When we first adopted Lucy, we assumed she was a Jack Russell. That’s how the shelter identified her, and based on how she looked, there was no reason to think otherwise — she has the classic white, wiry coat with brown patches over her eyes. So we brought her home and told everyone we knew we adopted a Jack Russell.
“Like the dog on ‘Frasier!’” they’d say.
“Yeah, like the dog on ‘Wishbone!’” I’d reply.
(Side note: I’m a ’90s kid who loved ‘Wishbone.’)
I thought we were taking home a dog with a propensity for old-world garb.
An adult, female Jack Russell weighs, on average, between 13 and 17 pounds. As Lucy grew, starting out from the 4-pound nugget we originally met and rapidly hitting the double digits, we started to wonder if maybe she wasn’t a Jack Russell after all. Not that would change our opinion or feelings about her in any way, of course; it just raised an increasingly burning question: What are you, anyway?
Lucy: *licks her own nose*
When our vet told us she offers DNA testing, we were intrigued…and also, admittedly, a little uncertain. At first glance, it sounds like somewhat of a cash grab for borderline crazy dog parents like us. But the more we thought about it, and the more Lucy continued to grow, the more we wanted to sate our curiosity and learn what breed she was. Around her first birthday, we took her in for Royal Canin’s Genetic Health Analysis. Our vet drew a vial of blood — nothing at all painful for Lucy, who was too busy getting distracted by the techs — and sent it off to the lab.
Royal Canin’s GHA program features a proprietary algorithm that involves more than 18,000,000 comparisons against more than 250 breeds and over 1,800 genetic markers. (Sounds impressive, right?) After about two weeks, we received a comprehensive 13-page report that included genealogy findings, breed characteristics, genetic markers, nutritional considerations and a genetic ancestry certification. Our veterinarian received a different, more detailed report about the medical findings that she could take note of and tell us about at a future appointment.
The coolest feature of the analysis is the family history chart, which details your dog’s genetics for three generations. Once we flipped to that page of the packet, we were a bit surprised by what we saw.
To see her family tree, click here.
Lucy has a lot of mixes in her family history. (Not a bad thing, since mixes tend to be healthier than purebreds.) But in particular, she has strong strains of Australian cattle dog, American Staffordshire terrier and German shorthaired pointer.
Having spent about a year telling people Lucy was a Jack Russell, we examined the report for one thing in particular: When people ask us what breed she is in the future, what should we say?
After looking at the diagrams and characteristics for each breed, we think she most closely resembles the Australian cattle dog, which is how we now describe her.
Curiosity is just one reason to consider a DNA test; the other is the valuable medical insight you’ll receive. In our following appointment, our vet told us about the health risks and genetic predispositions associated with Lucy’s breed mix, which in turn prepares us for the future and what to watch for. For example, we learned Australian cattle dogs can be prone to hip dysplasia and patellar luxation, which is a condition in which the kneecap can become dislocated. (Interestingly, we had already noticed Lucy experiencing signs of the latter.)
The cost of the test was about $100. Not a small sum (think of all the dog treats that could buy!), but for parents of mixed breeds who would love to learn a little more about their dog as well as his or her potential future, it’s definitely worth considering.