Actually, I knew the results before I posted. But you all realized that if you read my original post.
C.J.
Since he was about 5 months of age, which is approximately how old he was when he came into our lives, C.J. has been classified as a Lab Mix. He looked like he might have some semblance of a bully in him too, and probably several other breed mixes. Labrador retriever was the primary, stand-out phenotype. Chompers, C.J.’s namesake, was half lab and C.J. looked like a spitting image of Chompers so we figured it must be so.
C.J. has been living a lie for the last 13 years of his life…
Here are C.J.’s Royal Canin GHA results:
CJ’s Genetic Health Analysis Report
A Labrador Retriever mix he is NOT! There’s probably a tiny bit in there somewhere according to his “mixed breed” analysis. C.J. is the poster child of what a Mutt is. He is a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a dash of this, a sprinkle of that, and peppered with about a dozen other breeds. The miniature poodle part though? That gets me rolling! It explains all of his “princess” moments.
How awesome is that report? This Genetic Health Analysis screens for over 140 different hereditary conditions. Not only do I now know that C.J. is a Pitweiler Choodle, but he also has tested clear of over 140 hereditary conditions. That’s something that sets this pet owner’s mind at ease.
Esme
Then there’s Esme. She was the reason I wanted to give the Royal Canin GHA a try. Namely because she was so young, I was curious to find out what she really was because she had some really peculiar behaviors. I suspected she had some bully in her due to her appearance and her personality, but she had something else that I just couldn’t figure out.
Well, you already know how good my intuition about dog breeds is knowing C.J.’s results. Lab mix. Pshaw.
Esme is very stand-offish with most of the new people she meets. She is fearful of others, and there’s no correlation to her fearful behavior (sex, nationality, age). However, if she is allowed time to get to know someone, she then adores them whole-heartedly. She is also the epitome of a snuggler. She loves to be held in your lap, loves to lay next to and half-way on you when you’re laying down, and will curl up next to you while you’re chilling on the couch watching television or reading a book. She has the appetite of a starving bear and will eat anything and everything she can get into her mouth, even if it’s not intended for ingestion. And her tracking ability is amazing. I really need to see if she’d be interested in Nosework because she can definitely sniff out any critter that has passed through our yard.
She was adopted to me as a Pointer mix. I could buy that easily by appearance alone, but especially after getting to know her. She has the personality of a pointer, always has to be busy doing something! She gets bored easily and has all the energy in the world. She also has pointed a few times. Most pointers I’ve ever met have been very friendly and personable. Esme, not so much. Don’t get me wrong, she is friendly and personable, but she lacks trust in strangers. She needs to spend a little time getting to know you before she’ll trust you. But once you’ve earned her trust, she’s all yours.
So, what the heck is she? Here are Esme’s Royal Canin GHA results:
Esme’s Genetic Health Analysis Report
So, there you have it. Esme is mostly American Staffordshire Terrier (a pit bull) with a side of Wild Dog. I’m beginning to understand her more and more! Her trust issues? Now it makes sense. Her snuggaliciousness? That’s all pit bull!
SIDE NOTE: Pit Bull is a generic term for any of the bull terrier breeds. It’s an umbrella term for a Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, etc. The term “Pit Bull” comes from the fact that many of these breeds were used as pit fighting dogs. Funny thing is, most of them were bred to be nannies. Hence the cuddling. They were bred to protect the young while the adults tended to the daily activities of the household.
Again, a neat thing about the Royal Canin Genetic Health Analysis is that it screens for 140+ genetic mutations/diseases. Esme’s test came back with one copy of the craniomandibular osteopathy mutation. I have learned that this is a dominant disorder, so only one copy is required to develop symptoms which means Esme could develop this disease. Not all dogs with the mutation show clinical signs, but at least now my vet and I know what to watch out for.
How to get your dog tested
Check with your veterinarian to see if they offer the Royal Canin Genetic Health Analysis. The test requires a small blood sample and is reasonably priced compared to other DNA tests for dogs, and you get so much more than just what your dogs’ primary breeds are! Even if you have a purebred dog, it’s worth it to have it screened for the 140+ genetic mutations.
If you have a:
- mixed breed dog
- dog that came to you as a stray
- rescue dog
I think you should seriously consider testing them. Even if they appear to be a particular breed or breed mix, you might be surprised! C.J. looked so much like a Labrador Retriever mix that I was certain he had to have some in him as a dominant breed. His results just go to show that looks can be deceiving. Just do it! It’s kind of fun!
AnimalWhiz 