Tracking Man's Handiwork in Your Woof: The Why and How of It

Look at This Magnificent Example of
Irish Setter/Golden Retriever Mix!  Say WHAT?

Your Family needed a Dog, so you did what most right-minded, feeling Humans do: You went to the Shelter and brought home a "Mutt".  Not the most prestigious term, perhaps, but realistic.  Mutts even come with Perks, the most beneficial of which is that we mixed breeds are often healthier than purebreds, and less prone to the potential weaknesses of inbreeding to keep the line "pure".

Now, you've heard about the DNA testing kits you can buy, to find out what went into this character that has taken over your sofa.  It took a long time for the Wolf to evolve into your Woof, with major recent handiwork from Man, (in the form of breeding), along the way.  So why spend $50 or $100 to find out about your Mutt's great-grandma's escapades?

Well, for starters, breeds have traits: Differences of behavior and personality which give you some idea of what to expect.  A Doberman is not going to act like a Poodle.  Those traits are going to figure into your Dog's training. (There are breed-specific training books and DVDs, like the Terra Nova Series and dog-training DVDs by breed.)  A Saint Bernard is not going to have the crisp "sit" of a German Shepherd (if you're into that).  So if you find out that the cute little Poodly-Mutt you brought home has some Terrier in his mix, don't expect a canine couch-potato!

Take my esteemed Co-Editor of our WoofTracks Dog Blog, RuffWriter, for example.  Observe his picture, above at the top of this Blog: Does he LOOK like an Irish Setter or Golden Retriever?  His DNA test included these breeds in their report of his genetic makeup.  Maybe there's no physical resemblance, but he's got the Setter's sensitive heart and the Golden's sunny personality.  He also has the high intelligence and problem-solving ability of his Border Collie forebears, the thick, regal coat of his partial Chow ancestry, and...the hard-wired imperial code of honor of the Akita!  At one time bred as fighting Dogs and to hunt bears, this loyal but fearless breed requires an understanding of their nature, with specialized training and nutrition.  Have an Akita, purebred or mix? Read "How to Live With, and Love, an Akita" for the voice of experience, and "Dog Man" for historical background.


So besides learning about the best nutrition for your breed, and knowing how to suit his training to his breed and nature, why else get a DNA test for your Mutt?

Unfortunately, each breed has its own hereditary weaknesses:  The gutsy little Boston Terrier often has eye problems, the Saint is prone to "hot spots" and has a delicate digestion, the Border Collie can get hip dysplasia (bad hips, I call it), an inherited eye disease, and so on.  If you know your Dog's genetic background, you can get books about breed-specific health problems and be on the lookout for these weaknesses, providing special care to prevent or make these problems less severe.  For instance, this Canine Editor's own mother was a true Saint, so my Significant Humans give me Linatone.  Result?  I've never had a hotspot!

That's the "Why" of getting your Dog tested.  The "How" is easy: Buy a Kit, take a cheek swab, send it in, wait for the written results.  There's a BioPet DNA Kit for $59.85 that has over 60 qualified breeds on file and gets fast results via USPS within 2 weeks, a Canine Heritage Standard Breed Test for $69.97 that provides a frame quality "Certificate of DNA Analysis", and a Wisdom Panel Insights Mixed Breed DNA Test  for $79.99 that provides an information booklet explaining the test, as well as the other material.  My advice? Two paws up for the BioPet Kit: It's got all you'll need.

Then there's one last reason why any Human would get one of these tests for us, their beloved Mutts: The Curiosity Factor.  You never know when you might be entertaining a National Treasure in your Imperial Household!

WebWoof, Editor-in-Chief, WoofTracks.com