Failing the test

Out of sheer curiosity, as well as a desire to understand the genetic components of Bella's physical and mental make up, we had her DNA tested. I didn't know it was possible but she actually failed the test. They gave us our money back.

No, really.

Seriously.

Stop laughing.

Ok, I'll give you a moment.

So apparently, a DNA test can identify up to 8 different breeds in any one dog and that limit didn't go high enough to fully capture our Bella's, um, 'unique' heritage.

Over time, however, and with the input of vets and trainers (and anyone else who comes in contact with her and wants to weigh in on the subject), we've been able to pull together a possible list of breeds she might have in her: Australian Cattle Dog, Basenji, Beagle, Bluetick Coonhound, Border Collie, Collie and, well, we haven't even gotten out of the "C's" yet.

We've determined some of this by physical traits and some by behavior. When she was smaller, she really had the body shape of a Basenji - long legs and a delicate square frame - and she still has the facial markings of a tri-color B. As she's filled out with age, her shape has taken on some of the characteristics of a Smooth-coated Collie although her nose isn't nearly as long and narrow. Of course, the mottled coloring has always suggested a bit of either Coonhound or Cattle Dog. And the tail. As close as it might get sometimes to a Basenji curl, the tail is otherwise all Beagle.

The many breeds of Bella

Behaviorally speaking, I only noticed the potential for Border Collie in her when she did her first "Border Collie Crouch". You know the one - that moment when a BC is watching and waiting for some sheep to boldly go where no sheep is supposed to go? The head drops down, neck out and the body seems to fold into the shoulders like a swan ready for take off? I suppose most dogs left to their own devices will learn that but she just looked like a perfect herding dog, like she was born into it. She also does the Collie "Timmy fell down the well" routine particularly well.

But from the perspective of behavior, Bella is most assuredly at least part Basenji. She does head stands, she can climb just about anything and she was doing the B-500 long before I even knew what it was. She has an opinion about everything and a spectacular sense of "up". She also cleans herself like a cat. Oh, and I'm pretty sure she'd rather eat glass than get her feet wet by going out in the rain.

We'll never really know what her genetic heritage is and we love that she is truly one-of-a-kind. So does it really matter what breeds make up a dog? In as much as it helps us understand her motivation and set our expectations, I think, yes, to some degree, it does. Are we expecting her to be cuddly and social, constantly at our side like our velcro-Lab, Beau? Do we expect her to do what we say just because we say it? As all of the breeds we've seen glimpses of in her are independent working dogs, we'd be fighting against type and setting ourselves up for endless frustration if we did.

That's not to say she's not trainable (good grief is she trainable!) or that we can't help her get past some of her resistance to things, but I think it's important for us as pet owners to set expectations of our pups based on their view of the world as well as our own. We'll get much more out of our partnership with them if we have just a little understanding of what they want out of it.