# Pics: Rottweiler....American Bulldog...what do you think?



## FlaxenPony05 (6 November 2013)

OK, so we got our lovely crossbreed Bingley from a local rescue centre about 2 years ago now. We were told that they were *Staff X Lab *pups, and they came to the centre due to the owner not being able to sell any of them (plan was to breed pups from his dogs and sell them to get money...). 
Pups were a mixture of brown, brindle, black and red brindle. We've never been particularly convinced on his cross, mainly because he just seemed not stocky enough and too alike a banned breed (aka staffy cross in these parts). 
To cut a long story short, one of his sister's owners got in contact with me via FB and she said that she'd sent off for a *Wisdom Panel* DNA test to see what breeds may be in hers as she wasn't convinced by what the centre had told her either. Just got the results back this afternoon and they were a bit of a surprise! Apparently he is *American Bulldog X Rottie *on one side and *Mini English Bull Terrier X Unknown* on the other. Personally, I can see the Rottweiler and sort of the American Bulldog. Cant really see the Mini EBT but perhaps his small stature is due to it- he is a slim, very medium sized dog. 
 I fully understand that these DNA tests should be taken with a pinch of salt as really, they're only judged by a tiny bit of saliva from one dog in the litter, & I also know that it doesn't matter at all what breed/s he is, he is a lovely dog and we wouldn't change him for the world. Just wanted others opinions on the Wisdom Panel tests and if they contain any truth in them whatsoever, and was basically just wondering if you think he is what they say he could be? Thanks


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## debsandpets (6 November 2013)

I can definitely see the rottie and possibly the American bulldog (certainly bulldog of some description) but his profile doesn't fit with possibility of EBT (hate those dogs with a passion - sorry to any EBT owners, just find them as a breed vile and also ugly - my neighbours had 2 that were just bloody awful, with no manners etc). 

I think Bingley looks absolutely lovely and adorable too.



On a side note I know there is really no such thing as a bad dog etc an it is all down to the owners, but the 2 that I knew came from different environments - 1 they got as a pup, she was marginally better behaved, the other they got from someone who couldn't cope with her - but claimed to be her breeder and had multiples of the breed running around. She was raised in a pack and thought she was the boss of everyone and everything, and as we had to access our garden from theirs it was a complete nightmare ........................ So sorry but in my eyes EBT's are all tarred with that generalisation, until I am proved wrong as I don't hate dogs, just dislike certain breeds and their traits in general.


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## noodle_ (6 November 2013)

lab x staff looks like?


very much like a dog i knew a few years ago


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## Clodagh (6 November 2013)

He is lovely, whatever he is! Gorgeous colour. I can't see the EBT I must admit.


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## SatsumaGirl (6 November 2013)

I have to say, I'd agree with the initial description of Lab x Staffie. Can't see Rottie or American Bulldog, personally. 

The DNA tests are poop! I know someone who got her little mongrel of unknown breeding tested and, after the results came back, she wasn't convinced so sent off for her other dog and the results didn't fit with what the dog actually was.


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## 2Greys (6 November 2013)

He doesn't look stocky enough to be rottie x am bull, quite slim build for lab x staff too ( i've staffx greyhound type) though can see that's more likely. What does handsome Mr bingley look like side on stood up?


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## FlaxenPony05 (6 November 2013)

Thanks all, I think he is a complete mix tbh. Whatever it is, it produced one of the nicest looking litter of pups I've ever seen! Behaviour wise not that great- fab with people but prey instinct kicks in with other dogs. I think this is probably due to lack of socialisation rather than breed fault as they were taken from mum 3 weeks early- far too young. As the DNA test was actually of one of his siblings I'm tempted to get one done of him.

2greys personally i think there is a v small touch of lurcher in there. I will put up a side on pic when I'm next on my laptop.


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## FlaxenPony05 (6 November 2013)

noodle_ said:



			lab x staff looks like?


very much like a dog i knew a few years ago 

Click to expand...

Was that dog a lab x staff?


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## Fools Motto (6 November 2013)

He's got Lab ears imho! I don't see much 'bullbreed' at all in him - but I'm far from expert! Nice looking boy!


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## ester (6 November 2013)

re the DNA test - you do only need a bit of saliva (well cheek cells) although I do love how they call it 'cheek swab technology' . 

They are relying on SNPs - single base changes in the DNA code - sometimes these can be quite significant in terms of their phenotypic effect (genetic disease etc) and sometimes less so. They do have a reasonable sample size (about 7k) and have picked the best SNPs from range and I think overall the test seems plausibly accurate from what info is about.


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## CorvusCorax (6 November 2013)

Don't hold much store in the DNA tests unless they are to prove that one dog is the offspring of another etc (Jezza style ) but he looks a lovely chap


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## Aru (7 November 2013)

He looks like he could be a staffx lab to me tbh.
He could have just taken a lot of of slight built lab characteristics,with what looks a bit like lovely staffy eyes in some of those pics 
I dont see any bull terrier or american bulldog in him tbh....very light for a rottiex as well.

Those DNA panels are a bit of a scam though. Ive heard of american vet's deliberately sending off known  cross ancestry dogs to see what happens and getting all sorts of rubbish back as to their supposed origins..including rare and unusual breeds...i think it was pyrenese mountain dog,akita and something else I think terrier of some sort but id have to look it up... for a Golden retriever x GSD with known parentage and a few generations of pedigree on both parental sides that caused the most scratching of heads...there was more than one case reported of this so I would take them with a hugh pinch of salt.


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## CalllyH (7 November 2013)

Now that is a stunning dog!


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## FlaxenPony05 (7 November 2013)

Thanks everyone for your input, very useful!

http://m.dogbreedinfo.com/?url=http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a/americanbullweiler.htm#2558

Does anyone think that this bears any resemblance to him at all? Obviously a lot bigger and chunkier but I do think there are some similarities.


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## FlaxenPony05 (7 November 2013)

Side on pictures:


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## lexiedhb (7 November 2013)

I would have put Ridgeback into that mix somewhere- especially this last pic......


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## MiniMilton (7 November 2013)

He is stunning. I would have guessed Rhodesian ridgeback x lab


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## Annette4 (7 November 2013)

I have a rottx x american bulldog and he's half the size of her (width, head etc) so I don't see it personally. He looks closer to staff x lab to me.


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## FlaxenPony05 (7 November 2013)

We have considered Ridgeback too. He has a black line running down his back to his tail which could be somehow caused by the 'ridge'?! That might just be me making stuff up lol.


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## Spudlet (7 November 2013)

I have no idea on ingredients, but he is just GORGEOUS! I just want to flobble those chops


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## Megibo (7 November 2013)

I don't see Rottie but agree that latest pic says Ridgeback to me !


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## Pendlehog (7 November 2013)

Looks an awful lot like the Ridgie x pups we had in recently, though if the chap that bred him said Lab x staffie then there's nothing about him that screams that can't be right.  Dont see one jot of American Bulldog or Rottie tbh! I would just stick with rather lovely floppety crossbreed


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## freckles22uk (7 November 2013)

I would get his DNA done too and see what it comes up with, Im having my pup done at the moment, I haven't got a clue what she is as she was found wandering the streets..

but not all mix breed dogs look like their parents, friend had a bitch, looked like a smooth chihuahua, dad looked like a smallish staffy.... the 2 pups when grown up looked like spaniel cross, both were bigger than the parents, and were fluffy, well their ears, tail, on the legs etc...

he is lovely though ..


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## Teaselmeg (7 November 2013)

Looks lab x staffy to me too.  

Seriously don't waste your money on the DNA test, far to unreliable.


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## s4sugar (7 November 2013)

The DNA tests are a total waste of money. I have seen plenty where one parent was known come back way off the mark especially with the breed samples being USA biased so border collie tests as Australian shepherd - which derives from border collie & Jack Russel tests as rat terrier. 
OP - your dog looks lovely & is far more likely to be staffy x lab than the DNA test suggestions - but of course staffies & labs vary a lot and the ones bred together will not have been top examples of the breeds if they were in fact pure bred. I do know of ridgeless ridgebacks passed off as labs and a lot of staffies are actually cross breeds.


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## CAYLA (7 November 2013)

I also think lab x staffy


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## Feival (7 November 2013)

he's got soppy 'feed me/love me now' eyes of rotties


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## freckles22uk (8 November 2013)

I think deffo rottie, I painted one recently and the muzzle shape and eye position is just the same..


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## Clodagh (8 November 2013)

Not a dig at OP at all but a wonder - a lot of people worry about what 'breed' their mongrel is. Surely it can just be a cross breed or Heinz? If it looks how you want it to look and does what you want it to do why does it matter?
I'm also on a poultry forum and the people asking 'what breed is my hen' well, it lays eggs so why worry?


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## FlaxenPony05 (9 November 2013)

Clodagh said:



			Not a dig at OP at all but a wonder - a lot of people worry about what 'breed' their mongrel is. Surely it can just be a cross breed or Heinz? If it looks how you want it to look and does what you want it to do why does it matter?
I'm also on a poultry forum and the people asking 'what breed is my hen' well, it lays eggs so why worry?
		
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I agree, and as I said in my original post- it doesn't matter at all, we are simply just interested! Surely if you had a crossbreed you would wonder what breeds were in him?


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## Clodagh (10 November 2013)

FlaxenPony05 said:



			I agree, and as I said in my original post- it doesn't matter at all, we are simply just interested! Surely if you had a crossbreed you would wonder what breeds were in him?
		
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I do see your point, but I have a lurcher and I have no idea what is in her - it could be whippet, greyhound, collie, saluki, terrier... She looks and behaves how I like her to, is the right size for me and I love her dearly. I am not at all interested by what her genetic make up is.


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## Jesstickle (10 November 2013)

Clodagh said:



			I do see your point, but I have a lurcher and I have no idea what is in her - it could be whippet, greyhound, collie, saluki, terrier... She looks and behaves how I like her to, is the right size for me and I love her dearly. I am not at all interested by what her genetic make up is.
		
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I would be interested. I am a molecular biologist so obviously the genetics would hold a little bit of interest to me. It's just cool that you can actually find out if you want to 

I haven't looked at their website but from what ester has says I imagine that it is all a bit wooly as all dogs are ( I imagine) very, very similar genetically. Meaning there won't be a whole host of reliable markers to use because they are all so closely related. If six breeds all have a common ancestor not far in the past you are going to struggle to tell them apart genetically I reckon? I am struggling at work to tell apart sheep and goat and they are a lot more different than a staffie and a EBT!

I would still get it done though anyway, for interests sake, just because it is cool 

Whatever he is he is very handsome though. What a fortunate cross


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## Echo24 (12 November 2013)

To me he looks like a lab x staff I'm afraid!


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