On Christmas Day, my son and his girlfriend shared the news they are engaged to be married.
My future daughter-in-law, Aliaksandra, is a photographer, and she enjoyed spending time over the holidays looking at our family photos going back to the 1800s. We also perused a DuVernet Family History that traces my father’s family to the early 1100s in France.
The desire to know from whence we and our loved ones came is pervasive. Researching ancestry and DNA testing have become popular in recent years for both humans and pets.
Results can be surprising, especially when it comes to dogs. Take, for example, the 50-pound Fido who turns out to be part Yorkie.
One of the major dog DNA testing companies, Embark, recently donated tests for 10 of our longer-stay shelter dogs in an effort to spark interest in their adoptions.
Embark tests for more than 350 breeds and types of dogs. It’s estimated that about 75% of dogs entering shelters are mixed breed. So, we were excited to see the results.
Shade, a 1-year-old, all-black, large dog who looked like a shepherd mix, turned out to be 35% poodle and 15% golden retriever, among other breeds.
Bonnie, a 25-pound black and tan dog with short legs, came back as 27% Chihuahua, 25% corgi, 25% Aussie, 12% super mutt and 10% pit bull.
Shade and Bonnie have both been adopted since we received their test results.
Boo is still available for adoption. She is a 4-year-old pup who is 93% American bully and shares small amounts of her DNA with American bulldogs and American pit bull terriers.
Boo came to the shelter back in September as a stray. She was found running loose near the Rose Bowl in Pasadena wearing a leopard print collar with no tag. Sadly, no one came forward to claim her.
At the shelter, Boo quickly showed off her sweet and playful nature. She’s a super affectionate pup who loves belly rubs, running in the shelter’s play yard and visiting with her favorite staff and volunteers.
Boo received the very special…
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