Potcake Mystery Mix: Genetic Testing with Royal Canin

Boca is, officially, a Royal Bahamian Potcake - a mixed-breed dog native to the islands of the Caribbean - but what breed mixture actually makes up a Potcake is anyone's guess. Potcakes can vary widely in appearance, from longer-haired shepherd-types to short-haired, houndish dogs. One fascinating aspect of street dogs is that certain characteristics are apparent all over the world. Boca looks very much like some pictures of street dogs in India that I've seen, and she is smaller than the typical Bahamian Potcake. A recent study attempted to make sense of the Potcake puzzle, and determined that the gene pool of island dogs included a multitude of breeds both ancient and modern. (Some of the dogs used in this study came from the same shelter as Boca!)

When we were approached by Royal Canin to see if we wanted to review their new Genetic Health Analysis DNA testing kit, we excitedly seized the opportunity. The GHA testing kit provides breed results from 250 possible breeds as well as a detailed health snapshot which identifies over 130 genetic mutations.  I have used DNA tests in the past for Ruby and a previous dog, Lasya, and find them to be not only fun, but advantageous in understanding behavior, energy and management needs.

I'm usually fairly adept at correctly guessing the components of mixed breed dogs and love to play along any time I see a "Guess the Breed" game, but Boca has always had me stumped. She looks like...an adorable medium-sized dog! We've been asked by multiple people if she is a Basenji, and based on size, coloration, and the wrinkles she sometimes has on her forehead, as well as the graceful arch of her neck, if I had to pick one breed she most resembles, it would have to be a Basenji.

Boca came to Colorado as a 4-5 year old dog who had lived in a shelter in The Bahamas for approximately one year. I therefore have very limited information about her previous health history. Longtime readers may recall Boca's 'Ocular Ordeal,' which perplexed several top specialists in our area, so any insight into other potential risks that we can manage ahead of time will be incredibly valuable, not to mention the fun of learning Boca's breed make-up!

The process of having Boca tested was very easy - especially since she seems to enjoy trips to the vet! We had a pleasant drive to the our awesome vet's office, she waited patiently for her appointment, happily posed with our fabulous vet tech Heather, placed herself on the scale to be weighed (exactly 33 pounds if anyone is asking), and willingly followed the staff to an exam room where they swiftly drew a blood sample. This blood sample was packaged and shipped to the Royal Canin lab, and soon after we were notified that it is being processed!

I can hardly stand the suspense and bet there will be some surprises in Boca's unique island ancestry. We'd love to invite our readers to play along - what breeds do you think Boca could be comprised of? Comment with your guesses and we will be back to share the results in a few weeks!

If you are interested in testing your own dog, ask your veterinarian about the Royal Canin Genetic Health Analysis.

This post is sponsored by Royal Canin. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Royal Canin's Genetic Health Analysis test, but Rubicon Days only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Royal Canin is not responsible for the content of this article.

Wisdom Panel 3.0 Tour On Its Way to Vail, Colorado

This post is sponsored by Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel 3.0. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the new version of the Wisdom Panel DNA testing kit and the Wisdom Panel 3.0 Tour, but Rubicon Days only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel 3.0 is not responsible for the content of this article.

Ruby's Wisdom Panel DNA test results have helped me immensely in understanding the breeds that contributed to her personality and understanding her exercise and training needs. The more I learn about Jack Russell terriers and border collies, the more confident I am that Ruby's test results were accurate. She has so many of the physical, behavioral and temperamental characteristics of both breeds. Since it's a product I am both familiar with and believe in, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Wisdom Panel to promote their new test kit and their summer "Swabathon" Tour, in which dogs can be DNA tested on-site at several events around the country for a discounted price, including the GoPRO Mountain Games in Vail, Colorado. 

DNA testing is helpful for a variety of reasons, including size prediction, breed-specific health concerns and characteristics or just purely for fun. The Wisdom Panel 3.0 test adds one more extremely important element to their results, that of MDR1 mutation screening. The MDR1 mutation is found in some herding breeds, sighthounds and mixed breeds and can cause extreme sensitivity to some common drugs, including ivermectin. I learned about this mutation recently in a heartbreaking situation where a friend lost her collie due to accidental ingestion of horse deworming paste containing ivermectin. Since Ruby is part border collie, the MDR1 mutation screening is something I should strongly consider for her. 

Not only does Wisdom Panel 3.0 provide potentially lifesaving genetic information, but the expanded breed database can identify over 250 breeds, including all those recognized by the American Kennel Club. The testing is as easy as swabbing your dog's inner cheek and sending the swab back to the lab via regular mail. Results are available in 2-3 weeks and include a detailed profile with three generations of probably ancestry, predicted weight range and the MDR1 genetic mutation screening results.

This summer, Wisdom Panel 3.0 is on the road at several events around the country:

• June 4th-7th: GoPRO Mountain Games in Vail, CO
• August 1st: Amazing Pet Expo in Austin, TX
• TBD October: Mars Pet Adoption Fair in Franklin, TN
• Date TBD: Amazing Pet Expo Holiday in Los Angeles CA

At any of the above dog-friendly events, Wisdom Panel will be providing on-site DNA swab testing for $39.99 and take-home testing kits for $49.99. Kits can also be ordered directly from Wisdom Panel (MSRP $84.99). Boca is hoping to hitch a ride to the beautiful mountain town of Vail, Colorado, and find out what breeds might be present in her Bahamian ancestry! 

Please visit Wisdom Panel on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest or at one of the stops on their "Swabathon" Tour this summer. If you decide to DNA test your dog, I'd love to hear about the results! 

Five Intriguing Dog Breeds

Manchester Terrier, photo via Wikipedia

There was a question circulating among my dog friends on Facebook recently asking what five breeds you would love to have. I gave it some thought, since I am always considering dogs past, present and future. On any given day, I see four or five dogs on various shelter and rescue and sites that I'd adopt in a heartbeat.

Every dog I've had has endeared its breed or mix to me. I think Lasya, my Chow/GSD was the perfect mix. I adore Norwegian Elkhounds because of Freya. I'm crazy enough to want another Border Jack, and if all Potcakes are like Boca, I'll take a dozen more.

I haven't had very much contact with four out of five breeds that I've listed - they have simply piqued my interest and intrigue me for one reason or another, some on the esoteric side.

Ibizan Hound: I think these dogs are just stunning, with their tall, graceful bodies, their gentle sighthound temperaments and the EARS. The wire-haired variety is especially unique. I have always been drawn to Spain and its animals - the Andalusian horse captured my heart decades ago, and I took the trip of a lifetime to southern Spain in 2013. The Ibizan Hounds and Podencos are unfortunately in great need of rescue in their home country, and I dream of retiring there and helping them.

Chinese Crested: This is a recent obsession, due in part to a friend rescuing one and learning how fun and trainable they are, but mainly because they look like they were created by Jim Henson and they actually need to wear clothes.

Swedish Vallhund: My beloved Norwegian Elkhound crossed with a corgi. Wolf corgis. Hipster corgis.Viking corgis. I would name my Swedish Vallhund Tyrion Lannister (with the season premiere in two days, I have Game of Thrones on my mind). 

Manchester Terrier: Ruby has given me an appreciation for terriers, and I've always thought that Manchesters were the perfect size in their snappy black & tan suits. Often mistaken for Min-Pins even though they are quite a bit larger, I think they would be a lot of fun (and probably a little trouble, too).

Australian Cattle Dog: The least exotic on my list, I grew up in cattle dog country and several of our family dogs were heeler mixes. I love the herding group in general; Australian cattle dogs are sturdy, smart, and just the right amount of naughty, plus they are always available through rescue.

It's more likely that I'll continue to adopt my dogs rather than seek out one of these somewhat rare breeds (except for cattle dogs), but there are rescue groups for nearly everything. I think these sorts of lists are the fun equivalent to fantasy football for the dog enthusiast. 

What about you? Which five breeds would you love to have someday?

I Love My Border Jack...And I Would Never Recommend One

Ruby is not a purebred Border Jack, if you can even call a hybrid creation 'purebred.' Her DNA test results indicate that her parents were most likely a Jack Russell terrier mix and a Border Collie mix. Or, perhaps one parent was a 50/50 Border Jack and the other was a mutt...whatever the case, and however much skepticism and humor there are surrounding dog DNA tests, I don't have one shred of doubt that Ruby's results are accurate. "That explains it," I thought when I opened the eagerly-anticipated email from Wisdom Panel. She embodies so many of the physical and character traits of both main breeds as well as looking similar to Border Jacks I've seen. I belong to a Border Jack group on Facebook and follow every Border Jack I come across on Instagram. I delight in looking up pictures of them (mainly on flyball team pages) as well as reading everything I can about the terrier and herding group members. Ruby is scarily smart, relentlessly energetic, endlessly determined and more than a little bit crazy. I love her with a ferocity I didn't know was possible and yet I would never recommend a Border Jack to anyone. 

Prior to adopting Ruby, I distinctly recall discouraging more than one person that casually mentioned they might like a Jack Russell terrier. Jack Russells are not casually anything.  According to her book Perfect Puppy in 7 Days, after seeing the work Dr. Sophia Yin put in to her impeccably trained dog, Jonesy, many of her colleagues determined they would never get a Jack Russell terrier. The feisty fox-hunting dogs are well-known for being nippers of ankles, chasers of cats and instigators of dog fights. The Jack Russell Terrier Club of America has a lengthy list of caveats called The Bad Dog Talk on their website. They are definitely not for the faint of heart, and I never would have considered one for my moderately-active suburban town-home life. 

Nor would I have considered a Border Collie. Known as the workaholics of the dog world and widely accepted as the most intelligent breed, there is a reason they are a favorite of professional dog trainers. You know...the people who love to train dogs in every waking moment. It's hard to ignore the disproportionate number of Border Collies guardians who commiserate in many of the reactive dog groups I belong to. They were bred to herd sheep, anticipating the flock's movement with an unparalleled intensity - nothing gets past them and they aren't the sort of dog content to lay about the house. They very often end up in rescue, and one Border Collie rescue group implores potential adopters to carefully consider the breed.

Combine the two and you have, as one critic of the cross calls them, "world's most effective ankle biter." Ruby's personality leans heavily toward the terrier side of her family tree, which is not surprising if Wisdom Panel's suggestions for her mixed heritage are true: three of five are other types of terrier. She would have been a nightmare for a family with children - before her bite inhibition improved I came away from games of tug with a bloodied finger on more than one occasion. She likes to goad me along at my heel like a collie with the extra encouragement of her terrier teeth if I'm not moving fast enough toward the morning walk. My blessedly bold senior cat is not a big fan. Ruby passionately loves to dig, she is hypersensitive to motion, and she is perpetually distracted by sounds, sights and smells outside. For all the challenges she presents, though, I still wouldn't trade her for an easier model. She constantly dares me to be a better dog person, and her intelligence is beyond measure. Trick-training is one of our favorite activities and she has learned an impressive number of cues already. Those amber-grey-green Border Collie eyes of hers have depths that can be disarming and there is nothing better than her sweet, finally-tired body snuggled up close after she's burrowed under the covers at bedtime.

Border Jacks, thankfully, are not among the popular crosses in the designer dog rage like the doodles, the puggles and the inexplicable cavachons. Their reputation as the ultimate flyball dog seems to so far reserve them for the dog sport enthusiast niche, and these are usually the sorts of people with full-time dedication to training that can handle a rocket-fueled canine. I hope for the sake of their safety and everyone's sanity, that Border Jacks remain a lesser-known hybrid and don't end up in pet stores and thereby shelters. Ruby's high-pitched barking has been heard far and wide, her thirst for rabbit blood has been witnessed by anyone residing near my townhouse common lawn and her maniacal spinning and lunging has caused alarm for quite a few cyclists and joggers. Vet techs and store owners nod with informed sympathy when they find out what she is. My Border Jack, bless her crazy little heart, is the very best anti-ambassador for the cross. 

Is there anything about your breed that isn't for everyone?