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Sonny

Mixed Ancestry

“10 year old rescue. He had a left hip replacement Nov 2014. He does not like loud noises - he gets very scared.”

This dog has been viewed and been given 1 wag

Genetic Breed Result

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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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Chow Chow

This distinctive-looking dog breed has a proud, independent spirit that some describe as catlike. Often aloof and suspicious of strangers, the Chow Chow may not be a cuddle buddy, but for the right person, they are a fiercely loyal companion.

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Dogs Like Sonny

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Discover dogs who share a similar breed mix to Sonny. 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:
German Shepherd Dog
Australian Cattle Dog
Chow Chow

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Here’s what Sonny’s family tree may have looked like.
Sonny
Family Tree From Embark PARENTS GRANDPARENTS GREAT GRANDPARENTS German Shepherd Dog mix German Shepherd Dog mix German Shepherd Dog Australian Cattle Dog / Chow Chow mix German Shepherd Dog Chow Chow / Australian Cattle Dog mix German Shepherd Dog German Shepherd Dog Australian Cattle Dog Chow Chow mix German Shepherd Dog German Shepherd Dog Chow Chow mix Australian Cattle Dog
While there may be other possible configurations of his family’s relationships, this is the most likely family tree to explain Sonny’s breed mix.
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Health Summary

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Sonny 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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Sonny inherited one copy of the variant we tested

What does this result mean?

This variant should not impact Sonny’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. Sonny is unlikely to develop this condition due to this variant because he 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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Sonny inherited one copy of the variant we tested

Why is this important to your vet?

Sonny has one copy of a variant associated with reduced ALT activity as measured on veterinary blood chemistry panels. Please inform your veterinarian that Sonny has this genotype, as ALT is often used as an indicator of liver health and Sonny is likely to have a lower than average resting ALT activity. As such, an increase in Sonny’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 and German Shepherd Dogs

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

Collie Eye Anomaly

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Day Blindness

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

Primary Lens Luxation

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Cystinuria Type II-A

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Urate Kidney & Bladder Stones

Identified in German Shepherd Dogs

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 5, NCL 5

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 8, NCL 8

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

Myotonia Congenita

Identified in Australian Cattle Dogs

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 Sonny’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

A1a

Haplotype

A16/17/99/100

Map

A1a

Sonny’s Haplogroup

A1a is the most common maternal lineage among Western dogs. This lineage traveled from the site of dog domestication in Central Asia to Europe along with an early dog expansion perhaps 10,000 years ago. It hung around in European village dogs for many millennia. Then, about 300 years ago, some of the prized females in the line were chosen as the founding dogs for several dog breeds. That set in motion a huge expansion of this lineage. It's now the maternal lineage of the overwhelming majority of Mastiffs, Labrador Retrievers and Gordon Setters. About half of Boxers and less than half of Shar-Pei dogs descend from the A1a line. It is also common across the world among village dogs, a legacy of European colonialism.

A16/17/99/100

Sonny’s Haplotype

Part of the large A1a haplogroup, this common haplotype is found in village dogs across the globe. Among breed dogs, we find it most frequently in Labrador Retrievers, Newfoundlands, German Shepherd Dogs, and Golden Retrievers.

Shar Pei dogs think A1a is the coolest!

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Through Sonny’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

A2a

Haplotype

Hc.5

Map

A2a

Sonny’s Haplogroup

A2a is a truly ancient lineage. Unlike the recent upstart A1 lineages which found their way from a few popular European males a couple hundred years ago into many dogs in many breeds, A2a shows ancient roots without major recent expansion. It is likely one of the oldest eastern Eurasian male lineages of dogs, where it has existed for thousands of years. Nowadays, it's commonly found in Tibetan Terriers and Chow Chows as well as in Southeastern Asian village dogs. The Chow Chow seems to have been depicted in sculpture over 2,000 years ago, so this is an ancient lineage indeed, and dogs with it have a long and noble pedigree! Males from this lineage have continued to be bred in similar forms and breeds for millennia.

Hc.5

Sonny’s Haplotype

Part of the A2a haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most commonly in Chow Chows and village dogs from Papua New Guinea.

The large-sized Tibetan Mastiff descends from this ancient lineage.

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