A couple from Florida decided to do a DNA test on their rescue dog to finally find out what breed he might be, but they certainly couldn’t have predicted the results that came back.
Griffin Worsham and his girlfriend Samantha Ryan rescued Jasper from Tampa Humane Society 18 months ago after seeing his picture on the website. As soon as Ryan met Jasper in person, she knew that he was meant to be part of their family and adopted him that day.
Ever since they rescued Jasper, the couple constantly get asked what breed he might be. Although they had their guesses, Worsham, 25, told Newsweek that they “never had an answer to give” with definitive clarity.
“We thought he was a cavalier King Charles spaniel and dachshund mix, with maybe some poodle too,” Worsham said. “We decided to test him because we get asked multiple times per day what breed he is.”
When the DNA test came back, the results definitely weren’t what the couple expected. To their surprise, Jasper’s results showed that he is in fact 100 percent small poodle.
While they thought he maybe had a small percentage of poodle DNA, it turns out that’s all he is.
“We were very shocked when we saw the results. We have never seen a poodle that looks like him, so our first thought was that the results were wrong. But I guess he’s just very unique,” Worsham said.
Now that they know what breed 2-year-old Jasper is, certain aspects of his behavior have started to make sense. He’s incredibly playful and intelligent, which are key traits of the breed according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).
There are three variations of poodles, including standards (over 15 inches tall at the shoulder), miniatures (15 inches or under) and toys (less than 10 inches). The AKC explains that the breed is known for being athletic, versality, smart, and very eager, making then highly trainable.
After learning Jasper’s breed, Worsham couldn’t resist sharing the discovery on Reddit (posting as user u/gr1ffi). The post included several images of Jasper before revealing the shock DNA results.
Alongside the pictures, Worsham said he expected Jasper to have some poodle in him “but definitely not that.” The results have surprised many people, leading to hundreds of votes and comments on Reddit already.
Worsham told Newsweek: “The reaction has been very funny to see online. Many people are just as shocked as we are, but the feedback has been very helpful to explain how Jasper got his unconventional poodle looks. He evidently has the recessive improper-coat variant gene, which is what makes his hair look more like a retriever than a poodle.”
Many internet users took to the comments as they were keen to find out more about Jasper’s ancestry.
One comment reads: “What a beautiful dog! Never would have guessed full poodle.”
Another Reddit user wrote: “Now THAT is a curveball. Wow. Must be some kind of rare genetic mutation that would cause a non-curly poodle.”
While another person replied: “Oh wow. Don’t think I’ve seen a pure miniature poodle without curls before. I guess it’s a random genetic thing, like fluffy pit bulls.”
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