HOUSTON – Discovering a dog’s ancestry or breed mix is now easier than ever thanks to the increasingly popular dog DNA tests kits. So, we decided to give these tests a try on our little Tex.
When we adopted Tex from a local shelter back in 2018, we thought he was a mix between Maltese and Poodle.
With the help of the popular dog DNA test, Wisdom Panel, we set out to confirm these results.
But the results turned out to be pretty surprising.
"I’m really surprised. I wouldn’t have picked that breed,” said Dr. Jennifer Hennessey, with Animal ER of Northwest Houston. Dr. Hennessey took Tex’s saliva sample, mailed the test back to the lab, and revealed the following results about Tex’s genetic background.
“Primarily he’s a Poo-Chi, a cross between Poodle and Chihuahua, instead of a Malti-Poo,” said Hennessey, explaining more details about the fascinating discovery.
“That 37.5% mixture of breeds basically means that his genetics are so mixed beyond three generations that the test can’t really pinpoint a specific one. So, maybe Maltese is in that background, because he does have a companion breed in that component,” said Hennessey.
Dr. Hennessey recommends these tests to learn about future health risk for dogs and risk of genetic mutations linked to diseases.
The DNA results also shed light on what to expect for Tex’s weight, size and even his personality traits.
“It may not be perfect, but it sure gets us a lot closer to the mark than we would be just by guessing,” she said.
If you’re thinking about getting a DNA test for your dog, Dr. Hennessey shared the 101 on these popular kits on the link below.