Do you know what your dog is? The truth is, most people don’t! Just looking at your dog won’t tell you their genetic make-up. DNA can be tricky.
Every day, we get messages from pet parents who were shocked to discover what their dog’s breed mix really was. So we’re highlighting one of those surprising breed reveals and asked a member of Embark’s world-class science team to answer our burning questions.
Question: Does this look like a Chihuahua and Poodle mix to you?
"We always thought Bella was a terrier mix because of her shaggy coat. It was surprising to learn that she’s actually a mix of Chihuahua and Poodle. How does she look so much like a terrier? She doesn't have a coat that looks either of her actual breeds at all!"
Bella's Pup Parent
We asked Adam Boyko, our Chief Science Officer, what could cause a Chihuahua and Poodle mix to look so… terrier-y. Why doesn’t she have those famous Poodle curls?
“Though you wouldn’t expect it, Bella’s non-shedding coat comes from the Poodle,” Adam told us. “The same gene that produces this coat is also responsible for shaggy Terrier hair which explains the resemblance. A separate gene gives Poodle coats their curl. Bella didn’t inherit this which is why she doesn’t look very poodle-y.”
The gene that gives Bella her shagginess is the RSPO2 gene. Dogs with one or two copies of the F allele on this gene can have thick mustaches, beards, and eyebrows. This is what gives dogs like the Schnauzer their signature look.
The gene responsible for the curly coat (the curls Bella didn’t inherit from her Poodle side) is KRT71. For dogs with long fur, dogs with a TT or CT result for this gene are very likely to have a wavy or curly coat.
