What looks like a shepherd‑style fluffball isn’t always what it seems—and one Reddit post has left dog lovers rethinking everything they know about breed identification.
A slideshow shared by user jko0401 on January 25 shows a brown, fluffy rescue dog named Kea. Her owners initially believed she was a husky‑Australian shepherd mix, a common assumption given her thick coat and shepherd‑like appearance.
The post’s caption read: “Kennel put her as Spaniel/Retriever, we thought she was Husky/Aussie. Oh how wrong we were…”
The final photo later revealed her DNA test results showing Kea has ancestry from seven or more breeds—with the highest percentage coming not from a herding breed, but an American pit bull terrier (24.9 percent).
Also listed was supermutt (21.2 percent), a term used in dog DNA tests to describe dogs with such diverse, multi‑generational ancestry that individual breed segments are too small to identify accurately. Kea’s remaining lineage includes Chow Chow, Rottweiler, Labrador retriever, German shepherd and Doberman pinscher.
Kennel put her as Spaniel/Retriever, we thought she was Husky/Aussie. Oh how wrong we were…
by u/jko0401 in DoggyDNA
Reddit Reacts
The unexpected results surprised many commenters, with several admitting they had guessed entirely different breeds based on Kea’s appearance.
One user wrote: “I would have never thought [pit bull] would be the top breed! I guessed mainly chow, some German shepherd, husky, and maybe other stuff thrown in for good measure. What breeds make up the supermutt?”
The original poster replied: “Husky, Border Collie, Aussie, golden retriever.”
Others chimed in with praise and curiosity as the post gained momentum.
“[I] only guessed chow and definitely surprised by all the others. Cool looking dog,” one user said, while another joked: “That 15 [percent] chow sure is working overtime.”
How Shelters Identify Dog Breeds
Kea’s story highlights a common reality of rescue dogs: breed labels are often educated guesses rather than guarantees.
According to the Animal Humane Society (AHS), shelters typically rely on visual identification when determining a dog’s breed—especially when no background information is available, which is most common for puppies and mixed‑breed dogs.
Shelter vet technicians assess characteristics such as size, weight, paw shape, ear type, head shape, coat texture, markings and coloring. While these traits offer some clues, identifying breeds accurately can be difficult, particularly with more than 200 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club.
The organization notes that most dogs in shelter care are mixed breeds, often with multiple breeds contributing to their appearance. As puppies grow, breed traits can emerge or fade, with coat texture, fur length and even eye color changing over time. This can mean a dog looks very different months or years after adoption than they did in the shelter.
The AHS stresses that while breed labels can offer limited insight, they are just one small piece of a dog’s overall identity. A dog’s temperament, energy level and personality are shaped by a combination of training, socialization, environment and care.
Even dogs from the same breed can behave very differently, which is why experts encourage potential adopters to focus less on appearance and more on finding a dog that fits their lifestyle.
Newsweek reached out to u/jko0401 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.