Posts made by alm

I don't see the Kelpie, but Vets, god love 'em, don't seem to be experts about breeds…being in Colorado, you might have Kelpies or Australian Shepards or even Cattle dog mixes as they have in the Kingman, AZ area where Nina came from.

Hi there-
Great looking dog…we found our Nina is most likely a mix of Aussie Kelpie and Aussie Cattle Dog, maybe! After two inconclusive DNA tests, because they can't yet test Kelpies/Cattledogs, we do know she's not Basenji. We recently had her do a herding test and she drove the sheep all over the pen! I think we now have a clue! Best of luck-
Al

Hi Chellie-
We had heard that the UC Davis area was very well known for it's vet activities. That said, we're not vets! This was just a way to get a sense of learning what this special dog is, that we've become so attached to. Any answer we get will only make her more special!
ALM

Hi Chellie-
The company is based in Maryland, been around since 1994, I believe, and is known for doing different animal testing. The test we received came from Davis, CA, so you might be right. Here is the web site…hope this helps.
http://www.mmigenomics.com/index.html

We contacted MMI in Davis, CA to do their canine test. While many have speculated on what she is and isn't, we wanted a real answer to "Who are You"! For $80, we'll have the results back in 4-6 weeks, and will post a definitive answer. We been amazed at the numbers of forum users who have taken a quick peek at her. Since there are others of you with a mixed breed and wondering…this might be something to think about.

ALM

Hi JJ-
Welcome- looking forward to seeing the pictures-

ALM

Hi Natalie-
Milo is a really cute puppy, and hope you have years of fun with him.

These comments about tattoos have nothing to do with my dog Nina. They relate to another dog's picture sent to a post of mine.

Hi Andrea-
I really appreciate your thoughtful answer. Makes a lot of sense to me. Many thanks for taking the time to share it. I'm sure it will help other owner's as well.
Al

Hi Jylly18-
Nina is a female who had a litter of ten pups just before we got her seven weeks ago, when she was fifteen months. There is not tattoo as she is chipped on her back. I'm not sure what you thought you were looking at. She is, we're reliably told, a Basenji/Shepherd mix, now about 38 lbs.

Hi Terry-
We've used the Alga Vet Hospital in La Costa for many years. They've had Basenji's as patients, and told us what we know, such as it is! It's hard to prove a negative, much less a suspicion. I did a lot of research, and it's possible something else might have snuck in…but I don't see it or have a guess. What I'm intrigued by is all the second guessing of this dog's lineage! We're just glad we saved her from a needle.
I can tell you this as an aside, having handled and trained some mean, roaring, sentry dogs in the Air Force...fifty years ago...this Nina of ours is the closest thing in terms of an aggressive, protective dog I've seen since! She's not friendly or sociable. Maybe someday...I think she came from some bad people, had never been on a leash, or lived in-doors, and certainly looked abused. She was starved for attention, and needing someone to care for her, and we're delighted she chose us.
As always, I appreciate any thoughts you have. Please stay in touch-
Al

Hi there..
Great looking dogs. I haven't seen either of the two breeds in Nina, from all the looking I did on-line. Her white blaze is just down from her ears on the back of her neck. She has some Shepherd in her, but everything else from feet, ears, and all the perfect colorations are Basenji, from all I've looked at!

new picture of Nina-

Hi Vinia-
Basil is a great looking dog. How old is he, what does he weigh?
Al

Hi Duke - many thanks for your welcome-

Al

Thank you Jill and Terrry for you kind words. Nina is doing great. Terry, I really appreciate your guidance in getting me to this group.
Al

Thanks- she came with that name…we were just smart enough to keep it!

My sincere appreciation for the help of the two members to get these pictures of our Basenji/Shepherd up .
ALM