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JD

Mixed Ancestry

  • JD, a Cocker Spaniel and Lhasa Apso mix tested with EmbarkVet.com JD, a Cocker Spaniel and Lhasa Apso mix tested with EmbarkVet.com
    JD Winter 2019

“He is the gentlest guy. Never bites, loves stealing socks, and is addicted to food. Born in 2002!!! JD was bought in a puppy mill in Sacramento. They told my wife he was a pure bred cocker and they would get paperwork to her. Well they never did and at least his great great great nieces and nephews below in the family chart that are pure! It's a blessing. He got the long legs from a Brittany and the long life span at 16+ from the lhasa apso ancestor. Diagnosed dementia by MRI 2018.”

Current Location

Danville, California, USA

From

Sacramento, California, USA

This dog has been viewed and been given 97 wags

Genetic Breed Result

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Cocker Spaniel

Cocker Spaniels are handsome and intelligent hunting dogs that are also well-suited to life as a loving family pet.

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Lhasa Apso

An independent breed, the Lhasa's goal in life is not necessarily to please their master. The Lhasa Apso is a small, hardy breed with a beautiful cloak of hair that parts down the back from head to tail. Their temperament is unique: joyful and mischievous, dignified and aloof. Popular in the show ring, the breed also excels at activities that provide constant challenges, such as agility.

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Brittany

Brittanys are versatile gun dogs whose high energy and affection levels also make them a popular family dog. Originating in France, the Brittany is highly capable of doing the work it was originally bred to do, but at the end of the day, they're happy to spend time with their people and families.

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English Cocker Spaniel

English Cockers are a medium-size dog with long ears and a happy disposition. The name Cocker comes from their use to hunt woodcock in England, although English Cockers have been used to hunt many other types of birds as well. They make great companion dogs for people who can give them the exercise they need.

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Dogs Like JD

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Discover dogs who share a similar breed mix to JD. 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:
Cocker Spaniel
Lhasa Apso
Brittany
English Cocker Spaniel

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Changes to this dog’s profile
  • On 1/14/2020 changed name from "JD (Oct 28, 2002 to Sep 19, 2019)" to "JD"
  • On 9/20/2019 changed name from "JD" to "JD (Oct 28, 2002 to Sep 19, 2019)"
Here’s what JD’s family tree may have looked like.
JD
Family Tree From Embark PARENTS GRANDPARENTS GREAT GRANDPARENTS Mixed Cocker Spaniel mix Cocker Spaniel mix Lhasa Apso / Brittany mix Cocker Spaniel Cocker Spaniel / English Cocker Spaniel mix Cocker Spaniel Cocker Spaniel mix Lhasa Apso Brittany Cocker Spaniel Cocker Spaniel Cocker Spaniel English Cocker Spaniel mix
While there may be other possible configurations of his family’s relationships, this is the most likely family tree to explain JD’s breed mix.
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Health Summary

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JD is at increased risk for one genetic health condition.

And inherited one variant that you should learn more about.

Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I)

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JD inherited both copies of the variant we tested

How to interpret this result

JD has two copies of an FGF4 retrogene on chromosome 12. In some breeds such as Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, and Dachshunds (among others) this variant is found in nearly all dogs. While those breeds are known to have an elevated risk of IVDD, many dogs in those breeds never develop IVDD. For mixed breed dogs and purebreds of other breeds where this variant is not as common, risk for Type I IVDD is greater for individuals with this variant than for similar dogs.

What is Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I)?

Type I Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is a back/spine issue that refers to a health condition affecting the discs that act as cushions between vertebrae. With Type I IVDD, affected dogs can have a disc event where it ruptures or herniates towards the spinal cord. This pressure on the spinal cord causes neurologic signs which can range from a wobbly gait to impairment of movement. Chondrodystrophy (CDDY) refers to the relative proportion between a dog’s legs and body, wherein the legs are shorter and the body longer. There are multiple different variants that can cause a markedly chondrodystrophic appearance as observed in Dachshunds and Corgis. However, this particular variant is the only one known to also increase the risk for IVDD.

ALT Activity

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JD inherited both copies of the variant we tested

Why is this important to your vet?

JD has two copies of a variant in the GPT gene and is likely to have a lower than average baseline ALT activity. ALT is a commonly used measure of liver health on routine veterinary blood chemistry panels. As such, your veterinarian may want to watch for changes in JD's ALT activity above their current, healthy, ALT activity. As an increase above JD’s baseline 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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Complement 3 Deficiency, C3 Deficiency

Identified in Brittanys

Progressive Retinal Atrophy, prcd

Identified in Cocker Spaniels and English Cocker Spaniels

Golden Retriever Progressive Retinal Atrophy 1, GR-PRA1

Identified in Lhasa Apsos

Familial Nephropathy

Identified in Cocker Spaniels and English Cocker Spaniels

Glycogen storage disease Type VII, Phosphofructokinase Deficiency, PFK Deficiency

Identified in Cocker Spaniels and English Cocker Spaniels

Acral Mutilation Syndrome

Identified in Cocker Spaniels and English Cocker Spaniels

Exercise-Induced Collapse, EIC

Identified in Cocker Spaniels and English Cocker Spaniels

Oculocutaneous Albinism, OCA

Identified in Lhasa Apsos

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

Haplogroup

A1e

Haplotype

A25

Map

A1e

JD’s Haplogroup

This female lineage likely stems from some of the original Central Asian wolves that were domesticated into modern dogs starting about 15,000 years ago. It seemed to be a fairly rare dog line for most of dog history until the past 300 years, when the lineage seemed to “explode” out and spread quickly. What really separates this group from the pack is its presence in Alaskan village dogs and Samoyeds. It is possible that this was an indigenous lineage brought to the Americas from Siberia when people were first starting to make that trip themselves! We see this lineage pop up in overwhelming numbers of Irish Wolfhounds, and it also occurs frequently in popular large breeds like Bernese Mountain Dogs, Saint Bernards and Great Danes. Shetland Sheepdogs are also common members of this maternal line, and we see it a lot in Boxers, too. Though it may be all mixed up with European dogs thanks to recent breeding events, its origins in the Americas makes it a very exciting lineage for sure!

A25

JD’s Haplotype

Part of the large A1e haplogroup, we have detected this haplotype in village dogs in Mexico. We also see it in Irish Wolfhounds, Great Pyrenees, Brittanys, and Labrador Retrievers.

Irish Wolfhounds are a consistent carrier of A1e.

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Through JD’s Y-chromosome we can trace his father’s ancestry back to where dogs and people first became friends. This map helps you visualize the routes that his ancestors took to your home. Their story is described below the map.

Haplogroup

A1a

Haplotype

H1a.14

Map

A1a

JD’s Haplogroup

Some of the wolves that became the original dogs in Central Asia around 15,000 years ago came from this long and distinguished line of male dogs. After domestication, they followed their humans from Asia to Europe and then didn't stop there. They took root in Europe, eventually becoming the dogs that founded the Vizsla breed 1,000 years ago. The Vizsla is a Central European hunting dog, and all male Vizslas descend from this line. During the Age of Exploration, like their owners, these pooches went by the philosophy, "Have sail, will travel!" From the windy plains of Patagonia to the snug and homey towns of the American Midwest, the beaches of a Pacific paradise, and the broad expanse of the Australian outback, these dogs followed their masters to the outposts of empires. Whether through good fortune or superior genetics, dogs from the A1a lineage traveled the globe and took root across the world. Now you find village dogs from this line frolicking on Polynesian beaches, hanging out in villages across the Americas, and scavenging throughout Old World settlements. You can also find this "prince of patrilineages" in breeds as different as German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Pugs, Border Collies, Scottish Terriers, and Irish Wolfhounds. No male wolf line has been as successful as the A1a line!

H1a.14

JD’s Haplotype

Part of the large A1a haplogroup, this haplotype occurs mainly in village dogs from Central and South Americas, but has also been spotted in Papua New Guinea. It also occurs frequently in Cocker Spaniels, English Cocker Spaniels, and Pembroke Welsh Corgis.

Dogs with A1a lineage travelled during European Colonial times.

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