A border collie owner has been left stunned after discovering that one of their dog’s puppies is made up of breeds she never expected. The surprising revelation was shared in a Reddit post on Wednesday and has sparked dozens of reactions.
Posting under the username u/spacecat245, the owner shared a photo of the puppy alongside the results of a DNA test. The puppy, named Pickle, appeared to be a typical border collie at first glance. However, the genetic breakdown told a very different story.
According to the test results included in the post, Pickle is only 50 percent border collie. The remaining DNA shows 41.9 percent golden retriever and 8.1 percent Bernese Mountain Dog.
The results immediately raised eyebrows, especially given the puppy’s family history.
“All her relatives are 100 percent collie,” the caption reads. The owner went on to express disbelief at the findings, adding, “I’m almost convinced my other dog who’s a golden got his saliva in there but their website says that’s impossible.”
Mixed-breed dogs are very common and make some of the best companions. The term mixed-breed includes cross-breeds from two purebreds, mutts from many generations of mixing, and indigenous dogs with no purebred ancestry.
Indigenous dogs developed naturally without human selection, and most modern pure breeds originally stem from them. Historically, mixed breeds served as hunters, guardians, herders, workers, and companions.
Although purebred dogs became fashionable in the 1800s and later a status symbol, mixed breeds have remained widely owned and are still the most common worldwide.
Indigenous dogs are often intelligent but independent, while cross-breeds reflect traits of their ancestry. Some may be more obedient, energetic, or assertive depending on lineage.
Exercise needs differ by size and breed background, though all benefit from regular activity, and grooming depends on coat type, but all dogs require routine care.
Nutritionally, balanced diets are essential, with attention to weight control, puppy feeding needs, and growth management to prevent health issues like hypoglycemia or joint problems.
The post quickly caught the attention of Reddit users, many of whom were equally confused and amused by the unexpected combination of breeds. It has so far received more than 436 upvotes and over 80 comments on Reddit.
One user, Ok-Character-3779, commented: “The golden retriever coloring is recessive—they need two copies of the gene to get the golden color. For this reason, almost all golden retriever mixes are black, like this dog.”
Maroongrad said: “Oh wow. She looks exactly like I’d think that mix would look. I bet you have an amazingly sweet, alert, smart puppers! She’s GORGEOUS.
“Collies aren’t common anymore. Outside of Amish puppy mills, you really don’t see them much. If you have a litter, it’s likely from a decent breeder who tested their dogs before breeding. Collies have the MDR1 gene, Collie Eye Anomaly, and a few others. Testing is essential. So, no surprise you found the relatives. I bet her grandparents were from a good breeder that tested, maybe her parents.
“Goldens are way more common and often backyard-bred. No surprise you don’t have close relatives there, esp. as the golden parent appears to have been a mix. Careless breeders aren’t going test the parents, much less to drop $100/puppy to make sure they are healthy.”
Newsweek reached out to u/spacecat245 for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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