The DNA test revealed my Australian Shepherd is an Alaskan Malamute.

[undeterred]

My 2 and a half year old dog Oliver came from a rescue in Missouri. I found him on Petfinder- he came up under Leonberger mix with this picture:



When I saw him I realized that he had a naturally docked tail. I figured he couldn't be a leonberger, which is a giant breed, but that he must be an Australian shepherd mix. 40% of Aussies have a naturally docked tail, like this:



He's very independent and smart, but not terribly easy to train. He definitely seems like a herding dog, but I wanted to know for sure. So I had the DNA test done. It came back 50% Alaskan Malamute, and 12.5% Greater Swiss Mountain dog, the rest undetermined. Both large breeds, and he's only 62 lbs. But I never would have guessed these breeds and I still believe he's got to have some Aussie in there too.

Alaskan Malamute


Greater Swiss Mountain Dog


Oliver - "Australian Malamute"

[badgerpup]

1. As you've probably found out...

...you've got yourself a very smart, independant, thinking dog there.

Something about what they call 'hybrid vigor'...you'll probably have him for a good long time, too.

Some friends of mine had a dog who was a cross between a Samoyd and a golden lab (Mama got out and had one heckuva night on the town, apparently!).

"Bear" was shaped pretty much like a lab, except about 20% bigger...he was white like a Samoyed except for the bottom third of his ears, which looked like they'd been dipped in butterscotch.
He had the over-the-back tail...good thing, too, because he had that long heavy labrador tail that could do some serious damage when it's a-waggin'...and the most knowing dark brown eyes I've ever seen on a dog.

And smart? You could actually SEE this dog thinking...putting two and two together and getting E=MC².

HUGE dog, well over 100 lbs...and he lived to be 17 years old. Now THAT'S 'hybrid vigor'.

[undeterred]

2. Somebody told me that any independent working dog-

like a herding dog who is used to being in charge all day- can be trained to do a lot of things, but is still not going to be totally compliant. Well, I think I got TWO independent working dogs rolled into one - one wants to herd and the other wants to hunt and pull something through the snow!

He's a great dog, too bad he won't pass his genes along.

[japple]

3. Well, he's definitely a beautiful dog. Thanks for posting his picture.

[get the red out]

4. Beautiful dog!

What a handsome dog those breeds combined to create! Just looking at him I would have thought he was primarily Aussie also.

I have been seriously considering having our 7 1/2 month old puppy DNA tested out of extreme curiosity. She was labeled a "Border Collie Mix" at the shelter when we adopted her at 8 weeks old, but she is turning out pretty small. She has a great deal of flecking on her face and legs, our puppy class trainer thinks she has some ACD in her there. And she can absolutely bray like a hound when she wants to. She is an active girl, but not insanely so, though there is obviously the herding blood in there. She nips at other dogs hind legs sometimes when playing and running at the dog park, but only dogs at least as large as she (which isn't large at all, only 26 lbs), small dogs and children she treats with great care.

Which test did you use, if it's ok to ask? Mixed breeds are so fascinating. My childhood dogs were mutts, now this little girl is as well.

[undeterred]

7. I did the Wisdom Panel which requires a blood draw.

http://www.wisdompanel.com/

My vet sent it in, and we both got copies of the results. There are other tests that can be done with a swab and they cost less (this one was $150). This one is supposed to have more DNA markers than the others, but I'm wondering how many Aussie markers they have!

I don't doubt the accuracy of the breeds they did find, but I find it hard to believe he isn't what he looks like, especially with the naturally docked tail and the herding behavior. He looks more like a tricolor Aussie than either of the two breeds identified.

Its made me wonder about all the other mutts I've had- I've never had purebred dogs but I always thought I pretty much knew what they were. Now I'm not so sure!

I'd say it raised as many questions as it answered for me, but its good to know the breeds in your dog for both medical and behavior reasons.

Edit: I see their website is saying the test can be done with a swab- no blood draw required.

[ceile]

5. Interesting

Never would have even considered those breeds...Oliver is beautiful, by the way.

[livetohike]

6. Oliver is beautiful

Australian Malamute it is! :-)

[badgerpup]

8. Can they do that on cats as well?

I'm just curious as to what genetic stew mixed together to make up my Wimsey Whyte-Cat...



....or my Ezzle-may.




Including this one acause I thought it was cute...Esme (left) and Riktor (right), 'reading the paper' and commenting on what's happening.
It really depicts their closeness, even though they're not related and there's four years between them.
They've been friends from the git-go...Riktor walked up to Esme, sniffed her nose, and (apparently)
said "Hi! My name's Riktor. What's yours?" BFF ever since...
:pals:

[undeterred]

9. I haven't heard of any so I googled it and followed a few links.

It seems like there is feline DNA testing for medical issues and a few traits at this one:
http://www.catdnatest.org/DNA-tests.html

Our DNA testing panel includes: SNP Array Genetic Evaluation for Cats includes:

Identity/Parentage Markers and Sex determinate markers
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI,VI Mild and MPSVII (MPS1, MPSM and MPS7)
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (MYBPC3M and MYBPC3R) (Maine Coon and Ragdoll only)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
B blood type (BLDAB) (not valid in Turkish Angoras and Ragdolls)
Albino (ALBIN)
Cinnamon (CINNAM)
Chocolate (CHOC2)
Points (Points1 and Points2)
Recessive black (AGOUTI)
Dilute (DILUT)
Longhair1, Longhair2, Longhair 4, and Longhair 4_2

I don't think they have testing for cat breeds by DNA available yet.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. He is very sweet looking, and obviously very happy to be with you...