Petfinder Blog

Puppy Bowl VII is airing right now on Animal Planet, and since all the "players" are Petfinder alumni, we picked two of them to get DNA tests from our partner, Canine Heritage Breed Test. Today we're sharing the results.

Two Face and Jackson's results are in!

In case you missed them, check out Two Face's results. The results for Jackson, the lucky rescue puppy from Pet Assistance League of Virginia in Stafford, are below.

Jackson
While no breeds were identified as primary or secondary, there were some very interesting results in the "In the Mix" category. Jackson's new adopter (and former foster mom) Beth Skewis e-mailed to tell us the news. (That's right, she adopted him!):

Puppy Bowl VII is airing right now on Animal Planet, and since all the "players" are Petfinder alumni, we picked two of them to get DNA tests from our partner, Canine Heritage Breed Test. Today we're sharing the results.

Two Face and Jackson's results are in!

Read below for Two Face's results, then come back at 4 p.m. ET today to find out what Jackson's test revealed.

Two Face
Most of you guessed Two Face was part Great Pyrenees because of his woolly coat and love of cold weather. But the CHBT test ruled that breed out.

We also knew Two Face's results would reveal some Boxer in the mix. (His mother, Sissy, is mostly Boxer.) But the second result might surprise you.

Puppy Bowl VII will air on Feb. 6 on Animal Planet, and since all the "players" are Petfinder alumni, we picked two of them to get DNA tests from our partner, Canine Heritage Breed Test.

Last week we gave you a sneak peek at adorable Two Face. Today, meet Jackson, and guess what his DNA test will reveal. We'll share the results here during Puppy Bowl (Sunday, Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET).

Jackson
Jackson was taken in by the Pet Assistance League of Virginia in Stafford at six weeks old. Transferred from a West Virginia shelter where he was due to be euthanized, Jackson got a fresh start with PAL foster volunteers Dave and Beth Skewis.

Puppy Bowl VII will air on Feb. 6 on Animal Planet, and since all the "players" are Petfinder alumni, we picked two puppies to get DNA tests from our partner, Canine Heritage Breed Test.

This week and next we'll give you a sneak peek at these adorable pups, and you can guess what their DNA tests will reveal. We'll share the results here during Puppy Bowl (Sunday, Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET).

Today, meet Two Face - then come back Monday to meet Jackson.

Jennifer Zentz lives in Indianapolis with her dog, McCartney, loves photographing him and is the volunteer co-chair of the Humane Society of Indianapolis' Mutt Strut fundraiser. She previously posted about adopting McCartney and using the Canine Heritage Breed Test to determine the breeds in his background. Here, she shares the results of the test.

McCartney's mystery has been solved! We received his Canine Heritage Breed Test results and were pleasantly surprised by what we found. (Read Jen's original description of McCartney.)

Of course, being the mutt that he is, there were no primary breeds listed in McCartney's results, meaning neither of his parents was purebred.

Guest blogger Jennifer Zentz lives in Indianapolis with her dog, McCartney, loves photographing him and is the volunteer co-chair of the Humane Society of Indianapolis' Mutt Strut fundraiser. Today she tells us about using the Canine Heritage Breed Test to determine what breeds are in McCartney's family tree.

My pup, McCartney, is one and a half years old. He's an Old English Sheepdog-colored, Border Collie-like-jumping, Labrador-retrieving and Beagle-barking one-of-a-kind dog.

I came across McCartney's listing on Petfinder a little over a year ago. I fell in love with his puppy photo and just knew I had to go check him out. (Find out what McCartney looks like today after the jump.)

A few weeks ago I posted about my mother's dog, Nanai, an apparent Pit-Shepherd mix with an odd of instinctive behaviors.

We wiped Nanai's cheek with a swab from Canine Heritage and, a few weeks later, got the results: No primary breeds (meaning neither of her parents was a purebred), and as a secondary breed, Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

(According to Canine Heritage, a secondary breed is one that's "easily recognizable within your dog. While these breeds may have a strong influence on your pet, each breed listed makes up less than the majority of your dog's DNA.")

Staffordshire Bull Terrier was not a big surprise -- we'd figured Nanai was a bully breed, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, while descended from the same line as the American Staffordshire Terrier, is smaller and, according to our Dog Breed Guide, was originally used for killing rats (which would explain Nanai's high prey drive and mouse-killing abilities). 

But some big surprises turned up "in the mix."
 

When Nanai was picked up as a stray and brought into NYC Animal Care & Control's Manhattan shelter, where I was a volunteer, everyone thought she'd be adopted right away.

After all, she didn't look that much like a Pit Bull, compared to the other dogs at the shelter; she was on the small side, about 50 lbs. (again, relatively speaking); and she had a one-ear-up, one-ear-down thing that gave her a permanently quizzical expression. Plus she was friendly and calm and easy to walk.

But for whatever reason, no adopters wanted Nanai, and through an administrative twist of fate, she ended up in the shelter's version of solitary confinement. For weeks. She began a downward spiral: With no social interaction, her behavior in her cage worsened, and as her behavior worsened, it became less likely that a rescue group would pull her and place her in a foster home.

The results are in, and I'm proud to announce that Molly is a great American mini-mutt!

I would have bet a bag of dog treats that Chihuahua would show up in Molly's heritage. However, there were no results for her primary and secondary breeds, which means her parents were mutts as well.

Still, Canine Heritage found a real surprise "in the mix": Molly's one discernible line was ...

Everyone stops to ask "What is she?" when Molly goes for a romp in the dog park. She is an 11-lb. bouncy blonde with pantaloons, a fluff of a tail she holds high, and crooked, wispy ears.

Since Molly is a determined little digger, her pregnant owner worried she would get loose and get hurt once the owner was unable to keep a constant eye on her. The owner didn't want to burden the local shelter, so went looking for a new home for Molly. That's when Molly came to me.

Guest blogger Jill Hammond is the loving mom of Pepper. A few weeks ago she blogged about testing Pepper with the donated Canine Heritage Breed Test with us. Today she shares the results!

How exciting it was when I received Pepper's DNA results in the mail! I couldn't wait to open it to find out what my dog is really all about.

There were no primary breeds listed so I know that Pepper did not come from a purebred parent.

The secondary-breed category stated that she has Keeshond in her (as many of you guessed). This was not a surprise to me. She has the same coloring as a Keeshond and the very thick, fluffy coat that you see all poofed out on a Keeshond.

Guest blogger Jill Hammond is the loving pet parent of Pepper. Today she shares her experience of testing Pepper with the donated Canine Heritage Breed Test with us.

We adopted Pepper 11 years ago from the Humane Society at Lollypop Farm in Fairport, NY, and have been blessed to have her as a member of our family. We couldn't have asked for a sweeter, kinder, more loving dog to adopt.

But not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask me what breed Pepper is. My answer is always, "Well ... that's a good question." Pepper has the coloring and fur of a Keeshond. Sometimes when she puts her ears back, she can look like a Collie. Her face looks a bit like an American Eskimo.

Thanks to everyone who guessed Chloe's breeds last week. We were completely surprised by her DNA-test results! We had been convinced she was part Australian Shepherd, part hound. The most likely combination seemed to be either Australian Shepherd or Border Collie and Beagle. We were astonished to find out that she is 0% Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, or Beagle.

My husband and I found Chloe's profile on Petfinder last summer and we immediately fell in love with her. She was discovered wandering on the side of the road in North Carolina, and was brought to our area by K-9 Lifesavers in Washington D.C. When we adopted her she was eight-weeks-old and weighed 9 lbs. Now she is a year old and her weight has been holding steady at 45 lbs.

See Chloe as a puppy after the jump!

Thanks to everyone who guessed what breeds Chewy's DNA test would reveal! Most of you thought Chewy is a mix of Corgi, Basenji, Chihuahua and some kind of terrier. (Read all your guesses here.)

So several weeks after sending Chewy's cheek swab to the makers of the Canine Heritage Breed Test, the mailman brought me a lovely certificate with a photo of Chewy's equally lovely face printed right on it. And while 50% of the results were somewhat expected the other 50% were quite surprising!

My dog Chewy has submitted his DNA for testing! Can you guess his breed? Here's a bit of background on my handsome little dude:

Chewy had a bit of a journey before making his way to me. Originally picked up by an animal-control officer in Gary, IN, Chewy was sick, emaciated and had a severe and potentially fatal injury to his front left leg. Despite all the pain he must have been feeling, Chewy was a sweet little guy, wagging his tail when the officer approached and picked him up.

Once back in the shelter, an emergency call was made to A.D.O.P.T. in Naperville, IL, to see if they could help this little friendly dog. A.D.O.P.T agreed and volunteers (including my sister!) came to get him. Chewy was brought to their shelter for emergency surgery that saved his life.

Chewy has been with me for about six months now and amazes me every day with the incredible recovery and progress he has made. He is now up to a healthy 30 lbs and has become a super-energetic, intelligent little guy who loves people and attention.

Take a guess at what Chewy's DNA test will reveal after the jump!

Thanks to everyone who guessed Haley's heritage last week. Most of you agreed that Haley must be some mix of Husky or German Shepherd, Yellow Lab and American Staffordshire Terrier.

The Canine Heritage Breed Test is back and the verdict is quite a surprise.

Find out Haley's results after the jump!

It's official: We're kicking off our new What's That Mutt? feature today, and I'm thrilled it's with a dog so close to my heart.

Haley is a 38-lb., 3-year-old bundle of love whom I often take on long walks and romp in the park and play tug-of-war with. Her dad, Eric, is my longtime friend and has had Haley since she was a puppy.

Haley's parents are mixed-breed dogs who live with a friend of Eric's. "Haley's mom is small, 30-35 lbs., with German Shepherd coloring and blue Husky eyes. My friend thinks she's so small because she might have Border Collie in her. Haley's dad is pretty big, more than 80lbs., and looks like a Yellow Lab/Pit Bull mix," Eric says.

Don't miss the adorable puppy picture of Haley after the jump!

UPDATE: Entries for the What's That Mutt feature are now closed. Please stay tuned to the Petfinder blog for more great features and giveaways to come!

Do people stop you on the street to ask what kind of dog you have? Are even pet professionals puzzled by your pooch?

We want you!

Our generous partner, Canine Heritage Breed Test, has donated a number of tests to the Petfinder blog, and we will soon resume our popular "What's That Mutt?" features.

Even better: one lucky reader's dog will be selected to receive a free Canine Heritage Breed Test and get featured on the Petfinder blog.

Find out how to enter your dog after the jump.

I want to thank everyone for their comments and guesses as to the breed of my dog, Alan.

Many of you were on the right track: According the the Canine Heritage breed identification, there were no clear primary breeds (neither parent was a purebred) but they did identify Greyhound as a secondary breed.

Now here's a head scratcher -- the only other breed they identified "in the mix" was English Coonhound!

Clearly he is a true mutt, and it goes to show what gorgeous and fantastic pets mixed breeds are. I tend to agree with some of of you who considered Great Dane, Rottweiler and/or Doberman in there somewhere.

I particularly like the idea of him being a "Great Bordobie" as someone suggested ("the ears of a border collie, body of a dobie and his head just screams great dane"). Perhaps more like a Great Greyeiler? I'm not sure about the rest ... but he is definitely great!

I previously posted about my dog Alan, whom I adopted almost a year ago. As he has acclimated to family life, one thing has become clear: He's a real character, with a personality as unique as his good looks.

Whenever someone meets him, the conversation inevitably turns to speculation about what breeds he is a mix of.

I have postulated that there must be a strong Rottweiler/Doberman component, since from the back end his coloration and physique are very close to those breeds. Then again, I may be reacting to the fact that somewhere along the line someone (sadly) felt compelled to crop his tail.

From the front, things are less clear. It seems like some of his unusual traits might lend a clue -- for example, he is deaf, extremely fast, has huge paws and long, awkward legs.

Thanks to everyone for your guesses about my dog Bingo. Many of you suggested that he has some Beagle in his family tree; Schnauzer and wire-haired Dachshund were also popular guesses.

Well, here are the results:

Bingo's DNA test found that he's a mix of Yorkie, Miniature Pinscher and Cocker Spaniel. There's more there, but I have to wait until more breeds are added to the database to find out!

Like Skylar and Bodie, my mutt Bingo has had his DNA tested to determine what breeds are in his family tree. But before I tell you the results, what's your guess?

Some background: I adopted Bingo from a rescue named C.A.R.E. in Bayonne, NJ, a little over two years ago. They had pulled him out of Associated Humane Societies, Inc. in Newark, NJ, when he was three months old.

He'd been at C.A.R.E. for six months (nobody wanted him!) when I stumbled upon his picture on Petfinder while searching for a Schnauzer mix (my previous dog, whom I'd lost a year earlier, was half Schnauzer).

Last week I asked you to guess the "mix" in our shelter rep Kathryn's pit mix, Bodie. You offered up some great guesses, from lab to hound to purebred pit. Well Kathryn got her results from the Canine Heritage Breed Test, and the answers may surprise you! She says:

When I received Bodie's DNA results, I was quite surprised. I was sent a certificate with all of the answers. The majority of Bodie's DNA is pit bull terrier. There was nothing in his secondary.

But down the line in his mix is Rhodesian Ridgeback. I would have never guessed that. I did a Web search on the breed, and actually the back end of Bodie's body is very similar. (See photos after the jump.)

Well, what do you think? Are you surprised? The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a type of hound, so commenter Ali had it right!

Thanks to everyone for your guesses about my puzzle dog Skylar. Next up is Bodie, whose proud mom Kathryn is our shelter representative here at the Pet Video office. Kathryn writes:

This is Bodie. I first met him in April of 2004 at an event at the local ballpark called Bark in the Park. He was one of the dogs up for adoption through the Humane Society of Pinellas.

I fell in love with him right away, so the next day I went down to the shelter with my other dog to see if they got along. They did, so I took him home and things have been great ever since.

I know Bodie is a pit mix, but I'd always wondered what other breed he is, so I decided to give him a Canine Heritage Breed Test. I've had people ask me if he has Lab or maybe Boxer in him -- what do you think?

Learn more about Bodie and see another pic after the jump. Results soon!

Thanks for everyone's great guesses on the heritage of my mixed-breed dog, Skylar! I also thought what many of you did -- that she had some Golden Retriever and the rest was probably Sheltie and/or Border Collie. But I was wrong on all counts!

When you get your results back from the Canine Heritage Breed Test, you get a great-looking certificate and a breed composition analysis with three categories. The first is primary. You probably won't have an entry in this category unless your dog has one purebred parent. Obviously my puppy had no listing here!

The next is secondary, for breeds that have a strong influence on your dog's DNA. No luck here either. But in the third category, "In the Mix," we did well -- Skylar had five breeds listed! This is for identifiable breeds (they test for more than 100) that each have a small presence. In other words, no one in Skylar's recent ancestry had any kind of committed same-breed relationship. Get the results after the jump!

I am the lucky owner of two shelter dogs and, like a lot of people with dogs of unknown origin, I've always wondered, "What exactly are my dogs made of?"

Well, now I know -- at least about one of them. Meet Skylar, my puzzle dog! Skylar was found as a puppy by animal control in southern Alabama. She was wandering down the side of the road with no mom, siblings or owners in sight.

They picked her up and she ended up in a shelter in Pensacola, FL. From there it was just a short time until she found her way into our home and our hearts, but we always wondered exactly what kind of dog breeds she came from.

Yesterday we got our answer! We had used the Canine Heritage Breed Test to take a sample of her DNA. It was really easy. We just got the testing kit from them (www.canineheritage.com or your local Petco), swabbed her cheek and mailed in the DNA. Now we have a certificate that tells us all about her.

But before I reveal the answer -- what do YOU think she's made of? There's another photo after the jump.