Dog DNA Tests Unlock Mysteries

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OKLAHOMA CITY(CBSDFW.COM) - Did you know there are DNA tests for dogs?!  They're helping owners find out the exact breeds of their K-9 friends.

You can even learn about the dog's parents and great grandparents. Dog lovers call these tests a real treat.  Not only can they know the truth. but also know what to expect in the future. All thanks to doggy D-N-A.

Michelle Sherman thought she knew everything about her dog, Drogo.

"He's a real playful, loving dog," says Sherman.  "He loves other dogs, he loves kids, especially when it involves food."

But she's always wondered if Drogo is the mastiff mix she thinks he is?  To be sure, Sherman took a page out the forensic files and ran a Dog DNA test: a simple swab of Drogo's mouth, mailed the swabs off to the lab and about three weeks later she received a full family tree going from Drogo's great grandparents to him. And what they found out...

"He is what we call a box-weiler.  He's a boxer and a rottweiler cross," explains Sherman.

No signs of a mastiff.

"It was really cool," says Sherman.  "We stood back and looked at him to see where those traits were and we watched him walk around and interact and we thought oh, okay.  It was really fun to be able to see that."

The Humane society says there are a lot of health benefits to having a dog's DNA tested as well. Certain breeds have different medical issues and this can help you know what to expect.

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