Super Mutt

So. So, so, so.

I did a doggy DNA test on Remy. It's specifically to find which breeds make up your mixed breed dog. I found a good price online and ordered it. I chose the Wisdom Panel test. The kit comes with 2 "swabs," an info sheet, and a return envelope. The swabs are actually skinny bristle brushes. You twirl the brush tip against the dog's cheek for half a minute, then put it back in the holder (tip: don't rip the case all the way open like I did, since you put the swab back in). You can fill in all the info online so you don't have to hand write it, then just check a box on the sheet, rip off your copy, and put it all in the envelope. Easy peasy.

Dora, J's mom, was here visiting when the kit came. The swabs are just a bit trickier with a hairy dog like Remy. They had cheek DNA and some hair that got wrapped around the swabs. The prepaid envelope was a flat rate priority mail envelope.

I got an email when my samples got there. Just a simple, "Hey, we got your samples!" kinda thing. Then I rather anxiously awaited the results. For about 10 days. It takes 2 to 3 weeks, so I knew I could have even longer to wait. Thank goodness I didn't, or I might have gone nuts.

So, the results came in yesterday. I was very shocked. I'm still in a little shock, but it makes more and more sense the more I think about it.

Yes, you're seeing that right. Cock Spaniel, Saint Bernard, Shar-Pei, and Cairn Terrier (that's Toto).

So, in order, what I think he gets from each breed.

Cocker Spaniel -
I was starting to suspect some Spaniel more and more. It helps that we had a Cocker Spaniel when I was a kid. Some parts of his personality remind me of Shadow, but it's mostly his eyes. Those big round brown eyes remind me so much of our Shadow. Plus, he's a bird dog, and Cockers are bird dogs. The white spot on his chest might be from the Spaniels also.

Saint Bernard -
It's the ears. That's what first clicked. I was reading the info they send on each breed, and looking at the pictures. Of all 4 breeds, those ears are only on the St. Bernards. I think the shape of his head could somewhat be from the Bernards as well. Maybe some of the coat? Oh, and Remy's right eye has a verticle stripe at the top of the iris. It's blue, like you see in husky's. St. Bernards can have that eye color.

Shar-Pei -
This is Remy's body. The profile of the Shar-Pei is Remy's profile (not head, but body). He has a broad chest and quite muscular, but has this sharp hip outline that I see in the Shar-Peis. He's also had skin problems, and I know that Shar-Peis can have skin issues. He has black spots in his mouth, which could be part of the Shar-Pei blood as well. Shar-Peis are very family oriented, protective of their family and loyal. I think Remy's need for family might come from here.

Cairn Terrier -
Definitely his coat. Cairns have a bit of a beard, like Remy's. The results also had a picture of a Cairn with coloring similar to Rem's, with the white in the black, making it look salt and peppered. And oh my does he have a terrier personality. Cairn Terriers can jump pretty well. Ha. He's a Cairn.

Black Cocker Spaniel

Saint Bernard - notice the tail?

Chinese Sharpei

Cairn Terrier - Even has the red-brown muzzle like Rem.

And my darling Rembrandt! 

I got all my pictures from dogbreedinfo.com, which I really do like as a dog breed resource. I've looked up breeds on there before, because I'm a geek and I look up dog breeds. They cover things that aren't in AKC Standards, like the fact that some Shar-Peis, although rare, have a longer coat. They look very much like Chow-Chows. I will be reading all their info on the 4 breeds that make up Rem.