Phriday Photos – when you the reader send in photos and blurbs about anything at all! (to peterabrahams@gmail.com) Today, with thanks to M. Laiuppa, part 2 of Freyja. Take it away, Mary!

Freyja’s first trip to the dog park was a bit stressful for her. She clung to me and lay under my chair the entire time but she watched Diana as she explored the park and played with other dogs. By the end she came out and sat in front of me with her ears alert, watching all of the other dogs and owners. By her third visit she was off running with Diana, interacting with other dogs and their owners. It is beautiful to watch her now. She is eager to be released and she runs around, invites other dogs to play and has a great time. She has blossomed in the dog she was always meant to be.
Freyja has successfully integrated into our pack and extended pack. She is comfortable at my parent’s house with their dog and has learned to use their dog door. She and their dog Dolly have become best buddies. She is loved and has settled into our routines. Three visits and she learned to use their dog door.

She really has no idea how lucky she is. She has found her forever home and is living her best life.

I am a big believer in DNA testing. It can identify breeds which aids in not only diagnosing and treating medical conditions but also in handling behavior and training issues. I believe people are more likely to adopt a dog if they know exactly what they are getting into with regards to breeds, behavior, training and health issues. DNA testing wasn’t around for my Caesar but I knew both of his parents, one being a full Lab and the other a full Doberman. By the time I got Ramses DNA testing for dogs had come out. Although primitive it did identify his main breeds. After comparing both Embark and Wisdom Panel on Freyja I am having Diana retested with Wisdom to more accurately identify the breeds in her ancestry.

The Embark test came back:

55% Siberian Husky
12% Border Collie
1-5% of other dog mixes, including German Shepherd, Samoyed, Akita, Boxer and others.

Her size, coloring and behavior did not convince me she was a husky so I had a Wisdom Panel done. This was more detailed in her mix but was basically the same. In the meantime I did more research on Siberian Huskies. Her “Keeshond” coloring is called Agouti and is a “wild wolf” color pattern. It is the only husky coloring with a black tip on the tail instead of a white one. (Curiously, the hair on the tip of her tail was missing when I adopted her. I have no idea if it was cut off or she chewed it off due to stress.) You don’t normally see it in show dogs but it is found in working sled dogs. She is 48 lbs which is small for a husky. Further research revealed there is a subset of huskies called Seppala Siberian sled dogs, a working breed. I believe this is part of Freyja’s mix but cannot prove it.
Below are Freyja Grey’s Wisdom Panel DNA breed results. I believe Wisdom is more accurate. It also shows many breeds that are added to the working sled dog mix which further suggests she is descended from working dogs, not show Huskies. They also group them according to Asian, Working, Herding, etc. which I really like.

% Wisdom Panel:

54 Siberian Husky
9 Border Collie
5 Chow Chow
5 Jindo
4 Boxer
3 Akita
3 Samoyed
3 Alaskan Malamute
3 Australian Cattle Dog
2 Chinese Shar-Pei
2 German Shepherd Dog
2 Rottweiler
2 Cocker Spaniel
2 Golden Retriever
1 Australian Shepherd

Sometimes when I look at her I get a bit sad that this lovely life could have been gone so easily due to ignorance and lack of shelter resources. This would never happen at the San Diego Humane Society which is why I support them.