How do I find out what breeds are in my mix dog?

Question
When we got my dog as a puppy from the breeder they said he was a Labrador Retriever/Border Collie mix. But just a few days ago we dropped him off at the kennel and they said he had the face of a spaniel. I kind of agree because he has the cutest face a dog can have. How can I tell for sure what breeds he is?

Answer

Hi Morgan,

One man's collie is another man's spaniel. If you don't think you can take the word of the breeder, then the ONLY way to tell with any certainly what your dog's breed heritage is by doing a DNA test on him. There are two kinds of mixed-breed DNA testing: the inner-cheek swab method, which is a kit that can be bought at stores or online, and a blood-drawn test, which is performed in a veterinarian's office. Of the online DNA services available, here are a couple to consider:

http://www.canineheritage.com/v1/index.html?gclid=CKa10NnYprACFYeo4AodMwq0Yg

http://www.mmigenomics.com

http://www.dog-dna.com

Whatever your dog's heritage, all that matters is that you love him!

Best of luck,
Patti