Embark vs Wisdom Panel? And puppy pics

[OverandOnward]

@PonyApocalypse19

Generally curious what challenges/experiences you are referring to with a Great Dane? I do see them come up for rescue locally. My local Mastiff rescue has closed, so I was considering a Great Dane as a possibility for my next rescue.I am partial to large dogs and want to keep my options open. My current Mastiff rescue is around 11 years old and in good shape, but she is slowing down.

If you are a successful and happy Mastiff owner, you may already be up to a Great Dane! And probably know much more than I do.

Short lifespan is a big one. Along with their health/medical/nutritional needs. Plus their many needs to comfortably accommodate their overall size – I figure their special cushioning for beds probably occupies as much or more floor space as a normal-sized couch/sofa. Some people might need a larger vehicle as well! I’ve heard that they are wonderful dogs, but accommdating one and keeping it healthy and happy is a job as big as a Dane.

You may already be well able for a Dane! That’s just the elevator version I remember that rules them out for me as a dog owner. I’ve never sought personal experience with Danes.

[Heinz_57]

@OverandOnward

#1 lesson: be prepared to be surprised. Or not!

Oh, I have no expectations at all, really, I’m aware of how unusual mixed breeds can turn out especially where multiple types are concerned. 90% of the reason I’d like to know is so that I have an answer when people inevitably ask “what is he?”

@ThreeWishes he came with the name Benji, which we’ve decided to stick with (mostly because it’s easier than trying to agree on a new name).

@MissusS I’m down near Houston where the sun is more prevalent now that our two weeks of winter has ended, it’s the perfect time for a puppy!

@anonevent

Unfortunately, your dog appears to be part Easter Bunny and they don’t test for that.

He certainly jumps like one when he sees food!

Benji on the prowl this afternoon:

[Bluey]

Walking along, he sure seems to possibly have some GSD in there.
Don’t know where the “gay” tail comes from, that is not GSD.
Don’t seem to be much Great Dane there either, from this angle.
Does look sweet and lovable there.
He is a mistery dog.

[luvmyhackney]

If I had to guess GSD/Great Dane with maybe some Doberman or Hound mixed in.

[Texarkana]

@Heinz_57 Knowing you’re in Houston, that makes me even more convinced he has some coonhound. Or maybe Catahoula.

[OverandOnward]

I just see a Dog of a generically useful shape and color for his size.

Looking forward to the results … someday!

[pony_baloney]

I tested my 7 lb. mix. She looks like a chi/ min pin mix to me, so imagine my surprise when her results came back as
40% Pomeranian
34% Chihuahua
13% Shih Tzu
Supermutt for the rest.

Anyone see a Pomeranian??

[OverandOnward]

I see a Pomeranian. All that’s missing is the coat.

[Super-cool harness, btw.]

This is a brilliant example of how crazy misleading our basic ideas of breed genetics will be, vs. real life.

We humans tend to visually fixate on coat and color. BUT those may possibly be the two things that are more likely to morph when DNA from one side acts on DNA on the other side.

As an example – Many schnauzer-looking scruffy-coated mixed breeds have zero schnauzer, but they do have poodle. Poodle-fur easily turns other coats wiry – or maybe it is the other way around. Where they get the furnishings of mustache, eyebrows and tufty ears I don’t remember, but that’s easily morphed as well.

Plus, many little-dog apple-shaped skulls are somewhat similar, breed to breed. Sometimes it is the slope of the stop between the eyes that is the difference.

Someone who has learned to read the Embark genetic coding included with their results can explain why the coat came out one way, but the color came out the opposite. Why one breed claimed the head and another breed claimed the length of spine. Things like that. I haven’t spent that much time on dog dna – yet.

[Zonderpaard]

I recently got the Embark results on this guy:

I was a bit surprised as I really expected some more herding and hunting blood–i figured cattle dog and maybe something fast/sighthound like whippet. Plus he’s much smaller than most everything in his profile except the Dachshund. Maybe he was the runt

Anyways, it’s funny because the rescue said he was a hound because he came from West Virginia and “everything outta West Virginia is a hound”. Snort.

That said, he does have an “arooo” in him which he rolls out to greet his friends and the UPS truck, so that’s the beagle talking. And absolutely beagle white markings on the yellow/red coat genes.

Husky (and American Eskimo dog in the supermutt) explains that crazyass curly fluffy tail.

The good news is no disease issues. Hybrid vigor ftw

[OverandOnward]

@Zonderpaard

Screenshot_20250306-212516720×1600 62.4 KB

WOW !!! 28.7% is the highest percentage of Supermutt I’ve ever seen in hundreds of Embark results !!!

Supermutt 10% and up is considered high, across the usual results. It’s usually below 10%.

And the lowest percentage of the ‘top’ purebred at 15.5%. By comparison, Dash is 84.5% NOT the highest % breed.

And – no pitbull. Unless there is a smidge in Supermutt, which is so low that it almost doesn’t count. Such a lack of pit is very very very unusual in such a mixy mixed breed.

Dash is a true original. An OOAK (One Of A Kind)

He is the descendant of generations of mixed breeds. There hasn’t been a purebred in his line since [pounds calculator] well I’m not working that hard to figure out how many generations - four+, probably more if Lab is crossing in from more than one mixed-breed ancestor.

The truth is that no breed in Dash is high enough to have a major claim on his traits. Dash is like the perfect blend of “dog”.

(Although the Beagle may have met enough commonalities to claim his voice. Love a beagle voice! )

[Cammie]

I’ve got that super mutt score bested.

[Sdel]

I second Catahoula. He has a similar face, hind end and tail as mine.

[DiamondJubilee]

Benji is one seriously handsome boy! I’m not even going to hazard a guess on what he is, but he’s super, super cute.

What are his personality traits? Does he have a strong prey drive? Nose to the ground kinda guy? Just curious! I’m a huge fan of his already and can’t wait to see his results!

[Bluey]

@Sdel

I second Catahoula. He has a similar face, hind end and tail as mine.

Yes, there are plenty of those around here and that could explain his body proportions and parts of his head, other than the ears. Catahoula tend to have houndish ears hanging down.
In the first picture he still looks to me like a dane puppy, other than the coloring (not so much h in the profile one).

The catahoulas around here are super chill dogs, love to work and when young need lots of exercise and activities, then settle on very nice, quiet, serious companions.
They have an interesting sense of humor, don’t need to be the center of the party like labs tend to be, catahoulas like their world to fit their expectations, don’t suffer fools lightly.
They don’t have the thick short double coat of the labs, so don’t shed as much, but the lighter very short coat that shines in metallic incredibly beautiful hues.
Our post office route lady had the prettiest catahoula with her and so many of us wanted a puppy from her, but she never bred her.

[S1969]

@Zonderpaard

The good news is no disease issues. Hybrid vigor ftw

You may be kidding but this is my biggest pet peeve with these tests is that they imply that dogs are free from genetic defects. Your dog may actually have several of the more common, multi-factor genetic defects - they are the ones that can’t be tested for, and therefore are the most difficult to eliminate.

Most of the single gene health issues are not prevalent in many breeds and entirely absent in others.

To be honest, I’m not even sure what tests would be relevant to a non-breeding pet owner, other than the MDR1 (multidrug resistance 1). I’m sure there are a handful of others…I’d be curious if anyone here has come across any of the Embark tests being useful in general dog ownership (v. breeding).

[Texarkana]

I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a catahoula outside the gulf coast states. But everyone and their brother has a catahoula/catahoula cross hunting dog in rural SETX.

@S1969

@Zonderpaard

The good news is no disease issues. Hybrid vigor ftw

You may be kidding but this is my biggest pet peeve with these tests is that they imply that dogs are free from genetic defects. Your dog may actually have several of the more common, multi-factor genetic defects - they are the ones that can’t be tested for, and therefore are the most difficult to eliminate.

Most of the single gene health issues are not prevalent in many breeds and entirely absent in others.

To be honest, I’m not even sure what tests would be relevant to a non-breeding pet owner, other than the MDR1 (multidrug resistance 1). I’m sure there are a handful of others…I’d be curious if anyone here has come across any of the Embark tests being useful in general dog ownership (v. breeding).

Yeah, I agree.

I did it for my dog and when I got the results, they weren’t quite as helpful as I had hoped.

If you have a crossbred, you’re almost always going to be “clear” for the breed-specific genetic diseases they test for.

With that said, it’s still good peace of mind that a lot of major genetic diseases are rule out. Doesn’t mean your dog is free from the possibility of problems, but better than nothing.

[Mosey_2003]

I know a few people up here in IL that have Catahoulas! Admittedly, the one lady gets them from her brother that breeds them in…Texas Very striking dogs!

[S1969]

@Texarkana

With that said, it’s still good peace of mind that a lot of major genetic diseases are rule out.

Yes, I’m just curious if anyone has ruled out anything that is likely/common, or that knowing the dog did/didn’t have something ever made any difference in how they were treated by a vet.

[Zonderpaard]

Appalachian Blended Bugler?
Blue Ridge Yellow Dog?

The supermutt component id’d four breeds:

Collie, American Eskimo Dog, Chihuahua, and Pitbull.

I don’t know about the health stuff, really. They listed two–something for eyes and something for liver–but for both he has only ONE gene instead of a pair as most likely to develop a clinical condition. Plus he’s neutered.

The liver one is perhaps interesting because he is Lyme positive although not clinical.

I did the test as a birthday present for the wingman and I know he’d be interested in the health stuff.

[Zonderpaard]

We had a little dog that looked a lot like yours!
We called her a wirehaired Armenian squirrel hound. Sweetest dog ever.

We had her and a Chihuahua Doxie mix and save the coat, they were really similar. So we told people he was a SMOOTH-COATED Armenian Squirrel Hound.

Usually people believed us.