DH has made the suggestion that we have Harley DNA tested. She doesn't come from a pedigree and we only ever saw her mother - that looked like a lab and her older brother (not the father)- that looked like a lab but DH is concerned that we may miss or not know about breed specific health concerns that we could preventatively manage. It isn't very expensive at all. But I don't know if I am in favour. I don't want to find out if she has strange breeding in her. I like her just the way she is, but he makes a very convincing argument. Would you have your dog tested if they were not pedigreed but looked like a lab?
Personally, no I wouldn't . Our rescue girl Millie was a mix of heaven knows what , and at one point I did consider DNA testing, but like you , then decided to just accept her for what she was .
Stanleys not a pedigree and I have no plans to have him tested. I saw his mum who was definitely a lab and photographs of his dad who was definitely a lab so I'm just going that he is a lab - just not a KC Registered one. I asked the vet and they believed he was 100% Labrador and everyone who meets him just instantly says he's a typical lab
Thanks Kate, I know that his intentions are purely to try everything to make sure she is a healthy girl and I think I drove the point home last night when I was discussing the feedback from the threads I had read on the GR's and health issues.
I would, just out of interest and for fun. But, if the results are going to worry you, then I don't think there's any benefit.
Charlie is our rescue dog and is described as a Labrador x Pointer. I would never DNA test because I wouldn't want to know if there was even a smidge of any breed I don't like. I take him as he is and love him as he is
I would have considered it for Belle (she was a mongrel, picked up as a stray) - just for fun. The results would have made no difference.
I would have thought there would be a smidgeon of this and that in a pure bred Labrador, as the odd dog would have taken a chance over the years. A neighbour mated their Lab to another Lab and when they were born they looked like Labs, some had a the merest tinge of white but they behaved like a spaniel, their spaniel had got there first without anyone knowing! I beleive Collie might have been introduced years ago to increase speed. And are the DNA tests really correct? There is a great debate going on at the moment as to whether springer blood has been used with some cockers and the DNA tests are not proven as evidence.
I guess it would depend upon whether she was sold to you as an 'unregistered' Labrador with pedigree parents or whether she comes from dogs that look like a Labrador but may not be pure. Did you see health certificates for mum? That would at least reduce some worries on health. A DNA test would tell you what her direct parentage was but wouldn't really help where health is concered. Many breeds suffer from hip and elbow dysplasian problems and there are numerous eye problems in breefs
DNA tests to check for breeds won't tell you if there are any underlying health issues. You'd have to do all the relevant tests such as xrays for hips and elbows plus genetic tests for specific disorders. You're probably talking a few hundred pounds to do them all if there are no tests from her parents.
She is a pup that was born from a dog that looked like a labrador. We didnt see the father, but I believe he looked like one too. That is about all I know. We are having xrays of her hips done when she is going in to be spayed (at about 8 months) and then we will have a second set done when she is slightly older. Our vet feels that only the set when she is older will be able to tell us much but we feel that since she will be under anesthetic for the spay anyway it is a great chance to have an xray done. So we will see.
My understanding is that DNA tests on dogs are just for entertainment purposes anyway as they can be wildly inaccurate. Not sure if that is true or just the impression I've gotten when somebody with a chihuahua mix comes in with DNA results saying the dog is "chow, shepherd and poodle". No joke, that happened a couple times in rescue with dogs who'd been adopted and the new owners wanted to know the exact mix. Inevitably they'd come in with a completely unbelievable mix of breeds. But this was several years ago, so the tests may be much better now. At the end of the day, what mix your dog is doesn't matter at all. As @bbrown says, it won't tell you about health issues. If it sounds like fun, do it for fun...otherwise use the money for some yummy stinky liver treats instead.
Agreed @Emily_BabbelHund, I would rather pay the money to another training course and have fun with her. It really doesnt matter if it comes back saying she is 50% St Bernard, she our Harley pup and nothing will change that. DH will forget about this by next week...
