How to Identify the Breeds in a Mixed-Breed Dog
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Your Mutt's Family Tree
Stray and shelter dogs can be the most loyal and loving of companions, but sometimes their genealogy is a real head-scratcher. Knowing what breeds are present in your dog is useful not only from a health standpoint, but also to understand your friend's temperament, exercise needs, and most effective training methods. There are many ways to assess the genetic makeup of a mutt; below are some key identifiers, along with breed suggestions for various traits.
Size and Body Type
One of the easiest ways to narrow down a dog's breed is through size. Is your dog tiny enough to ride around in your purse? Too big to fit in your car? Narrowing down what size bracket your dog's parents were in can go a long way toward identifying them. Typically, though not always, female pups tend toward the size of the mother, while males tend toward the father. In general, a mixed breed dog will fall somewhere in between its parents' weights. If your dog weighs 100 lbs, there are only a few breeds big enough to give him such substance.
Of course, some dogs are right in the middle of the road. A fifty pound dog could be a mix of nearly anything. Luckily for you, there are plenty of other ways to analyze his breeding. Another method is through body shape. Is your dog lean and leggy, or short and chunky? An athletic dog of moderate weight (40-100 lbs) points to a hunting, working, or herding mix. Common breeds by body type include:
Stocky Build:
- Labrador Retrievers
- Bloodhounds
- Rottweilers
- Australian Cattle Dogs
- American Pit Bull terriers
- Most Toy breeds
Lean Build:
- German Shorthaired Pointers
- Fox Hounds
- Doberman Pinschers
- Border Collies
- Whippets
- Greyhounds
Ears
Are your dogs ear pricked or floppy? If they stand erect, there's a good chance your dog contains some German Shepherd Dog, Husky, Australian Cattle Dog, or maybe even Chihuahua. Floppy ears are harder to peg down, unless they are long like a hound's. However, there are many different 'sets' to dog ears, and it is something to keep in mind as you examine possible genetic contributors to your mutt.
Fur
Another indication of your dog's ancestry is his fur. First, look at the length and type of coat your dog has. Does your dog's coat come in two layers- a soft, fluffy layer underneath longer, coarser hairs? This is called a double coat. If your dog has only one layer, he is single-coated. Some examples of single-coated and double-coated breeds:
Double-Coated:
- Most working breeds
- Most herding breeds
- Many sporting breeds
Single-Coated:
- Poodles
- American Pit Bull Terriers
- Boxers
- Many Terriers
Also consider the length and substance of the coat. Short and smooth, or long and wiry? Some combination of the two? A wire coat is unique and a sign of terrier blood. Soft-coated breeds can be a bit harder to pin down.
Long-Coated Breeds:
- Siberian Huskies and Malamutes
- Golden Retrievers
- Setters
- Many Toy breeds such as Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, and Papillons
- Herding Breeds such as Border Collies and Australian Shepherds
Short-Coated Breeds:
- American Pit Bull Terriers
- Boxers
- Pugs
- Chihuahuas
- Labrador Retrievers
- Most Hounds
- Australian Cattle Dogs
- Rottweiler
Color
And finally, examine the color of your dog. Some dogs are solid, others are flashy colors such as merle or brindle. Some have spotting on their white patches known as 'ticking.' Some markings, like tan points, require both parents to carry the gene for the marking to manifest. Below are some common coat colors and the most well-known dog breeds that sport them.
Tricolor (black, white, and tan):
- Corgis
- Australian Shepherds
- Border Collies
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs
Solid Color:
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- Dachshund
- Chihuahua
- Maltese
- Pomeranian
Fawn:
- Boxers
- American Pit Bull Terriers
- Great Danes
- Mastiffs
- Pugs
Black and Tan:
- Rottweilers
- Doberman Pinschers
- Miniature Pinschers
- Black and Tan Coonhounds
- German Shepherd Dogs
Brindle:
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- Boxer
- Plott Hound
- Great Danes
Merle:
- Australian Shepherds
- Catahoula Leopard Dogs
- Shetland Sheepdogs
- Collies
- Dachshunds
- Pomeranians
- Chihuahuas
Personality
At last, consider your dog's personality. Is he active, or a couch potato? Intelligent or a bit of a dunce? Does your dog exhibit herding behaviors such as nipping at your heels? By now, looking at your dog's physical appearance, you should have a narrowed down list of possible breeds. It's important to remember that every individual dog is different, but as you research the parent breeds, you may find something that fits your dog's temperament to a T.
DNA Tests?
There are several companies that offer breed evaluations through DNA testing. If you are curious enough to shell out some cash, be aware that these tests are not always perfect. They work by analyzing DNA for genetic markers common to a 'family' of dogs. So, while you may not get quite the right breed (Golden Retriever vs Labrador, for instance) it can still point you in the direction of your dog's ancestry. I have heard from several people who took the test that, if your dog does not seem to match the suggested breeds, Wisdom Panel will provide a refund. Still, it's buyer beware.Sometimes, a mixed breed dog is simply too jumbled up for even DNA to offer clues. In that case, I would simply recommend enjoying your unique and special pup for what he is: one of a kind!
Conclusion
There's no way to possibly cover every combination of dog traits, or list every dog breed, but hopefully after reading this article, you will be better able to understand your canine friend. Remember, mutts can take after either parent, both, or, strangely, neither. What's most important is that your dog is well-mannered, happy and healthy!
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Thank you! Most of this comes from trying to figure out what the heck the mix puppy in the photos is. My best guess on him is Australian Shepherd/Bluetick Coonhound, and I learned a lot about dog genetics in the process. Very interesting stuff!
Very thorough! Found some stuff I didn't know. Reminds me of the arguments we used to have in a rescue, because they wanted to call every dog a Chow Mix if it had a purple tonge.
Nature does do some amazing things, tough. At a giant pet conference visitors were shown pictures of dogs and asked to identify the Pitbulls. Almost every guess was wrong.
I love the detailed describtions. Also have an addition for you: Irish Wolfhounds can be brindle too, according to the AKC website. I know because I have several brindle dogs and one is an Irish Wolfhound.
Wonderful information! I have two dogs that we adopted from a shelter and we used similar identification methods. Voted up!
Wow! Voted up! A really very informative article. Thanks for sharing. Congratulation!
Great information
Thanks for the comments!
Cat R- Wow! I had no idea Irish Wolfhounds came in brindle. I will have to update the article for people who have what appears to be a giant tiger mix. :P
Vicki99- Shelter mutts are exactly what got me thinking about this. Thanks!
Thelma + Londontours- Thank you!
Great hub! MY sister-in-law had a DNA test done on her rescue mutt, and the results were completely unexpected. There was no way to tell by looking at the dog what all she has in her. My own mutt has an English springer spaniel for a mother and some sort of coonhound mix for a father. An interesting combination for sure - very high energy and a bit OCD, but I love her to death.
Congrats on hub of the day! Your dog is beautiful.
Congratulations for such an informative and interesting hub. My rat terrier (or fox terrier) is a shelter dog. The Dr. said she is probably a thorough bred. Whatever! She is my best friend. Thanks writing.
I love this hub! This is a great way to guess at the background of a mixed-breed dog, and I didn't know there were DNA tests to determine the lineage of a dog. Very interesting!
Very useful for anyone who is thinking along the lines of getting a dog.
nice one
keep it up
lifeexperiences14.blogspot.com
Very interesting! I'll be passing this along to a friend who has a mixed breed and is curious. Congrats on the hub of the day!
Congrats on Hub of the Day! This is a neat read, even though I'm not a dog owner. I've learned to like them better, and trust them more, over the years--I know that sounds strange to dog owners but experience speaks to children!
I enjoyed learning the definition of some terms I've heard used in reference to dogs and I will keep this as a reference for it's always good to increase our knowledge bank. :)
Good job of helping us understand dogs better. :)
i love dogs and this is so interesting! great hub and congrats on hub of the day!
Congratulations on Hub of the Day. This is a great hub, very informative.
We call Josie a "Mississippi Mud Hound" b/c my son brought him up from MS when the family who had her was getting transferred and couldn't take her. He was also in the service, so guess who she lives with?
She is a good dog with a sweet personality. My only objection is that she sheds SO MUCH! She only has to walk through a room to drop hair all over. My husband says that's the Lab in her. She also is part pit bull. People think she's mean and that's ok by me!
Very useful! We've always gotten pound puppies and enjoyed playing "I wonder what they are" games. This information will come in handy when we decide to adopt our next one. Thank you for the wonderful information!
Congratulations on hub of the day. I have a Wal-mart dog. Got him in the parking lot as a puppy. Supposed to be beagle but not a sign of it. Looks like a Sheltie to me. The tri-color. You missed that one also. The are also sable.
I worked at a vets for a couple of years and people were always asking me what breed I thought their dog might be. A sure sign of Chow blood is the purple tongue. They are also the gold ranging to red color. Dachsunds are merle, black/tan and red/cinnamon.
More to add to your list. I have also seen a purebred lab that is pure white. He was born to 2 black parents. The vet told me that 1 in 4 pairings could produce a white one. They were my dogs.
Thank you for the kind comments everyone!
Becky- You found my weakness! I've never owned a dog below 40 lbs, so I'm not super familiar with the small breeds. These lists are obviously not all-inclusive, but Shelties are such a common breed I should add them.
As for the Lab, correct me if I'm wrong but I believe 'white' Labs are actually just a very light yellow. Some have no pigment on their nose, etc. but they are still yellow Labs. Specific white genes can be found in Boxers, Dogos, American Bulldogs, and a few other breeds, however.
This is a great guide! I absolutely love dogs, no matter what kind of pedigree they have. This is a very helpful write up. Congratulations on being the hub of the day!
Dog of the Day....hahah
Great topic for a hub! I love how you've broken everything down. This is an awesome resource for anyone who wants more information about a stray or adopted rescue dog. Congrats on getting Hub of the Day!
Great hub! My family has been contemplating purchasing a DNA test for the stray we adopted. He is definitely lab, but with a white chest and paws, there's something else lurking in the gene pool. This is great, basic info presented in a well-written manner! Congrats on hub of the day!
Incredibly simple breakdown! Well done on achieving Hub Of The Day, you deserved it.
I had three mongrels when I lived in South Africa.
They were all different and all brothers. Incredible characters.
Great Hub voted up UI
Congratulations both on your nomination and being chosen hub of the day. I'm a cat person. Most pet cats fall under two breeds: domestic shorthair and domestic longhair. The only others are Persian and Siamese. Most people ar surprised when they first learn the fur colouring has nothing to do with breed for cats.
Really interesting! Could you explain in your Hub what fawn, merle and brindle mean in terms of coloring?
Great hub that will come in handy for dog owners who aren't quite sure what breed "Fido" is! In fact, I thought it was so useful, that I voted for it to be a hubnugget ;) Glad you won Hub of the Day! Congrats!!
Nice help for the old game of 'guess the breed'. (I'm right more often than I'm wrong and last week I shocked somebody by casually saying 'Nice Husky/GSD cross'...I'm apparently the only person to, like, ever guess right.
Very thorough coverage of the various ways to determine what kind of dog you have! Voted up and useful! :)
I love my mutt casey. She was a rescue. A smart dog. She doesn't allergies like purebreds. I picked her based on her size and personality. She was 2 when we got her and we did obedience training from the start. My only pet peeve is her hound like characteristics. She loves squirrels and wants to chase anything like vermin. A dog can growl and bark at her and she just looks at them like they are crazy. I liked your hub. helpful.
No, my vet said that they are not yellow labs from recessive genes. This pup was pure white, his parents were both black and 4 generations back were all black. The recessive gene is overpowered by the black in those generations. There are light yellow labs but also rarely a white one.
Interesting that you talked about the ticking on white patches. Our rescue dog, who looks and acts like a Brittany Field Spaniel has that. She is bigger and leaner than a Cocker, but smaller than most other Spaniels. She was so well trained that we can't believe she was a shelter dog, found on the street. You are absolutely right though that just loving them is the best part.
Wow, this is wonderful list that needs to be bookmarked for easy reference. Thank you for putting this together!
Congratulations on your Hubnuggets nomination. To all who would like to read and vote, this way please: http://ladyjane1.hubpages.com/_hubnuggets6/hub/Roo
Thank you again everyone! It's so lovely to see all this support when I've only been here a short time. :) Really encouraging!
Livelonger- Duly noted, I'll add a brief description in the titles.
Virginia- My Boxer is the best dog I ever owned and we picked her up from a shelter. Some of the truly loveliest dogs wind up there due to no fault of their own.
Becky- I don't want to start up a debate, but the yellow genes in Labs is actually on a completely different locus than black. If the puppy has recessive 'yellow' genes, it doesn't really matter what the parents were colored. This breeder chooses for 'white' and also notes they are just super light yellows.
http://www.silverbulletlabs.com/
They do look white though- never seen a Lab that shade before, so thank you for letting me learn about them!
Just in time HUb. I'm planning to have a dog. ^.^ Great hub!
Very interesting Hub. We got our dog, Chika, from the Humane Society. She is a mixture that appears to be mostly chihuahua as evidenced by her tan coat, the short hair single coat and erect ears. But one of her parents probably had considerable dachshund in it as Chika is a little longer and slightly stockier than the average chihuahua.
We do know that she was shipped from a shelter in Phoenix to Tucson due to an oversupply of mostly chihuahuas which were shipped to Phoenix from California when the housing collapse of 2007 forced many people to give up their chihuahuas when they lost their homes.
Thanks for a Hub that helped us to better know our dog's family tree.
nice hub, very interesting
This is pretty awesome! You really know your stuff! :D
This is such an excellent way to help mutt owners try to narrow down the breeds in their dog. How fun! I have a beagle (no question about it) but I had a dream last night that she was running away from me and turned into some sort of German shepherd mix the farther she got from me. I have no idea the meaning behind that odd dream was, but it was even odder when I awoke this morning to see the topic of the hub of the day. Congratulations on a job well done!
Congratulations on Hub of the Day!
This is a fantastic article. I've seen a lot of crazy-mixed-up dogs, but mostly, I can pin them down to a family type...then there are those, as you say, "one of a kind" marvelous mutts....
My dad used to say of one of the dogs in his youth, "His mother was a retriever; his father was a traveling salesman."
Voted up, intersting, and useful. Good job!
Nice and useful hub! Congratulations on being the hub of the day!
Love my mutt! Especially when i hear about all the health issues my neighbors have with their purebreds.
Alphagirl- there's nothing inherently healthier about mutts- in fact they can inherit the genetic problems of both parent breeds! I think badly-bred purebreds do tend to suffer more problems than mutts, though, which is why I always advocate either adoption or buying responsibly. My mutt pup is built like a little tank, so I'm hoping he got the best of both his parents.
i have a 4 month old puppy named panda xD his mom is full boxer and the dad is a pit mix. great puppy, only one from the litter that is pure black and white lol my roommates dog is half chihuahua and jack russell terrier. he has long wiry hair and his son jj has long soft hair, like a poodle, but his mom is dachsund chihuahua mix xD
Simone Smith Level 8 Commenter 7 months ago
Wow, this is fabulous! I've never seen breeds broken down so simply before, and this helps me just get a better idea of the breed of dogs I see while out and about. Your Hubs are amazing and I can't wait to see what you publish next!