It is not unusual for someone to adopt a dog believing it’s one breed, only to learn later through DNA testing that their pet’s ancestry is far more complex.
One Reddit user recently experienced exactly that—but only after living with their dog, Elliot, for 18 years. The owner, posting under the username SpecialistHoliday393, said: “I was told beagle mix or whippet back when I adopted him at six months. But he’s 18 now and has been the [best] pup so I just needed to know what he was.”
The DNA test revealed a surprising mix: 42.1 percent miniature Doberman pinscher, 36.9 percent poodle, 13.1 percent American Eskimo dog and 7.9 percent supermutt.
The post includes a slideshow of images showing Elliot today—small, gray, and fragile‑looking—alongside photos from his younger, brown‑coated years.
Why Breed Guesses Are Often Wrong
Shelters often rely on a canine’s looks to guess its breed, but research shows that appearances can be wildly misleading. A major 2018 study by Arizona State University and the University of Missouri compared visual breed labels with DNA results for more than 900 shelter dogs across two U.S. facilities. The genetic testing revealed a mix of 125 breeds, and only about 5 percent of the pups were actually purebred.
The most-common ancestries were American Staffordshire terrier, Chihuahua and poodle. Canines with pit bull‑type heritage tended to wait longer for adoption, and, while staff could correctly identify at least one breed in a dog’s mix about two‑thirds of the time, accuracy dropped sharply when multiple breeds were involved.
The study suggests shelters should focus less on breed labels and more on describing each dog’s personality and behavior to help them find the right homes.
The Owner Reacts to the Results
In the comments, Elliot’s owner admitted one part of the DNA breakdown was especially unexpected.
“He has the aura of every [miniature pinscher] I’ve ever met,” said one user.
The owner replied: “Elliot was actually my first dog (but definitely not my last!). He was VERY mischievous as a puppy, [and he] tried stealing my old roommate’s pizza off her plate when it was as big as he was.
“He will scratch at a blanket he wants to go under or a door he wants open. But is also the sweetest boy and was the most excited to see my sons when they came home from the hospital. He’d lay right next to them doing tummy time.”
Many commenters said they understood the impulse to learn a longtime pet’s true heritage—even late in life.
One user wrote: “So glad you decided to do this!! I just tested my 14 year old girl—I didn’t think I could stand it not knowing—best decision ever!!”
Another added: “My boy is starting to get older and I was like I’m [going to] regret it forever if I don’t get this done. And it was more interesting than I thought!”
Newsweek reached out to u/SpecialistHoliday393 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.