Speed Breeds - A Very Special Edition
- Mar 12, 2014
- 2 min read
By Jamie Damato Migdal, CEO & Pet Industry Entrepreneur
Why is this a Very Special Edition of Speed Breeds? Well, it’s because this is where we reveal the two primary breeds in the charming Hobo’s Wisdom Panel DNA profile. And the answer is: Yorkshire Terrier and Pomeranian!
Breed name: Yorkshire Terrier
AKC Classification: Toy Group
According to the Wisdom Panel summary, “The Yorkshire Terrier was used as a form of vermin control, since the areas where they lived were commonly infested. In 1865, the breed was given the official name of the Yorkshire Terrier and was introduced to the United States in 1872. Just six years later, in 1878, the Yorkshire Terrier was recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, the breed that was recognized in 1878 is completely unlike the Yorkshire terrier of today. Selective breeding has reduced the average weight of the breed from thirty pounds to less than ten pounds. Today’s Yorkshire Terriers are now miniature versions of their ancestors.”
Breed name: Pomeranian
AKC Classification: Toy Group
The Wisdom Panel says, “The roots of today’s Pomeranian breed can be traced back to Prussia, in the region of Pomerania – which stretches across modern Germany and Poland along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Around 1850, the breed was brought to England where it was given the name Pomeranian, in honor of its homeland, and recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1870. At that time, Pomeranians were much larger than the breed standard we know today. Today’s more diminutive Pomeranian was established when breeders set out to create a breed adequate for city living. Through selective breeding, English breeders were finally able to produce a dog that weighed less than twenty pounds and today’s breed standard of around five pounds demonstrates just how much the breed has evolved. In 1888, Queen Victoria was gifted with a Pomeranian, and the breed’s association with this influential monarch did much for its popularity all over the world. By 1900, the Pomeranian had been recognized by the American Kennel Club and today, the Pomeranian’s manageable size and feisty character have made it one of the most popular breeds.”
A lot of you guessed the Yorkie part, but the Pomeranian part was a bit of a surprise to all of us. (Only one person in the contest guessed correctly - congratulations!) According to the test, Hobo is 25% Yorkie and 25% Pomeranian; the other 50% is “undetermined”. We know that there are issues with the accuracy of canine DNA testing, but for now, we’re having a lot of fun projecting our ideas of how Yorkies and Pomeranians are supposed to act onto Hobo’s own delightfully unique behavior.
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