Content

• Steps
• Advice

There are many reasons why we want to know what breed a dog is in, from curiosity to understanding a trait or possible health problems in the future due to its breed nature. The dogs you adopt can be purebred or crossbred from many different breeds. Whether it's based on scientific evidence or based on evidence, you'll have a way of answering the question: "What breed is my dog?".

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Expertise and Science Based

1. 

   Decide how much you want to learn. If you are simply curious about the breed of your puppy at home, you can guess from the dog's appearance. If you want to know if your dog has a genetic pathology related to the breed, a specialist may be needed. If so, then more useful documentary evidence, expert support, and scientific analysis.
   • For example, if we find that dogs with a partial Doberman Pinscher, we know they are susceptible to heart disease and problems with the neck and spine. From there you can provide information to the veterinarian so they can check for signs and symptoms, and educate yourself about dog health problems.

2. 

   
   
   Check pedigree if your dog is purebred. Most purebred dog owners know about these genealogical records, but at times they are forgotten. If you only know your dog is purebred but don't know which breed, you can still look up a lot of information.
   • If you're sure your dog isn't purebred, skip this step.
   • If you know your dog is purebred through your breeder information, you will need to retrieve the dog information online or obtain a hard copy by contacting your breeder with a code number. registration of the dog.
   • If you don't have the required information, you can still find out which breeder has the records involved, and can retrieve the information by looking up their online profiles.

3. 

   
   
   Ask your dog veterinarian what breed is likely to be. The clinic staff comes into contact with dogs every day and has extensive experience with a variety of dog breeds, so they can provide valuable insights into their dog's background.
   • Ask your veterinarian about what breed your dog may be. They will have good ideas or suggestions to help you investigate further.
   • You can also ask your groomer or breeder to see what ideas they have for your breed. After all, they are the ones who come into contact with dogs every day.

4. 

   
   
   Consider DNA testing. If you do a bit of research online, you will find many companies that have DNA testing services for dogs, which will help determine which breeds your dogs are bred from. Remember, not all home tests will produce the same results - the accuracy of the results depends on the database of the company. Lower cost tests can save you, but chances are their database is not large and will produce less accurate information.
   • For example, one test can show that your hybrid dog has 60% Labrador, 30% Dachshund and 10% mixed "other" breeds.

5. 

   Proceed to order tests. If you decide to go this route, there will be a variety of options ranging from precision, complexity, and price (often these factors go up or down together).
   • Test kits costing around VND 1.4 million are usually available online or offered at pet stores. Most test kits require mucosal removal. The more expensive tests may require a blood sample at a veterinary facility.
   • To remove your dog's cheek lining, first check to make sure there is no food or debris stuck between the cheek and gums.Open the swab in the test kit (avoid touching it with your hands) and lift the edge of the dog. Place the gauze pad on the inside and lower the edge of the dog. Gently rub the swab and push it up and down slightly, while still gently keeping the dog's mouth closed. Let the gauze dry for 5 minutes and then put it back in the box.
   • Results may be emailed in two to four weeks.
   • Regardless of the limitations and costs involved, DNA testing is still the most scientific and accurate way to determine a hybrid dog's identity.
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Method 2 of 2: Speculation through body characteristics

1. 

   Accept the limitations of the visual verification method. You might think that an expert at a glance can determine what breed the dog belongs to, in fact this method is not entirely accurate.
   • One study showed that even so-called "dog experts", the rate of correct identification is only about 27%, mainly based on the characteristics of the dominant breed shown in a hybrid dog.
   • Regardless of accuracy, the visual method of dog breed determination is favored by the majority of dog breeders, mainly for curiosity and, above all, free.

2. 

   Take note of the traits you identify with your dog. Make a ranking list of the dog's most prominent features (such as large, pointed ears, medium shape). This step will help you narrow the scope of your dog breed (s) lookup.

3. 

   Determine your dog's weight and height. If you don't have a pet scale, you can weigh yourself, then carry the dog and weigh both, subtracting yourself from the dog's weight. Of course, you can also take your dog to the vet for a weight check.
   • Use a tape measure and measure the dog's body front to back, head to toe, and left to right.
   • These basic measurements will help you to rule out breeds that differ greatly in parameters from your dog. For example, if your dog weighs 22.5 kg, then it is not a miniature pet dog.
   • For example, in small pet dogs (weighing 2-4.5 kg), we have Chihuahua and Shi Tzus. And dogs that fall between 4.5 kg and 22 kg can be terriers, hunting dogs. Large dogs between 22 kg and 45 kg can be a sports hunting dog or retriever. Dogs larger than 45 kg can be crossed with a Saint Bernard, Mastiff, or any other giant breed in their genome.
   • If your dog is young, you can visit websites that allow you to enter the puppy's age and weight, so that you can calculate its adult weight.

4. 

   Evaluate your dog's physical characteristics. Note down any features you notice. Does your dog have a large, medium, or small skeleton? Breast enlargement? Is your dog muscular or slim?
   • If your dog is young, you will have to wait until the dog is fully mature before seeing any clearly developed features.
   • Think about what the physical features mean for your dog's skills. This step will help you narrow the scope of your breed definition. For example, if the dog has tall legs and a slim body, it could be a sheepdog.

5. 

   Observe other physical features. Look at the muzzle, skull, back, and tail, and take note of special features.
   • Dogs like the Pug or Bulldog have a round skull and a very short snout (brachycephaly short head), while the Collie or Greyhound has a long snout and a narrow skull (dolichocephalic long skull pattern). Dogs with medium mesocephalic heads have a well balanced skull, such as the Labrador breed or the Australian Shepherd Dog.
   • Read the tutorials to see more examples of the physical features associated with certain breeds or groups of dogs.

6. 

   Evaluate your dog's coat. Is the dog's coat long or short or has two layers of coat? Coarse or soft texture? Some breeds of dogs, like the Dachshund have a long back and short legs, and they have three types of coat: long, short, and hard. Other breeds that have only one type of coat, such as the Chinese Shar-Pei, have a velvet fur, somewhat slightly pointed, and the American Eskimo has a fluffy white fur.
   • There is a variety of dog hairs. Rottweilers are usually only short, mahogany and mahogany, brown in characteristic markings on the head and chest. Many (but not all) hard-haired terriers with short, well-built stables such as the Cairn Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer and Jack Russell (also known as Parsons). Poodle dogs have a characteristic curly coat with a variety of colors and shapes.

7. 

   Evaluate coat color. What color is the dog's fur? Do they have patterns? Some breeds often have only one or a few colors or patterns, which are the traits that help you narrow the search.
   • For example, German short-haired terriers often have white hair with liver-colored spots, and the coat of Vizlas has only one bronze color. There are also dotted-patterned breeds, the type of coat in which red or black markings blend with white, typically the Australian Shepherd and the Shetland Shepherd Dog.

8. 

   Use the clues you observe to find dog breeds and make your "best guess."’ No matter how detailed the description is, you will not be able to completely identify your breed. With the help of descriptive documents, however, you can at least rule out many possibilities.
   • There are countless websites where you can look up dog breeds, with pictures and short character descriptions that can help you find some similarities with a hybrid dog breed. Many pages also split into multiple sections by size, from micro to XL.
   • For example, the search function of The American Kennel Club (AKC), which provides a picture and short description of common characteristics of each breed.
   • Eliminate groups of dogs that do not match your dog's characteristics. Then look for pictures and descriptions of groups of dogs with similar characteristics.
   • Remember that your dog can be crossbred from many different breeds. If they have traits that match a particular breed, but do not fully match, it is because they carry only part of the breed's bloodline.
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Advice

• In some cases, identifying which breeds your dog comes from will help anticipate health problems. Although many dog ​​breeds are inherent in certain genetic diseases, it does not prevent other breeds from getting the same disease, from genetics, or other causes.
• According to the theory, a crossbred dog from at least two purebred breeds will have "crossbreeding advantage", which means that the offspring will be healthier than the parents. Of course, this is not always true in reality.
• Many crossbred dog owners and their unique traits make it even more fun to breed. Learning about their species is fun, but not knowing who their ancestors are, it doesn't break the bond between humans and dogs.
• Interesting fact: The AKC (American Kennel Club) dog genealogy registrar now enrolls hybrid dogs in the category so they can compete in AFK's talent tournaments such as agility, obedience , find the sign and lead the dog.