Sometimes our mutts are a straightforward mix of dog breeds. Other times, we are blown away by the myriad of breeds in their genetic makeup. While finding out their exact breed lines doesn’t change how we feel about them, it does help us understand them a little better.
A rescue labeled one pup a Labrador retriever mix, likely due to his floppy ears, adorable smile, and short, beige coat. However, one pup’s new mom wasn’t quite convinced, leaning more towards Anatolian. However, the results of his Wisdom DNA test surprised everyone, especially with the appearance of a rare breed.
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Lab Mix Is a Surprising Mix of Dog Breeds
Reddit user Haleyjaye shared her pup’s interesting DNA with the DoggyDNA subreddit. The shelter said Buddy was a Lab mix. But, she felt like something was a little off. She writes, “I rescued Buddy from the shelter as a ‘lab mix’ 3 months ago and was convinced he was mostly Anatolian Shepherd. The whiskers are my fave!”
Buddy’s Wisdom DNA test confirmed that he had about five percent Labrador retriever. However, the rest of his genetic makeup was a bit of a surprise to his new owners. Buddy is primarily mastiff at 41 percent. The next largest percentage is Irish wolfhound at 10 percent. The other 49 percent is a mix of herding dogs like Australian shepherd, German shepherd, and miniature Australian shepherd; and Asian and Oceanic breeds such as Siberian husky, Alaskan husky, chow chow, and Alaskan malamute.
His retriever breeds are the Chesapeake Bay retriever and Labrador retriever, but they account for only nine percent of Buddy’s total breed mix. But that doesn’t matter too much to his mom. She seems excited to have a better handle on his specific needs. Hayley writes, “So fun to be able to know and to learn about his traits from a more scientific breed trait perspective. Happy day!”
Related: Embark DNA Shows ‘Golden Retriever’ May Be Golden, but With 0 Retriever
Redditors’ Thoughts on the Buddy’s Breed
Redditors were just as surprised as Buddy’s parents at his interesting breed mix. One comments, “That’s wild! I would have never guessed Mastiff at all. I did think some Irish Wolfhound, but people always talk about how rare it is. Cute pup!” Another agreed, saying that they’ve been pretty good at guessing dog breeds, but this one was so unique that even they weren’t correct.
Even though many Redditors guessed incorrectly, they all agreed he was a “beautiful dog.” Commenters were surprised by the Irish Wolfhound. Even though it accounted for only 10 percent of his genetic makeup, they agreed it definitely had a strong influence on his overall appearance.
One redditor elaborates, “The Irish Wolfhound is strong! I’ve seen similar mixes except for the wolfound, and they look way different.” Irish Wolfhounds are considered a relatively rare breed, so people are often fascinated when they show up on a DNA test, and it always seems to come through, no matter how small the percentage is. I’d say it adds to just how cute the good boy is.
This story was originally reported by Parade Pets on Oct 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add Parade Pets as a Preferred Source by clicking here.