Just like his human parents, Sheriff also got a DNA test for Christmas. Many people ask me what type of dog our tri-colored, one-in-a-half year old mutt is. The shelter told us he was a Catahoula and a few people have verified his Catahoula-like image. Turns out, he has no Catahoula in him at all (though, I doubt Catahoula is a breed that the test check for). The DNA Collection ProcessWe bought the kit through Amazon when there was having a lightning deal; his test was $50. There were others that promised to be more accurate, but for $100+. We thought this test was good enough for the information we wanted. Unlike the human DNA test, his did not involve spitting in a cup, but rather me rubbing some fancy pipe cleaners over his gums. They advised not to have him eat anything 30 minutes before. Collecting the DNA is as easy as it would be to get your dog to hold still. The collector swabs would not hurt them, but it's definitely not comfortable. The first swab was easier than the second one, once he knew what to expect and his curiosity was gone. A helpful tip: you don't really have to open their mouth completely, just lift their "lips'" and scrape the gums. The AccuracyWe were able to verify the accuracy of his test because we later found out his sister, Marley, also took a DNA test. I'm not sure how dog DNA works, but I assume it's close to how fraternal twins work, where their DNA is just as close as normal siblings. From this, both tests can be accurate and they have slightly or even vastly different DNA. all of his siblings look very different. His sister, Marley, is the one who looks closest to him, but there's still a 30 pound difference between them. Looking at the photos his sister's owner posted, it looks like her test was more accurate, based on the percentages. The company she used was never posted, but based on the hyperlink in the image, it looks like she used Embark Vet. The shelter we got him from often posts DNA tests now for their litter of puppies. A majority of them have American Staffordshire Terrier as their majority breed. It does make me question their accuracy. However, since American Staffordshire Terrier are related to pit bulls, it could be that they are common strays. Sheriff's Results The EffectThe results of his test didn't change anything. Staffordshire Terriers are banned at some places, such at Petsmart Day Camp. We take Sheriff there often, so updating his records would cause him to be banned per company policy. When asked we usually still say he's a Catahoula, because. He's less than half of the breed that he is the most, so it's incorrect to say he's any specific breed, and complicated to list all his breeds out. Sheriff and his siblings. Catahoula was a good guess!
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AuthorHi! I'm Amber. I love spreadsheets and painting. This blog is where I post about my crafts and adventures. Archives
November 2018
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