Who's your Daddy?
. . . and your Mama, too?
Ever since we found that picture of the white Mini Schnauzer just about a month ago, we've been wondering just what Penny's background could be.
She's not suffering from any identity crisis, and we've decided that no matter what, she'll always be at least an "honorary" Westie.
But since we get asked quite often, it would be nice to be able to explain why she has the floppy ears, curly tail and crazy energy. And why she doesn't look at all like Keli, except for her white fur and black nose (and we are asked fairly often why she isn't as white as Keli - is she dirty?).
Our answer has been because that's the way she is, she's just a little bit different (and Keli is exceptionally white). We aren't Penny's first owners and we don't know whether she came from a breeder or a puppy mill. The medical records we did get when we adopted her all stated she was a Westie, not a mixed breed. But -- we've been saying all along that she *must* have something other than Westie in her background, only we suspected maybe Jack Russell or some other terrier.
The more I look into this question, the more I think she isn't so unique after all. Even on PetFinder.com, a search for adoptable Schnauzers shows more than a few white minis. And they all look just like Penny. Every physical characteristic (and some of the personality traits) that make her seem like a weird Westie, are perfectly normal for a mini Schnauzer with uncropped ears and tail.
Last week, we did a DNA Breed Identification test from BioPet Vet Lab on Penny; it was a fairly simple to use swab inside her cheek. I bought the test kit on eBay earlier this month. The package contained all the items below:
Here's what we mailed in to BioPet:
The package states we could get the results of the DNA test in about two weeks, sooner if they send them by email, so we should have some sort of answer around the end of October. BioPet has a long list of identifiable dog breeds including both mini and standard Schnauzer and West Highland Terriers. Hopefully, we'll get an answer that makes sense.
When Keli was in for her annual checkup a few weeks ago, I asked her vet what he thought about Penny - could she be a white mini Schnauzer and what were his thoughts on the DNA tests. He wasn't aware that there could be white Schnauzers (neither was I a month ago); and he wasn't sure about the DNA test, but said he'd be interested in the results. He did agree that all the "clues", especially the behavior issues, were consistent with Schnauzers . . .
Stay tuned . . .
She's not suffering from any identity crisis, and we've decided that no matter what, she'll always be at least an "honorary" Westie.
But since we get asked quite often, it would be nice to be able to explain why she has the floppy ears, curly tail and crazy energy. And why she doesn't look at all like Keli, except for her white fur and black nose (and we are asked fairly often why she isn't as white as Keli - is she dirty?).
Our answer has been because that's the way she is, she's just a little bit different (and Keli is exceptionally white). We aren't Penny's first owners and we don't know whether she came from a breeder or a puppy mill. The medical records we did get when we adopted her all stated she was a Westie, not a mixed breed. But -- we've been saying all along that she *must* have something other than Westie in her background, only we suspected maybe Jack Russell or some other terrier.
The more I look into this question, the more I think she isn't so unique after all. Even on PetFinder.com, a search for adoptable Schnauzers shows more than a few white minis. And they all look just like Penny. Every physical characteristic (and some of the personality traits) that make her seem like a weird Westie, are perfectly normal for a mini Schnauzer with uncropped ears and tail.
Last week, we did a DNA Breed Identification test from BioPet Vet Lab on Penny; it was a fairly simple to use swab inside her cheek. I bought the test kit on eBay earlier this month. The package contained all the items below:
Here's what we mailed in to BioPet:
The package states we could get the results of the DNA test in about two weeks, sooner if they send them by email, so we should have some sort of answer around the end of October. BioPet has a long list of identifiable dog breeds including both mini and standard Schnauzer and West Highland Terriers. Hopefully, we'll get an answer that makes sense.
When Keli was in for her annual checkup a few weeks ago, I asked her vet what he thought about Penny - could she be a white mini Schnauzer and what were his thoughts on the DNA tests. He wasn't aware that there could be white Schnauzers (neither was I a month ago); and he wasn't sure about the DNA test, but said he'd be interested in the results. He did agree that all the "clues", especially the behavior issues, were consistent with Schnauzers . . .
Stay tuned . . .
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