The DNA Results are In.......

It's been awhile since I last updated this blog, and a lot has happened since then.  Not only did Marlee get spayed, but she also finished her first puppy school and graduated with flying colors.  We even got a certificate to prove it!  And, we started our next puppy school at the local kennel club.  So far, she is doing really well, even if she is one of the most energetic dogs there.  I keep thinking, "oh my Lord, my dog is the craziest one here!" but they keep telling me she is doing great.  We are almost finished with this set of classes and will be continuing on to the next set of classes in September.

Making mama proud, Marlee receives her puppy school diploma!

For the last few weeks, we have been waiting on a DNA test that we gave to Marlee to try and figure out what kind of dog she is.  I found a deal (gotta love www.woot.com) on a test for $40 which involved mailing in a couple cheek swabs in a kit they send to you.  The kit came from the Wisdom Panel website, http://www.wisdompanel.com/. While waiting for the results, which take about 4 weeks, we tossed around all sorts of breeds based on physical traits and other behaviors.  Some of the breeds we thought about included lab, pointer, terrier, border collie, pit bull, and more.  Based on some of the games we play in the yard, I *knew* she had some sort of herding dog in her.  Well, we finally got the results back. 


And now, the big reveal.....


One of her parents was an australian cattle dog/collie mix.  The other parent was all mutt.  The five most likely mixed breeds were cane corso, skye terrier, brussels griffon, catahoula leopard dog, and beagle.  So the bottom line is: she is a herding, digging, super-intelligent, super-energetic mutt :)  I have to admit, I took a lot of geeky pleasure in swabbing her cheek and reading through the report they sent me.  Putting my geeky pleasure aside, I think it is important for people to know what potential breeds are present in their dogs.  It is important not only in understanding the dog's behavior, but also it could provide important medical information (if a breed that is prone to certain maladies is present in your pup, for example).  One thing I know for sure, Marlee is Marlee, regardless of her breed.  And she couldn't be a happier pup!



Happy Marlee, 5 mos old