Rescuing an animal is rewarding, but sometimes things don’t turn out the way you expected.
One woman recently realized that her dog isn’t the breed she thought she had adopted, and she revealed what she discovered in a social media video that’s gone viral.
When Caroline Dupuy adopted Sox, she was led to believe she was a Labrador retriever. But as the puppy grew, so did Dupuy’s suspicions, and she decided to do a DNA test.
The results revealed Sox is far from a pure-bred canine, and her genetics are a mixture of six breeds. To watch the video, click here.
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The video was captioned: “She’s 76 lbs and 28 inches tall now so it does make sense.” It has amassed 1.3 million views since it was shared on September 25.
During the clip, Sox, now one, can be seen playing with rope toy as a smaller puppy. The following few slides are screenshots revealing the dog’s heritage.
It turns out the animal shelter wasn’t lying about the breed as she is 13 percent Labrador retriever. But she is mostly Great Dane and Great Pyrenees, and less than 10 percent American pit bull terrier, German shepherd and Dutch shepherd.
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), Labrador male adults are no more than 24.5 inches tall and weigh 65 to 80 pounds. So it’s no wonder Dupuy had her concerns about her long-legged dog.
So far, the viral video has racked up 198,700 likes and over 750 comments.
One user said: “Great Dane and Great Pyrenees, have fun.”
“I mean TECHNICALLY you did get a Labrador retriever. Just percentage not specified,” pointed out another.
“As someone that works at a shelter, puppies are awful to guess the possible breeds on! They can change so much as they grow!” stated one worker.
Another joked: “A good rule of thumb when adopting a dog. “Lab mix” is code for: we have no idea what it is but pls adopt him/her.”
It isn’t uncommon for owners to discover their rescue dog isn’t what they expected. Previously, an owner was shocked to discover her dog wasn’t a Golden retriever mix but in fact, a mixture of eight breeds.
It is “quick and painless” to collect a sample of a canine’s DNA, according to testing company AffinityDNA USA.
The DNA testing laboratory website explained the procedure, which involves gently rubbing a swab inside the animal’s mouth against the inner cheek for no more than one minute.
Owners have also used the test to find out more about their pets’ relations. One woman was left in tears when she discovered her sibling dogs were actually mother and daughter. Newsweek shared a similar story whereby one pet was reunited with her mother after a DNA test.
Newsweek reached out to @carol.sr99 for comment. We couldn’t verify the details of the case.
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