When we first got Pixie from the shelter, we had no idea what breed she was, what her exact age was or how big she would get. Bringing home our first family dog and having her background be such a mystery was fun, at first.
Then we started to wonder. The shelter we got her from thought Spaniel. Then they thought Beagle. Our vet thought Beagle mix. We thought something that enjoyed hunting (to my dismay), digging and running away, whatever breed she was.
I decided to contact Wisdom Panel, the DNA-testing go to source for answers to what kind of breed a dog is.
Wisdom Panel sent us a very easy to understand kit that required us to do a cheek and tongue swab for a DNA sample.
Pixie didn’t even flinch when I did the swab even though I kept swabbing long after I could have stopped, just to be sure 
I packaged the samples up in a ready to ship box sent by Wisdom Panel and it was on its way to the lab.
A quick two weeks later, our puppy’s ancestral report arrived via email!
The report eased my suspense with a very to the point answer that I found right away: Pixie is a BEAGLE/COCKER SPANIEL MIX!
Turns out everyone was pretty much on target and it validated our thoughts.
The Wisdom Panel doesn’t just discuss Pixie’s parents, though. It goes several generations back.
There is a small part of Pixie that is something other than Beagle or Spaniel and the report included the potential breeds that might account for that genetic composition.
Once my curiosity was sated as to Pixie’s makeup, I delved further into the report. It wasn’t mundane or generic; it really included everything I wanted to know and answered all of the questions I would have asked.
The Wisdom Panel results were important to me so I could learn more about Pixie as a dog based on her genetic makeup. The report included the pertinent information of Pixie as a mixed breed with details and descriptions about Beagles and Cocker Spaniels.
The two breeds have some similarities (both are hunting dogs) and they certainly describe Pixie to a tee. Pixie is unlike any of the dogs I had growing up (more tame, lapdogs) and I feel a little out of my element with her hyper excitement and jumping around little kids. Having this Wisdom Panel report to refer to so I can try to learn more about the two breeds is so helpful for me.
We never suspected Pixie would get too big but now it’s nice to have a better idea of what to expect. Her size is perfect. She is growing fast, already bigger than Cocco and towering over Pizzico, and we are working with her to get her excitement controlled around the little kids that she just loves to knock over and lick until they are shiny clean.
I am very grateful for the Wisdom Panel results not only because my curiosity is satisfied but so that I can work with Pixie and also consider the nature of her breed.
I know that pigs will always root; anything to try to prevent that would be pointless and also cruel in my opinion. Pixie might be a hunter by nature and although I won’t condone that because I am an “animal rescuer” as per my daughter’s very correct description, I will certainly take that into consideration while I work with her and would never hold it against her.
To find out more about Wisdom Panel, check out their website.
To order a Wisdom Panel for your dog, click here.
Thanks for all your guesses. It turns out many of you had some accurate assumptions just based on her pictures!
~ Katie
I received the Wisdom Panel at no charge to me in exchange for an honest and fair review. I will only accept and review items that I believe are relevant to this blog and our lifestyle, and most importantly, the readers of this blog.
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