Dog DNA testing… STW style

Wondered if I could use the STW dog crowd to ‘DNA’ test our dog… (have thought about real DNA testing, but its just out of curiosity and £60 seems a lot to pay – so thought I’d ask you instead)

Whisky came from the SSPCA (Aberdeen) in December at 9 months old, so she’s now about 12 months. She was supposedly Kelpie x Collie, but in the last couple of months she has developed into a skinny racing machine, and we are wondering if there is some type of ‘running’ dog (sight hound) in there too?
She is:
– Very bideble and eager to please
– Fast… very, very fast
– Soft as a soft thing (always up for cuddles)
– Doesn’t sit still (or sleep much during the day)
– Will chase anything passing – cars, runners, birds…
– has a very fine, shiny coat, skinny tail and broad chest.

Photos below, also with our Kelpie for a point of reference (sorry she was looking a bit wet a bedraggled at the time – usually very shiny thin coat)…

So… whats in our Whisky? (no hedgehogs, chickens or moles that I know off)

your lawn and drive could do with some attention.

baby robin?

^ 🙄 😀

Heinz.

Definitely a Bitza

And looks slightly ribby!

Collies are bred to be very very active, and their working life involves watching humans for instructions, and then running about a lot, so those characteristics are very collie in my experience. Have you considered agility classes? or some form of other intensive training/games/passtime. Obviously you can’t train her to heard (unless you have some sheep – farmers don’t like lending them out for amateur sheepdog training), but flyball, agility, even complicated fetch excercises, but not being a gundog she may not have the instict for that. Or, train her up as a riding dog. My neighbours go fell running with theirs.

wwaswas – Member

your lawn and drive could do with some attention

Back on subject please, don’t point out the issues with our garden they are well documented on here…Australian Dog trying to get home and the mole that moved in a few weeks ago… 😀

Ah, in the 70s we used to call dogs like that a mongrel. They didn’t mind. (Lovely looking dog btw)

– Very bideble and eager to please
– Fast… very, very fast
– Soft as a soft thing (always up for cuddles)
– Doesn’t sit still (or sleep much during the day)
– Will chase anything passing – cars, runners, birds…
– has a very fine, shiny coat, skinny tail and broad chest.

Describes a collie very well that.

Ah, in the 70s we used to call dogs like that a mongrel.

Still is unless people want to sell them for silly money, then they call them daft names made up of the breeds they come from.

I’d say that Whiskey could be a collipointador. How’s a fiver sound?

Thanks 🙂 @ DezB

Heinz 57, Bitza, Mongrel… happy to go with all of that… but would just really like to know what flavour!

As for agility – yes, running – yes (SBH’s job), biking – yes… she loves all three!

Whippet X collie?

– Doesn’t sit still (or sleep much during the day)

That rules out greyhound then.

#1. Awesome dogs. Rescue dogs are the best.

#2. Heinz for sure. You’ll probably never know for sure unless you do do DNA testing, but..

#3 Why would you ? Do you really need to know out of curiosity ? X breeds are usually much more hardy dogs because of their mix, unlike pedigrees, so you’ll only be doing this for your benefit, not theirs.

All my own opinion, and of, course, there is nothing to stop you getting tests should you wish.

But, for the record, I’d say there is a bit of Lurcher in there, especially if she is fast, and has a strong chase instinct. Which only adds another flavour to the soup.

Whisky looks like my Jasper when he was a rescue pup. Soon put on weight though, and started to look more like a Staff rather than a skinny Lab after a few years of easy living in a house rather than a kennel. I’m not ever sure if he is 100% canine at times.

Do you really need to know out of curiosity ?

No, not really. The only serious reason would be to try and get her feed right. She is presently on double rations to try and keep a bit of flesh on her, but it has been suggested that I throw some greyhound feed into the mix to increase the carb ratio.

I suppose I was hoping that someone would say… ‘my Collie x whippet x pointer x wombat looks just like that…’

Will have to settle for the collipointadoret *

* the ‘et’ for Rich T and his whippet (or should that be a Whillipointador)

For our dog we put likely crosses into google images. The problem is that lots of crosses looked extremely similar. In the end we did the DNA test (it was a Chrismas present).

it was a Chrismas present

Think I’d rather have a pair of socks 😉

All these DNA tests, it’s like Jeremey Kyle.

Love that first pic 🙂