Comments on: The Sunday link-up: Bad bills and boring stories

By: nancy freedman-smith

nancy freedman-smith — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:47:50 +0000

a good friend of mine got two differnt results from two companies.the one that tests for 100 breeds wants a photo….

By: Anne T.

Anne T. — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 20:37:36 +0000

I have no faith either in these DNA tests for determining breeds. For one thing, of the 35 or so breeds they say they are able to identify, many are uncommon breeds among pet owners, judging from the AKC registration statistics. The chances of these dogs being out intact among the general population and contributing to the mixed breed gene pool are very small. Therefore when a result says Norfolk terrier, Ibizan or Borzoi are part of Froufrou’s genetic mix, I am skeptical, especially since the less common breeds are not readily obtained through commercial breeders and pet stores, and reputable breeders, the main source, rarely let an intact dog be sold to the average dog owner.
As for the Globe and the NYT, I am deeply ashamed of both my favorite papers. I thought they both learned something from the Pet Food Debacle of last year. The NYT business section was one of the few accurate sources for the latest information about China’s usage of melamine/cyanuric acid in animal feeds. I guess one can depend on them for OP-Ed, business news and politics, but when it comes to straight forward pet ownership, pet issues and pet reporting, both are failures and rank right up there with CBS and its ghastly new ‘reality’ show, “Greatest American Dog”.

By: Caveat

Caveat — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:06:44 +0000

Great post.

I am not convinced that these much-ballyhooed DNA tests are accurate, especially for mixed breeds.

Purebreds could potentially be identified, since there is a good sample size available. Even still, since most purebred dogs aren’t much more than 100 years old, and all originally were mongrels, unless it’s a breed with a distinctive characteristic, such as a black tongue, constantly growing coat, blue eyes, urate crystals, deafness, dwarfism, etc, I honestly don’t see how you can ‘prove’ that a dog is a Sheltie as opposed to a Collie or an Aussie (a US breed as you know, originally from CA).

When you get into mutts, the waters muddy even further, since the combinations are almost inifinite from a genetic standpoint - and of course all dogs are very similar genetically.

Can you differentiate a poodle cross from a Kerry Blue or Irish Water spaniel mix strictly from DNA? Can you tell a Beagle from a Harrier or a Foxhound? A Brussels Griffon from an English Toy spaniel, Smousje or Pug mix? A Boston terrier from an AmStaff or a Bulldog? A GSD from a Malinois or Kelpie mix?

I’ll reserve judgement on these DNA kits until there is more evidence. The companies themselves (Mars and Metamorphix) don’t guarantee their results and admit there are even a lot of purebreds they can’t identify to any degree of accuracy.

By: Colorado Transplant

Colorado Transplant — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:27:37 +0000

In the picture above, Clara seems like she is reproaching you for not taking the right keys—never mind, she never had to do so much to get ready for a walk with the dogs (See River run edition).

By: Brent

Brent — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:32:11 +0000

It is interesting (and disheartening) that over the course of 6 years, they showed month over month declines in euthanasia from the year prior in 70 of the 72 months. The ban essentially took effect in September of last year (it took effect in June, but owners had 90 days to comply), and they have had month over month increases in 9 of the 10 months since then. And this is the type of law that everyone in Cali may be looking at, and the AR’s are pushing for.

By: Eucritta

Eucritta — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:29:29 +0000

Oh, I don’t know about that yawn. I don’t think I’ve run into quite so ill-informed and self-serving an article on designer dogs in a professional publication. Or, for that matter, outside of Usenet.