The Results Are In !!!

I got the e-mail results of Penny's Mixed Breed DNA Test last night. I printed off the results and asked a gal at work to scan and e-mail to me but she did so as a PDF file and I feel awfully stupid but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to take this file and post it here on the blog. I will re-scan tomorrow and save it as a .JPEG file and I know that will work.

Anyway, the test I selected was the Wisdom Panel Insights test; you can find them in many places on the Internet with a variety of prices. I chose on from eBay and paid $ 49.95 . The price of the test kit also includes the sample processing fee. We had the results back within 2 weeks m/l.

The test indicates that on one side of Penny's genetic make-up she is Beagle/Chow Chow cross. This was no surprise to us as she has the general body build of a Beagle but also has the dusky blue tongue which would indicate a Chow somewhere " in the woodpile".

Where the surprise was is here...on the other side, it was determined that Penny also had a mix of Treeing Walker Coonhound and...get this...ALASKAN MALAMUTE !! That was really the shocker there...not so much the Hound part ( although Treeing Walker was determined at a "lower confidence" level...thus this was the best guess per the DNA sample ) ...but MALAMUTE ???

Then, I looked at Penny from a full side view and compared her basic body build...sloping topline and large robust chest structure and when I looked again at the side view of a Malamute, I could see a resemblance there.

I will admit at first, I had my doubts as to the actual validity of these DNA tests, but again, when my friends had their dog done, they seemed very confident and in agreement with the results sent to them.

Too, the only questions asked about the dog itself are it's weight and approximate age...no photos are submitted nor any other description.

That being said, since there was NO way they'd known about Penny's dusky Blue tongue nor would they have known anything about her conformation ( thus the Beagle )...then I would have to admit to everyone that I am convinced that in many respects, these tests are about as accurate as anything else available.

Most of the people guessing had Penny down as a Labrador-Beagle mix...and that too seemed about as possible as anything but not one spit of Lab DNA was apparently indicated and the test attempts to go back several generations.

To determine a winner in this contest, then, I took the names of everyone who guessed Beagle as part of the mix...and our winner is:

HOPE TAYLOR of Coldspring, Texas.

Hope wins a 2.5 lb box of M & Zee's Treats for her crew and gets to select where I am to send the $ 50.00 prize donation.

Penny's prize....which she's had for nearly 8 years now is LOVE and adoration from her family for the rest of her life....so everyone wins !