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GCH Usher

Belgian Shepherd

“Usher is our first imported dog. He is from Hungary”

Place of Birth

Budapest, Hungary

Current Location

Sunman, Indiana, USA

From

Budapest, Hungary

This dog has been viewed and been given 17 wags

Registration

American Kennel Club (AKC): DN47383301

Genetic Breed Result

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Belgian Sheepdog

The Belgian Sheepdog is one of the four varieties of Belgian Shepherd, though the AKC distinguishes them as their own breed. This active working dog is renowned for its intelligence and drive. If given the opportunity for plenty of physical and mental exercise, the Belgian Sheepdog will astound you with its athleticism and versatility.

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DNA Breed Origins

Breed colors:
Belgian Sheepdog

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Here’s what Usher’s family tree may have looked like.
While there may be other possible configurations of his family’s relationships, this is the most likely family tree to explain Usher’s breed mix.
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Health Summary

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Usher has one variant that you should let your vet know about.

ALT Activity

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Usher inherited one copy of the variant we tested

Why is this important to your vet?

Usher has one copy of a variant associated with reduced ALT activity as measured on veterinary blood chemistry panels. Please inform your veterinarian that Usher has this genotype, as ALT is often used as an indicator of liver health and Usher is likely to have a lower than average resting ALT activity. As such, an increase in Usher’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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Mucopolysaccharidosis Type VII, Sly Syndrome, MPS VII (GUSB Exon 3, German Shepherd Variant)

Identified in Belgian Sheepdogs and Belgian Shepherds

Additional Genetic Conditions

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Traits

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

Coat Color

Coat Color

Other Coat Traits

Other Coat Traits

Other Body Features

Other Body Features

Body Size

Body Size

Performance

Performance

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Through Usher’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

B1

Haplotype

B57

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B1

Usher’s Haplogroup

B1 is the second most common maternal lineage in breeds of European or American origin. It is the female line of the majority of Golden Retrievers, Basset Hounds, and Shih Tzus, and about half of Beagles, Pekingese and Toy Poodles. This lineage is also somewhat common among village dogs that carry distinct ancestry from these breeds. We know this is a result of B1 dogs being common amongst the European dogs that their conquering owners brought around the world, because nowhere on earth is it a very common lineage in village dogs. It even enables us to trace the path of (human) colonization: Because most Bichons are B1 and Bichons are popular in Spanish culture, B1 is now fairly common among village dogs in Latin America.

B57

Usher’s Haplotype

Part of the large B1 haplogroup, we have detected this haplotype in Belgian Tervurens, Belgian Malinois, Schipperkes, and village dogs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The B1 haplogroup can be found in village dogs like the Peruvian Village Dog, pictured above.

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Through Usher’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

A1b

Haplotype

Ha.4

Map

A1b

Usher’s Haplogroup

For most of dog history, this haplogroup was probably quite rare. However, a couple hundred years ago it seems to have found its way into a prized male guard dog in Europe who had many offspring, including the ancestors of many European guard breeds such as Doberman Pinchers, St. Bernards, and Great Danes. Despite being rare, many of the most imposing dogs on Earth have it; strangely, so do many Pomeranians! Perhaps this explains why some Poms are so tough, acting like they're ten times their actual size! This lineage is most commonly found in working dogs, in particular guard dogs. With origins in Europe, it spread widely across other regions as Europeans took their dogs across the world.

Ha.4

Usher’s Haplotype

Part of the A1b haplogroup, this haplotype is found in village dogs in North America and Africa. As for breeds, it occurs most frequently in Miniature Pinscher, Great Dane, and Poodle.

Great Danes and Pomeranians have this in common!

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