When Curiosity Got the Best of Me...

Adopting Madison from Eleventh Hour Rescue of NJ, I knew she was a black lab mix, but that was it. She was 4 months old when I adopted her, and when I saw her running around our big yard the first few times, I told my dad, "she has boxer in her, look at the way she runs". She was also very paw-y, meaning she was constantly giving us high-fives and playing paws-first, which also made me think boxer. My dad was convinced I was wrong.

Cut to 6 months later when we had moved out of my parents and into an apartment with my boyfriend. Going from a big house with two other dogs and her own yard (although not fenced in) to a one-bedroom apartment, no other dogs, and with an elevator to go down every time she has to go out, I felt guilty as sin. Luckily, within 5 miles from us was a dog park, and I began taking Madison there almost every day after work (both of our first times at a dog park!). Madison had a blast, (although I had to wait to throw the ball for her, because once I did she wouldn't even look at another dog). Madison would get complimented daily, for her beautiful black coat, her white paws and white chest. It was always followed up with "what is she?" and I could only say, "she's a rescue, so all I know is black lab mix".

To be honest, I also thought she was part pittie, which I was very excited at the thought of, as I'd recently started learning more about pits and the terrible rap they are given, and so badly wanted to rescue one. Yet I wouldn't say this, because 1) my apartment didn't allow pits (don't even get me started), and 2) uneducated dog owners at the park might treat her differently if they thought she had pit in her.

After a month or two being asked what Maddie is, curiosity got the best of me and I went online to order a DNA test. Luckily, the Wisdom Panel DNA I ordered from Amazon for around 60 bucks ended up being a great choice, as I later found out their results are so accurate they are used in court cases. Madison came back as, ready for it? .... *drum roll* .... half labrador (duh) and half boxer & miniature long-haired dachshund (& some other mix).

My thoughts? First, disappointment that she wasn't part pittie. Second: excitement to rub it in my dad's face that I was right about the boxer. Third: bewilderment that she had a mini dachshund in her... what the?! After I digested it and thought about it, it actually made sense. Madison grew out long before she grew up, and she was uncharacteristically long, especially when she stretched out! I had a hard time buying clothes for her (yes, I'm that type of dog owner), because if it fit her body, it never came close to her butt.

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I had been begging Jordan for a second dog for awhile before he surprised me on our 2-year anniversary with a food/water bowl and dog toys. The next week, we set out to find a puppy to add to our family, and especially for Madison who still had a lot of energy and needed a friend to play with every day. It didn't look like it was going to happen for awhile, but eventually we found Jax (then named Buster) at a farm in South Jersey through ARF of Mercer.

We found out when we got there that these awesome women travel to Puerto Rico to rescue dogs and bring them back to America to find good homes for them. We knew that Jax was a mutt - he was on the street when rescued with other pups from his liter - but didn't even have a guess as to what breeds. From his ears that stood on end and the overall look of his face, Jordan and I, and everyone we talked to, guessed some sort of Shepard. (Did anyone else think that??)

When I brought Jax to the vet for his puppy shots, they asked if I wanted to do a DNA test. I said I was going to order from Wisdom Panel to do that, as I had my first dog, when I found out that was actually the company they used as well. Rather than using a couple swabs to get the DNA from inside Jax's mouth, as I had done for Madison, they took blood from him.

A few weeks went by, and the results were in. Hold your breath .... Jax had no Shepard in him. The results said he was half American Staffordshire Terrier (& some other mix) and half Lhasa Apso & Shiba Inu (& some other mix). When they have "other mix" listed, it is because the DNA goes too far past in generations (past grandparents), and they aren't able to say with exact certainty what the mix is. However, they give you a list of breeds that it could be, and the first one on Jax's list was Catahoula Leopard, which definitely makes sense when looking at his coat.

I was definitely surprised that he had no Shepard in him, but also very happy he was part pittie! I had helped save a pittie mix! Again came the bewilderment with Lhasa Apso and Shiba Inu. His fur is very very soft, so I kind of understand the Shiba Inu, but the Lhasa Apso just doesn't make sense to me - I just don't see it.

If you have rescued a pup and curiosity got the best of you and you did a DNA test on him or her, leave a comment and let me know what you thought your dog was, and what the results came back as! :)