I first met “Leroy” before he had a name, when he was just one more young dog in my local shelter, looking for a forever home. I believe the shelter identified him guessed at his identity as an Australian Cattle Dog-mix.
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Some friends were kind enough to travel 150 miles from their home city to my little town so that I could help them find a nice dog. I showed them a bunch of dogs, but favored two or three smallish, sweet-tempered dogs. They chose Leroy, and have been generally very happy with him. They’ve taken two or three group training classes with him, and have definitely done their homework with him. He’s a sweet, smart, well-behaved guy.
As he’s matured and I’ve visited him a few times, I’ve stayed confident that Leroy is an Australian Cattle Dog-mix. I see the breed in his general shape, his face, ears, and his general demeanor: sharp and attentive.
Recently, the couple ordered a Wisdom Panel Mixed Breed Identification Test – a DNA test that purports to offer insights as to a mixed-breed dog’s origin. The results indicated that Leroy is at least half Poodle, with Borzoi detected with “low confidence.” Hmmm.
We’re going to be publishing an article about these tests in an upcoming issue of WDJ. Anyone care to share their experiences with these tests?
