You may wonder why, after all this time, I’ve decided to give Ziggy a DNA test. The reason is because I’ve exhausted all other efforts to get Ziggy adopted. He’s gone through as much training as I can possibly give him, he’s been advertised everywhere, including on TV, and now I seem to have run out of ways to get him noticed. At least until the DNA results come back. Then, everything will change. Suddenly Ziggy will no longer be just a pit bull mix. He’ll have a whole new adoption listing, with a scientifically accurate breed result! The possibilities are endless! Here are just a few possible results that would greatly benefit Ziggy’s chances of finding a home:
A) If Ziggy has any poodle in him at all, I will be able to call him a Ziggypoo and tell everyone he’s hypoallergenic and a designer breed. That’s sure to get him adopted!
B) People love rare dogs, so if Ziggy has any DNA from a rare breed such as a Black Russian Terrier or an Xoloitzcuintle, people will want to adopt him immediately!
C) Another option is if he turns out to be 100% Weimaraner. At that point I will be able to transfer him to a Weimaraner rescue and let them find him a home.
There are so many ways that this DNA test will help Ziggy get adopted, that I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier. Of course there’s always the slim chance that the results will come back showing that Ziggy is officially a pit bull mix – but really, how likely is that? Even the experts have their doubts. At a recent fundraiser I was able to introduce Ziggy to the St. Louis area’s leading pit bull rescuer. She doesn’t think Ziggy is a pit bull (American Staffordshire Terrier or American Pit Bull Terrier). That could be because she has heard enough Ziggy stories to know how he acts nothing like a pit bull. In fact, if we guessed his breed based solely on his personality, a pit bull would be somewhere at the bottom of the list. Here are some excerpts from the breed temperament descriptions of four purebred dogs. Which ones sound most like Ziggy to you?
Dog type A: This is not like your average domesticated dog and is not recommended as a house pet for most people. If properly socialized, it can be tame enough to tolerate the handling of humans.
Dog type B: They are busy, bold, inquisitive and stubborn, but they also love to monkey around, being playful and mischievous. A lively, sharp-witted dog that is courageous and confident….he does best with a family who has a very good sense of humor.
Dog type C: This is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate family pet that is good with children and adults. Almost always obedient, it is always eager to please its master.
Dog type D: This dog has a good sense of humor. It is sensitive, independent, intelligent, skillful, tough on itself, and energetic. A robust, persistent, and powerful dog, it is willing to take on virtually any game animal.
The breed names that fit these descriptions can be found at the end of this post. Suffice it to say that Ziggy’s appearance does NOT fit his behavior. Nonetheless, people tend to seek out dogs to adopt based on how they look, not how they act. So I can only hope that the DNA test finds genes in Ziggy from a breed that more closely fits his behavior, and then perhaps he can find an adopter who will appreciate him for who he really is -- an independent, persistent, bold, mischievous dog with a good sense of humor, and tame enough to tolerate the handling of humans – sometimes.
Answers:
A) New Guinea Singing Dog
B) Affenpinscher
C) American Pit Bull Terrier
D) Karelian Bear Dog
6 comments:
Poor Ziggy. I sure hope this helps him find a home. I've heard of B and C, but not the other two. I think he should be a New Guinea Singing Dog, just from the name.
It worked! Thank you.
Poor Ziggy.
I would not count on Poodle, but I guess you never know . . . Linda
I'm eager to hear the results. I'm shocked myself it has taken him this long to find his home, especially given everything you've done for him. People always want a dog with training! All our fosters get adopted out with minimal training but peopel sure always ask...
I would honestly take the DNA results with a grain of salt. There have been people who tested there purebred dogs (and have pedigrees to back up the dogs parents/grandparents/great grandparents/etc.) and the dogs came back as mixed. Also, a friend of mine had her Wolfdog tested and a few of the breeds she came back as were Dachshund and Shetland Sheepdog. On top of that, the tests seems to regularly come back with really rare breeds. I've seen dogs come back as Swedish Vallhunds or Beaucerons which are VERY VERY rare in the US and it's a 1 in a million chance that a dog would have that in them.
Good luck to Ziggy, but I don't think the DNA tests should be taken very seriously.
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