Owner Gets Doggy DNA Test And Is Shocked To Learn $1,750 Dog Isn’t The Breed It Was Sold As

Aug 06, 2021

Finding out where your ancestors came from can be extremely exciting and revealing. It gives you a chance to truly discover more about your family and possibly even yourself. Getting your DNA tested can help you find out more about your family and maybe even reveal something you never know about your past relatives. However, DNA testing is not limited to just humans. After many people began searching for answers about their personal family history, some went a step further and used similar techniques to uncover the truth about their own pet’s DNA. Some especially wanted to know if their dogs were purebred or not.

Owning a pet comes with plenty of important responsibilities, and the more you know about your furry companion, the better. If you’re planning on adopting, chances are you may find yourself a mixed-breed dog. On the other hand, some people go to specific breeders in hopes of purchasing a purebred and are willing to pay the price.

Not everyone cares about what breed their dog is or what mix they might be, but some owners pay a hefty price for their specific pooch. Phyllis Von Saspe of New York is one of these people who paid a large chunk of change for her dog Emma, $1,750 to be exact. She purchased Emma under the assumption that the dog was a Shorkie, a mix of a Shih Tzu and Yorkie. After getting Emma’s DNA tested, Von Saspe was shocked to discover that her dog was not the breed she thought.

Finding Out The Truth

In April 2017, Inside Edition reported that Von Saspe decided to get her dog’s DNA tested to see if she was really a Shorkie like the breeder from the state of Washington had told her. After getting the results back, Von Saspe was shocked to find out that her dog was not a Shih Tzu and Yorkie mix, but rather a Shih Tzu and Pomeranian mix. “I felt deceived,” Von Saspe said.

This New York woman was not the only one who felt deceived after learning about their dog’s true DNA. Cliff Mintz also wanted to learn more about his dog’s history after purchasing the assumed purebred Havanese from a breeder in New Jersey. After getting the DNA results back, Mintz learned that his dog named Moose was also part Shih Tzu and part Havanese, as per Inside Edition. “I think it happens a lot more than you know,” he explained.

Even though some people were discouraged after finding out that the dogs they had spent plenty of money on weren’t what breed they initially thought, others were perfectly content with their dog’s makeup. Inside Edition reported that a dog named Jak initially sold at the price of $950 with the Chelsea Kennel Club’s manager insisting he was a purebred Coton de Tulear. The specific breed is known for its cotton white coats, which was a bit different compared to Jak’s exterior. 

After getting his DNA tested at the vet’s office, it was discovered that Jak was a combination of a plethora of dog breeds. However, Jak’s new owner, Sarah Jensen, didn’t mind. “We don’t care if he’s a Coton or a Maltese or whatever he is,” she said. “We are going to love him forever.”

What did you think about these dog owners’ thoughts on discovering their dogs were a different breed than they originally thought? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to any dog lovers you know!