to find out.

Cindy, Massachusetts (Sent Sunday, March 16, 2008 7:55 PM)

I had the test done on my mutt -- Bear's about 85-90 pounds and everyone (vets included) think he's a lab/shepherd mix. The results of the DNA test? No primary or secondary matches. But in the mix -- beagle and yorkshire terrier. So I'm no closer to knowing what Bear really is, but I can now say that I have a 90 pound yorkie mix.

Debbie, Dallas, Texas (Sent Wednesday, March 26, 2008 3:57 PM)

Glad to know Im not the only one that feels scammed by the Canine Heritage Breed Test. I finally got my results today after they told me on the phone twice they sent them out then took two weeks later to get them. My test only had on breed listed...in the secondary group as a boxer! My dog looks exactly like a german shepard. Our vet thinks she is german shepard, chow, golden retriever. I was very shocked that there was only one breed listed. Im pretty sure they must have mixed the results up or something. Feel very bad for wasting money on this!! Worst part is, I have tried to contact customer service all day today and they put me on a long hold then to a voicemail saying that the CSR are all busy and to leave a message!!

Jenny Columbus, Ohio (Sent Monday, March 31, 2008 2:28 PM)

We have a dog exactly like Sherman, they look like they could be from the same litter. . Casey, a female is totally black (except for the old age gray)It is the first time I have seen one like ours. We were told she is a newfoudland/lab. She too has a totally ridiculous amount of hair. I am soo glad I didnt spend the money on the test to find out what she was. Thanks

Kim (Sent Sunday, May 25, 2008 1:30 PM)

I had my dogs tested. I was very disappointed and obviously this needs more time to develop accurately. Both my dogs are pyrenees mix, but mixed with what and that's why I ordered the DNA testing. The results came back pomeranian and German Sheppard for one dog and Collie for the other. Clearly, not correct. Don't waste your money at this time, at least with the Bio-Pet testing kit.

Ann Seward, Fort Worth, Texas (Sent Friday, May 30, 2008 3:04 PM)

I had a dog that looked like Sherman . His mother was german shephard & collie mix. His father was a purebred Irish setter . He looked like a black golden retriever with a greman shepherd stance . Our neighbor had a collie mix . He looked like a black collie . Both Shadow & killer were black with the white spot on their chest . People would mix them up all the time.

Lisa Winkler , Lee Center ,IL (Sent Friday, June 06, 2008 9:27 PM)

my border terrier and rat terrier mix(yes she looks a bit weird with the coat of a border errier and the colors of a rat terrier), fava, came back as a chihuahua and lab and some pug, my husband decided to do her as a test because we know what she is, before we sent cinderalla's swab, our pound puppy (she is now 5, but has the energy of a puppy), off for results. I still cant figure out how thy turned rat terrier and border terrier into chihuahua and lab and some pug in the mix

Meagan, Portland, Texas (Sent Friday, June 20, 2008 7:29 PM)

At the animal rescue group we were told that our new puppy was deffinetly some kind of Sheltie. This was a relief since we had many cats, our own and neighbors' that I didn't want our new pet to un-neighborly be chasing around. Many years later, he is most decidedly a terrier of some kind, couldn't behave any bettr, and we symply are satisfied he is a DOG.

Jan Velas (Sent Saturday, June 21, 2008 11:29 PM)

We have a pair of brothers from a litter we were told was Pekinese, Chihuahua, and Pug ( Peka-chi-pug )is what we call them Would we spend money to find out there true breed? Doubtful! but we Love them and adore there unique breeding and wouldn't change anything about them

Jay Loveland Colorado (Sent Sunday, June 22, 2008 6:15 AM)

This is unbelievable. Your dog looks exactly like ours. And when I say exactly I mean the color, the white patch exactly at the same place, the ears shaped like a Border but drooping like a Lab, and the face, that lovely Border shaped head with the Lab eternal puppy eyes, so much that I will print a pic of him cuz I'm away from home and I don't have one of mine. Your dog must be like ours; He's primarily a Border Collie with some Black Labrador; hence his almost total black coat. Ours has webbed feet from the Lab side, fur in between Collie and Lab length and it doesn't know if it should shed water or not; you can't wash him, it's like he's waxed. He has a very thick undercoat and if you brush him for a half hour, tadaaa! you got enough for another dog. He has a Lab ridge on top of his head and he's larger than a Border, he hovers around 70lbs, but he's a bit chubby. He is darn fast and very very intelligent and cunning. We love him very much and he returns the favor, he's very protective and if you pet him you got a life contract.

Josh Poissant, Rochester Hills, Michigan (Sent Sunday, June 22, 2008 6:45 AM)

Gee, they ought to have a test like this for humans.

Jakeman Central Florida (Sent Sunday, June 22, 2008 8:29 AM)

I'm interested if you've done the current test (with over 100 breeds) to see what Sherman is. I'm very close to testing my possible Akita or Shiba Inu mix...

Patrick, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Wednesday, August 06, 2008 11:58 PM)

Sherman...don't tell my mutts but I'm lovin'on that boo-boo face!

Deb (Sent Friday, August 15, 2008 12:53 PM)

I had the Mars Wisdom Panel done at my Vet's office. Surprisingly my rescue lab/hound mix turned out to be a dalmation with a trace of chow. My vet and I both laughed since he is mostly very black with some white (with black spots) under his muzzle and chest and 1 white paw. The Vet would of sworn Bo was a Dane mix. We actually sent it back with a picture and they did more test, still came back the same. It was not very expensive I will have it done with my other "lab-mix" when she is due for her annual.

Jacki, Charlotte North Carolina (Sent Friday, August 15, 2008 1:38 PM)

Jacki, Charlotte North Carolina (Sent Friday, August 15, 2008 1:44 PM)

I wonder if the AKC would accept this as back-up for an application for ILP registry. I tried to get that for my GSD mix and they rejected him based on just his "mug shots". Geez.. If you're looking for an ILP, you know they aren't a perfect specimen of the breed standard! He doesn't look like anything except GSD. I'll be curious to see if the test shows any interesting secondary breeds.

Pat Farrar, Mableton, GA (Sent Sunday, August 17, 2008 4:12 PM)

I had two of my dogs DNA tested with the XL canine heritage breed test (has 100 breeds) and I was not impressed. Both of them came back with no primary or secondary breed. One had only 1 breed 'in the mix' and the other had 4 breeds 'in the mix'. So I don't know. I didn't think it was worth the money but I guess to some it is. ^_^

Jamie, Tucson, AZ (Sent Tuesday, August 19, 2008 2:26 AM)

Next >>

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

Syndicate This Site

Add Does It Work? to your news reader:

ABOUT THIS BLOG