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Colby

Mixed Ancestry

“Colby is a rescue from the SF SPCA, they received her from Tulare County in central California.”

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@colby.jack.puppers

Place of Birth

California, USA

Current Location

Oakland, California, USA

From

San Francisco, CA, USA

This dog has been viewed and been given 12 wags

Genetic Breed Result

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Chinese Shar-Pei

Few dog breeds are more recognizable than the wrinkly Chinese Shar-Pei. This Chinese breed is often compared to a hippopotamus due to its thick muzzle. They also have a characteristic rough, bristly coat, which is how the breed got its name (“Shar-Pei” means “sand skin”). Despite their goofy appearance, Shar-Peis are serious, independent dogs who will loyally protect their owners.

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American Pit Bull Terrier

The American Pit Bull Terrier originated in the British Isles and descends from the Mastiff-type dogs introduced to England in antiquity. The breed was brought over to the United States by English immigrants in the 1800s, and quickly became one of the most popular and widespread breeds there.

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American Staffordshire Terrier

American Staffordshire Terriers are powerful but playful dogs that are both loyal and affectionate with their owners.

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Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherds are an energetic mid-sized breed that make the perfect companion.

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German Shepherd Dog

German Shepherds are confident, courageous dogs with a keen sense of smell and notable intelligence. These are active working dogs who excel at many canine sports and tasks -- they are true utility dogs! Their versatility combined with their loyal companionship has them consistently listed as one of the most popular breeds in the United States.

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Australian Cattle Dog

A classic cattle dog, Australian Cattle Dogs were developed from a mixture of breeds in Australia in the 19th century, and still maintain their energetic herding instincts today.

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Dogs Like Colby

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Discover dogs who share a similar breed mix to Colby. A higher score means the two dogs have more of their breed mix in common. A score of 100% means they share the exact same breed mix!

Click or tap on a pic to learn more about each dog and see an in-depth comparison of their DNA, breeds, and more.

DNA Breed Origins

Breed colors:
Chinese Shar-Pei
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Australian Shepherd
German Shepherd Dog
Australian Cattle Dog

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Here’s what Colby’s family tree may have looked like.
Colby
Family Tree From Embark PARENTS GRANDPARENTS GREAT GRANDPARENTS Mixed Mixed Chinese Shar-Pei mix American Pit Bull Terrier / American Staffordshire Terrier mix American Pit Bull Terrier / Australian Shepherd mix German Shepherd Dog / Australian Cattle Dog mix Chinese Shar-Pei Chinese Shar-Pei mix American Pit Bull Terrier American Staffordshire Terrier American Pit Bull Terrier Australian Shepherd German Shepherd Dog mix Australian Cattle Dog mix
While there may be other possible configurations of her family’s relationships, this is the most likely family tree to explain Colby’s breed mix.

Breed Reveal Video

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Health Summary

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Colby inherited one variant that you should learn more about.

And one variant that you should tell your vet about.

Degenerative Myelopathy, DM

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Colby inherited one copy of the variant we tested

What does this result mean?

This variant should not impact Colby’s health. This variant is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning that a dog needs two copies of the variant to show signs of this condition. Colby is unlikely to develop this condition due to this variant because she only has one copy of the variant.

What is Degenerative Myelopathy, DM?

The dog equivalent of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, DM is a progressive degenerative disorder of the spinal cord. Because the nerves that control the hind limbs are the first to degenerate, the most common clinical signs are back muscle wasting and gait abnormalities.

ALT Activity

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Colby inherited one copy of the variant we tested

Why is this important to your vet?

Colby has one copy of a variant associated with reduced ALT activity as measured on veterinary blood chemistry panels. Please inform your veterinarian that Colby has this genotype, as ALT is often used as an indicator of liver health and Colby is likely to have a lower than average resting ALT activity. As such, an increase in Colby’s ALT activity could be evidence of liver damage, even if it is within normal limits by standard ALT reference ranges.

What is ALT Activity?

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a clinical tool that can be used by veterinarians to better monitor liver health. This result is not associated with liver disease. ALT is one of several values veterinarians measure on routine blood work to evaluate the liver. It is a naturally occurring enzyme located in liver cells that helps break down protein. When the liver is damaged or inflamed, ALT is released into the bloodstream.

Breed-Relevant Genetic Conditions

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Multiple Drug Sensitivity

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian Shepherds, and more

Hemophilia A

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Hemophilia A

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Canine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Type III, CLAD III

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, prcd

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs and Australian Shepherds

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, crd1

Identified in American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, crd2

Identified in American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers

Collie Eye Anomaly

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs and Australian Shepherds

Day Blindness

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Canine Multifocal Retinopathy, cmr1

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Primary Lens Luxation

Identified in Chinese Shar-Peis

Hereditary Cataracts

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Primary Lens Luxation

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Cystinuria Type II-A

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Urate Kidney & Bladder Stones

Identified in American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and more

Anhidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Renal Cystadenocarcinoma and Nodular Dermatofibrosis

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VII, Sly Syndrome, MPS VII

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, Cerebellar Ataxia, NCL4A

Identified in American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 5, NCL 5

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 6, NCL 6

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 8, NCL 8

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs and Australian Shepherds

Shar-Pei Autoinflammatory Disease, SPAID, Shar-Pei Fever

Identified in Chinese Shar-Peis

L-2-Hydroxyglutaricaciduria, L2HGA

Identified in American Pit Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers

Myotonia Congenita

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Craniomandibular Osteopathy, CMO

Identified in Australian Shepherds

Additional Genetic Conditions

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Traits

Explore the genetics behind your dog’s appearance and size.

Base Coat Color

Base Coat Color

Coat Color Modifiers

Coat Color Modifiers

Other Coat Traits

Other Coat Traits

Other Body Features

Other Body Features

Body Size

Body Size

Performance

Performance

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Through Colby’s mitochondrial DNA we can trace her mother’s ancestry back to where dogs and people first became friends. This map helps you visualize the routes that her ancestors took to your home. Their story is described below the map.

Haplogroup

A2

Haplotype

A125

Map

A2

Colby’s Haplogroup

A2 is a very ancient maternal line. Most likely it was one of the major female lines that contributed to the very first domesticated dogs in Central Asia about 15,000 years ago. Some of the line stayed in Central Asia to the present day, and frequently appear as Tibetan Mastiffs and Akitas. Those that escaped the mountains of Central Asia sought out other cold spots, and are now found among Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies. This lineage is also occasionally found in several common Western breeds, such as German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers. Curiously, all New Guinea Singing Dogs descend from this line. These are an ancient and very interesting breed found in the mountains of Papua New Guinea. Unfortunately, they are now endangered. They are closely related to the Australian dingo, so you could say its cousins are dingos! This line is also common in village dogs in Southeast and East Asia. Unlike many other lineages, A2 did not spread across the whole world, probably because it did not have the opportunity to hitch its wagon to European colonialism - or because these dogs just prefer hanging out in mountains, tundras, islands, and other hard-to-reach places!

A125

Colby’s Haplotype

Part of the A2 haplogroup, this haplotype has been found in a Sharpei.

Dingos commonly possess this haplogroup.

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The Paternal Haplotype reveals a dog’s deep ancestral lineage, stretching back thousands of years to the original domestication of dogs.

Are you looking for information on the breeds that Colby inherited from her mom and dad? Check out her breed breakdown and family tree.

Paternal Haplotype is determined by looking at a dog’s Y-chromosome—but not all dogs have Y-chromosomes!

Why can’t we show Paternal Haplotype results for female dogs?

All dogs have two sex chromosomes. Female dogs have two X-chromosomes (XX) and male dogs have one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome (XY). When having offspring, female (XX) dogs always pass an X-chromosome to their puppy. Male (XY) dogs can pass either an X or a Y-chromosome—if the puppy receives an X-chromosome from its father then it will be a female (XX) puppy and if it receives a Y-chromosome then it will be a male (XY) puppy. As you can see, Y-chromosomes are passed down from a male dog only to its male offspring.

Since Colby is a female (XX) dog, she has no Y-chromosome for us to analyze and determine a paternal haplotype.

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