DNA of the Bully Girls

Ostensibly, Izzy and Kelley belong to the same breed, or perhaps I should say breed group. Most folks on the street identify each of them as pitbull, or they cock their heads to one side, raise an eyebrow, and ask – "What kind of dog is that?"

The bully girls look nothing alike. If they represent one breed – the American Pitbull Terrier – one wonders how a breed standard would be defined. Izzy is compact and muscular, deep-chested, narrow waisted, with a small head, narrow muzzle, and comical upright pointy ears. I once told someone she was an Egyptian Pharaoh Hound as a lark – and they totally believed it. Kelly is long and lean, well-proportioned, moderate in head and muzzle with half-prick ears. Both girls have fairly classic "pitbull" markings –white toes, white chests, narrow white blazes on the face and cute little white diamonds on the back of the neck. When I look at either of them I see pitbull, but I cock my head to the side too, and wonder – who else is in there?

According to Bio-Pet's DNA test (a swab of the inside of the cheek) the answer to the mystery is as follows.
Bulldog, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Papillon

Izzy's ancestry is Bulldog, American Staffordshire terrier, and Papillon. Bulldog is believable and likely accurate. The bully breeds are called such for a reason – they are all descended one way or another from bulldogs. However, there are upwards of a dozen bulldog breeds – Olde English Bulldogges, American Bulldogs, Valley Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs, and … well, you get the picture. So, which bulldog line is Izzy from? She appears to carry traits of the American Staffordshire terrier (Am-Staf). Strong, athletic, active, and very friendly with people; she is notably neither protective nor dog-aggressive, both traits for which the American Staffordshire terrier is famously known. Papillons are described as calm and patient; neither is a term that ever comes to mind when I set out to describe Izzy's personality. Perhaps her small round head, narrow snout, and erect ears are contributions from the Papillon line.
Bulldog, Boston and Bull terriers. Labrador,and Mastiff

Kelley turns out to be a mix of four bully breeds and a Labrador retriever. Boston terrier, Bulldog (see above), Bull terrier (we think her snout took design elements from this group), Mastiff, and Lab are the breeds who theoretically make her who she is. Kelley is strong and athletic (bulldog breeds) and she love, Love, LOVES (did I mention loves?)
to retrieve balls, toys, sticks – or any other item in a pinch. She was born to swim, smooth and efficient in the water, and she'll swim till she's hypothermic if I let her, so Labrador retriever, I think, is quite likely.

The girls' DNA results seem plausible when compared to Mr. Nicholai's. I can actually see the Mastiff or the Lab or the Bull terrier in Kelley. Isabella is most certainly largely "pitbull" – that being reflected by the Bulldog and the Am-Staf.

I'm still struggling to find signs of either Dachshund or Maltese in my big 'ole black dog. If those were his ancestors I can't see it, but I do get a chuckle out of it.