Dog Community

Genetic testing to determine breed...It's here....

Posted : 3/6/2007 3:33:23 PM

Science has mapped the genes of 38 breeds, with more to come. For $65 you can now find out what breeds your mix is--or whether your purebred really is.....

Would you spend the money?

[linkhttp://www.metamorphixinc.com/products2a.html]http://www.metamorphixinc.com/products2a.html[/link]

Mikaela Ritter

Posted : 3/6/2007 3:41:42 PM

I think that's kind of cool actually...it's neat in that you can actually know for sure (or at least have a pretty good idea) what you're dog is, but at the same time it takes some of the fun out of guessing. I bet it'd be helpful in knowing what you may be in for healthwise seeing as some breeds are notorious for certain health problems. I don't think I'd spend the money because it's not that important to me what my dogs are, but it'd still be fun to know!

ETA: Interesting they don't have any kind of Pit Bull type in their 'validated breeds' list. I think those make up a pretty decent chunk of mixed breeds, though I guess I can understand how it might be difficult to narrow pit genes down to one "breed" because they're more 'fuzzy on the edges' than most other breeds.

Scout in Canada

Posted : 3/6/2007 3:56:00 PM

That sounds neat! I've always wanted to know what Scout is. Maybe I will do it.

Kara

Posted : 3/6/2007 4:01:47 PM

That's such a great test, and for 65 dollars, if you really wanted to know what your dog was, you could. But I think the breeds currently able to be tested are a little odd. I mean, who has a shar-pei mix? Or are these just black and white, yes or no breeds, as opposed to dogs who are considered "types" like JRT

lisa baker

Posted : 3/6/2007 4:27:43 PM

I have not done a dog but I did have our little buckskin filly dna's tested and her parentage was verified. Wanted to be sure she had the bloodlines I paid for. That being said her test was only $35

Luvntzus

Posted : 3/6/2007 6:04:00 PM

ORIGINAL: aussiegirl

But I think the breeds currently able to be tested are a little odd. I mean, who has a shar-pei mix?

Actually, there are lots of Shar Pei mixes. I used to work in an animal shelter and we had them all the time! [

]

Anyway, I think it's awesome that they have a test like this available! So many people want to know what their mixed breed dog is mixed with! I wonder how it works with dogs that aren't from two purebred parents, but are mixes of mixes. [8|] That would actually be a good thing to be able to determine. I always found it annoying when people adopting a dog that was obviously a true "mutt" would ask me what breeds I thought it was mixed with. Lots of times the dog didn't resemble any breed, but the people would NEVER accept that answer and would keep coming up with ideas of their own. [&o] It's like they had to have a "label" for their dog.

Raja19

Posted : 3/6/2007 8:18:36 PM

Wow that would be really cool. I wonder if in the future they will have more breeds on the list. I thought it would be alot more money actually. I would love to do Shadow, but he's a Pit Bull mix so gues not.

badrap

Posted : 3/6/2007 8:27:27 PM

that IS a pretty neat idea, but given the number of breeds recognized by the AKC and UKC, 38 seems a little slim, eh?

actually, though, i'd be really curious to see what came up in the "earlier" ancestry of tek and rose......

DE Lee

Posted : 3/7/2007 9:12:32 AM

no I would not spend the money...
what does it really matter? You come home and your dog runs to great you with tail wagging and eyes ablaze with unconditional love for his poppa ( or momma)...who freakin cares what breed is in there?
after a decade in rescue...here is what I see happening with this...
there will always be that handful of people who, when curiousity gets the best of them, will get this test done...find out their dog has some breed in it that they do not like...
and the dog will end up at the shelter.
"Oh bitsy has Poodle in her...Oh God I hate Poodles!!! but that little pug and the pet store was cute!"

call me a pessimist...but dogs are already treated too much like a commodity...this is not going to help

whtsthfrequency

Posted : 3/7/2007 3:33:32 PM

Where is this list of breeds located on the website? Since I think Ginny is mostly Plott, Whippet with some Kemmer Stock Mtn Cur thrown in...I doubt they'll find much ha ha.

whtsthfrequency

Posted : 3/7/2007 3:34:32 PM

whoops, never mind. found it.

badrap

Posted : 3/7/2007 3:35:29 PM

i think you raise an interesting point there- i remember a thread about a woman dropping her "boxer" off to have its ears docked and when someone pointed out that it was surely a pit mix, she wanted it euthanized on the spot.

and i guess i would say that it doesn't "matter", but for those of us curious about evolution, it opens an interesting door.

gradyupmybutt

Posted : 3/7/2007 4:17:52 PM

I would be interested in Grady's ancestry. Although, knowing where he came from I think he might just be a mix of a mix. I love him no matter what though.

Ratsicles

Posted : 3/7/2007 5:04:06 PM

Of course I'd love Butter no matter what, but I would LOVE to get this done on him when they ad some more breeds to the list. I've been agonizing over what mix he is since I got him...supposed to be boxer/pit, and really doesn't look a thing like either of those breeds. Heck, right now, he looks almost exactly like most Blackmouth Curs I've seen!

Of course it doesn't MATTER what he is, I'm just so darn curious. [

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stardancnminpin

Posted : 3/8/2007 12:30:40 AM

My main concern with this type of test is that cities that pass BSL could use it to mandate dogs that look like pits be tested and prove whether they are or not. And if they are, it would mean that the owner would be faced with losing the dog or having the dog labeled as dangerous and be required to carry the high insurance and pay the dangerous dog fees that are becoming so rampant. I just worry that it might be used against the dogs and owners. Insurance companies could do the same thing.

Amy