A pet owner thought they had adopted a Border collie mix, but a DNA test revealed a very different genetic makeup.
Reddit user u/Bombared shared their surprise after rescuing Achilles, whose results showed he was 45.8 percent Pomeranian, 43.8 percent Siberian husky, 6.2 percent Alaskan Malamute, and 4.2 percent supermutt—a small poodle. The post, shared in the subreddit r/Doggy DNA, has received more than 1,100 upvotes.
“He was listed as a Border collie mix, and I (with puppy fever) thought that seemed plausible especially since he was still puppy-shaped. I got him home and it became clear that he did not have the kind of drive that you tend to see in a herding dog of any kind,” the poster wrote.
It even took a year to teach him how to take treats, since he wasn’t food-motivated at first.
The original poster said Achilles was discovered in California’s Central Valley with his sister before spending a month in a local kill shelter. The pair were later transferred to The Milo Foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Reddit user adopted Achilles and a close friend took in his sister.
The poster said that two or three people have correctly guessed his breed mix on the first try, but most others are convinced they know better. “I’ve had people argue with me INSISTING ‘Oh no no, I know a [breed] when I see one! I grew up with them!!'” the poster wrote.
The Reddit user described Achilles as shy, cautious, intelligent and aloof, with medium-to-high energy but very low drive. He has almost no natural herding instincts and rarely makes a sound, unless startled. His recall was difficult at first, but now he responds well. He is described as “not much of a snuggler” but enjoys cuddling occasionally, and is a “total Velcro dog” with his owner.
One of Achilles’ challenges, however, is that he is not naturally a people-dog. The owner said: “We’ve made a massive amount of progress with his caution and fear, but getting pets from grabby strangers is a big NO. Which is truly a shame because he is as soft as he looks. I’ve learned so much about dog body language since I’ve gotten him, I feel like I have a superpower now.”
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To provide context on DNA testing, Dr. Amanda Chambers, veterinarian at Embrace Pet Insurance, told Newsweek: “There is a variety of DNA testing kits available for dogs, and they can vary in quality. The ones I trust are Wisdom Panel and Embark, both of which boast accuracy rates of 98 to 99 percent. DNA tests that test for less-genetic markers will be less accurate.”
Reddit users were quick to share their reactions.
“I was so convinced there would be chow!” wrote one user.
“I’ve known quite a few Pom-Husky mixes, most of the time they do seem to be a bit smaller that most Huskies, but I also knew one with a full Pom Dad and full Husky Mom but he and his litter mates all grew to Husky size, and had almost not indication of being half-Pom besides the poofy hair,” shared another.
“Was expecting to see a chow or Akita in there, but Pomeranian definitely explains the tiny fluffy ears too! He’s very handsome, and other than the black and white coloring looks absolutely nothing like a Border collie,” posted a third.
“The photo in the hills is gorgeous!” read one comment.
“Pompksy was not on my list. I was guessing chow,” added another.
Newsweek reached out to u/Bombared for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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