Blue Heeler Mix Cockapoo Jack Russell Mix Short Hair

Ash has worked in animal shelter medicine for nearly a decade, and has helped identify some of the most obscure mixed-breed dogs.

Mixed-breed dogs are fantastically unique.

Braydon Anderson

What Breed Is My Dog?

Congratulations! You're the lucky caretaker of a beautiful canine companion—man and woman's best friend. Despite all this hype about designer dogs, the days of referring to mixed-breed dogs as mutts are over, and now we enjoy the pleasure of glorifying their uniqueness with complimentary terms like "blend" (because they deserve it).

Let's be honest. You are dying to know the ancestry of your dog and his/her genetic makeup. Now, before you rush ahead and blow big bucks on a canine DNA test, let's go over some key canine traits that are also identifiable in mixed-breed dogs.

We'll be taking a look at muzzle shape, tail style, ear type, coat type (color and pattern), body type, and behavior. We will also discuss what classifies a purebred or a crossbred dog, such as the ever-so-popular Goldendoodle. Let's get started, so we can finally answer that burning question: "How do I know what breed my dog is?"

Is your dog an Aussiepoo? A Whoodle? A Golden Dox? A Corgle? Or a Chug?

Topics That We Will Cover

How to determine a dog's ancestry
Breed-specific behaviors
Searching the internet for your dog's ancestry
Stumped? More resources
Purebred vs. crossbred dogs
Are mixed-breed dogs healthier than purebreds?

Your typical brachycephalic muzzle characterized by a flattened face, shortened nares, and often excessive skin folds

Ryan Walton

How to Determine Your Mixed-Breed Dog's Ancestry

First things first. Start by documenting your dog's physical traits. Once you've acquired a list, you can begin your internet search. Treat this like an investigative project. You should wind up with something like:

Short muzzle + corkscrew tail + blunt ears + brindle + hates water

Grab a pen and a piece of paper, and note down these key characteristics as you go.

Muzzle Shape

There are three types of canine head shapes, starting from shortest to longest muzzle: brachycephalics, mesocephalics, and dolichocephalics.

Brachycephalics have notoriously short muzzles (think Pug); mesocephalics have your standard Labrador Retriever-shaped skull, and dolichocephalics have narrow eyes and elongated muzzles (Collies).

Tail Style

The shape, length, and thickness of a dog's tail offer quite a bit of information about its lineage. It is important to distinguish between a naturally bobbed tail and a docked tail. Some dogs, such as Dobermans, Boxers, and English Pointers, have their tails docked at an early age. It may be surprising to see one of these breeds without a docked tail, but progressive veterinary care is moving in that direction (especially for non-working dogs).

Several dozen dog breeds have a bobtail genetic mutation. These breeds include the Australian Shepherd, Brittany Spaniel, and the Jack Russell Terrier. Dog breeds that do not possess the mutation but naturally have bobtails include Boston Terriers, English Bulldogs, King Charles Spaniels, Minature Schnauzers, and Rottweilers.

A ringtail is full and arches over the back of the dog. A sickle tail, too, arches over the dog's back but points towards the head. A screw tail resembles a corkscrew (characteristic of Pugs), and an otter tail resembles exactly that—an otter tail. The otter tail is thick and full and works like a rudder in the water. These tails are characteristic of your water-loving dogs (like the Labrador Retriever). A whip tail is long, thin, and straight.

Scroll to Continue

Glossary of Canine Physical Traits


Trait	Observation	Varieties
Muzzle Shape	Is your dog's muzzle short, average, or long?	Brachycephalics (short), mesocephalics (medium), dolichocephalic (narrow eyes, long).
Tail Style	Is your dog's tail docked or naturally bobbed, a ring, a sickle, a screw, an otter, or a whip tail?	A bobtail is close to the body and short, a ring tail curves around the back, a sickle tail points towards the head, a screw tail represents a corkscrew, an otter tail resembles a thick rudder, a whip tail is thin and long.
Ear Type	Are your dog's ears erect or droopy, short or long?	Ear types: prick ears, cropped, blunt or round, bat-eared, hooded, candle flame, drop or pendant, folded, v-shaped, filbert-shaped, cocked or semi-pricked, button-eared, or rose-eared.
Coat Type	What type of coat does your dog have?	Smooth and short-coated, medium-coated, wire-coated, curly-coated, hairless.
Coat Color and Pattern	What is the dominant color and patterning of your dog's coat?	White, cream, gold, red, brown, blue, gray, black. Patterns: bicolor, tricolor, merle, harlequin, brindle, saddle, sable.
Body Type	What is your dog's height and bone structure?	Thick and boxy or slender and long, tall and long-legged or short and short-legged, slender and deep-chested or muscular and athletic?
Miscellaneous	What unique traits are particular to your dog?	Ridgeback, webbed paws, spotted tongue, heterochromia, double dew claws, chondrodysplasia?

Blunt or rounded ears in a mixed-breed dog.

Bárbara Montavon on Unsplash

Ear Types

There are many types of dog ears. It's easy to feel overwhelmed. We won't describe all types, but a generalization of your dog's ear shape will do. Here are some common ear shapes.

Pricked: An upright ear; very common in dogs. These ears are pointed and erect (Husky).
Cropped: Surgically erect ears. Not natural (Great Dane).
Blunt or round: Sharply erect ears with a smooth curve (French Bulldog).
Drop or pendant: Classic hanging ears (Basset Hound).
V-shaped: V-shaped ear hanging down.
Cocked or semi-pricked: Neither fully erect nor pendant (pit bull breeds).

Coat Type

Identifying your dog's coat type is fairly simple. Smooth or short-haired dogs have fur that is close to the body. Medium coats are often an inch long and require moderate grooming to prevent tangles and matting (Golden Retriever). Long-coated dogs often have hair or fur that hangs to the floor and require heavy grooming as part of their routine maintenance and care. Wire-coated dogs are bristly to the touch, and curly-coated dogs have soft ringlets or waves much like human hair. Hairless dogs are hairless.

Coat Color and Pattern

Color: The most common dog coat is solid. A brown dog can be classified as liver or chocolate brown, and dogs with red coats can be classified as orange, rust, cinnamon, and ruby (think Irish Setter). Gold colorations include pale yellow, blonde, honey, and apricot, and cream coats are nearly white. Black and white coats are self-explanatory, although each can have underlying tones. Blue dog coats appear off-gray when compared to standard gray.

Pattern:

Bicolor coats contain two colors and are otherwise known as patched or tuxedo. Common color combinations include black and tan or white and black (German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Border Collies).
Tricolor coats include three colors. Tricolor coats are often contrasted with a standard white chest and underbelly, and surrounding coloration around the dog's dorsum, face, and down the limbs and tail.
Merle coats include patches or marbling of color primarily around all parts of the dog but the stomach.
Harlequin coats have uneven spotting across the body and are typically black and white (Great Danes) as opposed to standard spotting as seen on the Dalmatian.
Brindle is your typical tiger stripe (black, brown, and gold).
Saddle patterns are what you frequently see on German Shepherds, with black coloring on the back and a gradual fade.
Sable is characterized by black-tipped hairs that stand out against other lighter coloration.

A slender, long-legged, deep-chested, medium-sized, tall dog

Rosalie Lyons

Body Type

Body type may be one of the most important clues to determining your mixed breed's ancestry. Note these details.

Average weight of your dog after one year of age?
Short or tall?
Thick and boxy or slender and long?
Long-legged or short-legged?
Slender and deep-chested or muscular and athletic?

Miscellaneous Characteristics

Ridgeback: One of the most telling traits of the Rhodesian Ridgeback is . . . the ridgeback, a ridge of hair along a dog's back running in the opposite direction of the coat. Mixed-breed dogs can possess this trait.
Webbed Paws and Dewclaws: Inspect your dog's paws. Are the feet webbed? Does your dog have dewclaws, otherwise known as vestigial digits between the inner wrist and elbow or inner ankle and knee (human anatomy terms, if you will)? Perhaps your dog even has double dewclaws (generally characteristic of prominent large breeds).
Spotted Tongue: Look at your dog's tongue, is bubblegum pink or spotted? There is a common misconception that the Chow Chow is the only breed that possesses a spotted tongue, but nearly three dozen breeds display this trait.
Heterochromia: How about your dog's eyes—is one blue and one brown? This condition, while rare, may be linked to Huskies, Australian Shepherds, and Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dogs.
Chondrodysplasia: An intentionally bred trait of Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, and Corgis. These breeds are often affectionately termed "low-riders" in veterinary medicine. Short legs, long bodies, and sometimes bowed legs, their body types give them an advantage in the field.

Typical herding breed behavior

Dawid Sobolewski on Unsplash

Your Dog's Behavior Says a Lot About Their Breed

This opens the floor to the big debate surrounding nature versus nurture, but in many circumstances, canines will act out on their natural instincts. Perhaps the two most classic dog behaviors involve herding breeds and pointers. These canines exhibit behaviors that are hard to miss.

Herding

Herding breeds tend to herd, as you could've guessed, and can often be seen stalking moving objects (people, small animals, or moving objects such as skateboards, bikes, etc.). All too often, they may nip at the rear of crawling babies, running children, and household critters. Sometimes, in addition to herding instincts, these breeds may possess a high prey drive and can go after small animals. Whether or not this high prey drive reveals what your dog is mixed with, it is wise to be aware of this tendency to keep everyone safe, including your dog.

Pointing

The classic pointing stance is also a dead giveaway of a dog that may originate from a hunting breed. A dog who points will sniff out birds, freeze, and then "point" towards the prey. Some of these breeds also have what's called a "soft mouth," which allows a dog to retrieve prey without mangling it as opposed to terriers and ratters who can roughly shake prey (rats) in their mouth and kill them instantaneously.

Water Dogs

It is usually apparent whether or not a dog loves water (or does well in water for that matter). Newfoundlands are known to adore water—you can't keep them away from it. There are some breeds (sometimes the boxier, bulkier, muscular types) that despite their best efforts, just can't compete with the naturals. Their strengths lie elsewhere. Let this be a clue.

Pit bull is a type of dog, not a breed.

Jaclyn Clark

Using the Internet to Determine Your Dog's DNA

Now that you have all of these clues, and yes, the list is exhausting, let's plug in our formula. My mixed-breed dog, for instance, possesses these traits:

Black and white + medium-sized + pendant ear + curly hair + pointer

One of the results in Google images reveals an English Springer Spaniel. Although this is not identical to my mixed-breed dog, I can now research Spaniel breeds and further narrow down my search. My final results helped me to discover that my beautiful mixed-breed dog most closely resembles a Working Spaniel. Yes, the traits and personality match! You can cross-compare breed types on websites like the AKC's dog breed database.

Stumped? Consider a Dog DNA Kit

If all else fails, your veterinarian and veterinary team will have a good idea of what your dog is. Many individuals in the veterinary community see hundreds of dogs weekly, and it is likely that they will be able to narrow down your dog's breeds.

Still not satisfied? Opt for a dog DNA test. Embark DNA and Wisdom Panel are commonly recommended dog DNA test kits. They have been recommended to me by colleagues. As with all DNA tests, there is room for error and results aren't always conclusive.

Certain crossbreeds have been established for centuries and are often mistaken for purebreds.

Matteo Vistocco

What's the Difference Between Purebred and Crossbred Dogs?

This is easy to rule out. If you acquired your dog from a certified registry and source, such as an American Kennel Club breeder or a breed-specific rescue, you most likely have documentation of your dog's pedigree or a firm idea of what your dog is comprised of, and hooray, you scored 100%. Yes, your dog is purebred. Your feathery Golden Retriever's parents are, you guessed it, Golden Retrievers.

Crossbred Dogs Get All the Cool Names

You're probably familiar with one ever-so-popular designer dog or hybrid canine, the Goldendoodle. In case you missed it, "golden" + "(d)oodle" = Golden Retriever and Poodle (standard or miniature). Two standardized purebred parents were bred to produce a 50/50 blend. If the genetic lottery plays out correctly, your Goldendoodle will be blessedly affectionate, intelligent, and sociable, and will have inherited the best traits of both parents.

Funny Crossbreed Dog Names

Portmanteau naming at its finest.
Crossbreed	Parent	Parent
Beaglier	Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	Beagle
Bichpoo	Bichon Frise	Poodle
Papihuahua	Papillon	Chihuahua
Doxiepoo	Dachschund	Poodle
Longdog	Sighthound	Sighthound
Pekeapoo	Pekingese	Poodle
Yorkiepoo	Yorkshire Terrier	Poodle

The Cockapoo originates from the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle (miniature or toy).

Chris Becker on Unsplash

What Are the Best Crossbred Dogs?

This was a trick question. There is no such thing as a "best" dog breed. Certain crossbreds are, however, so well-established, that they are often informally identified as purebreds. Some of these crossbreeds include:

American Bully (American Pit Bull Terrier + Staffordshire Bull Terrier)
Black and Tan Coonhound (Bloodhound + Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound)
Bull Terrier (Old English Bulldog + Old English Terrier)
Eurasier (Chow Chow + Keeshond or Samoyed)
Miniature Pinscher (German Pinscher + Italian Greyhound or Dachshund)
Vizsla (Weimeriner + German Shorthaired Pointer)

Do keep in mind, however, that not all purebreds or crossbreeds will exhibit the desired traits or temperament of their parents. Breeding always incorporates the risk of inherited breed-specific health issues and similar negatives attached to concentrating a genetic pool. Traits like aggression and genetic malformations can be more common in intentionally bred dogs if not done responsibly.

Purebreds, crossbreeds, mixed-breeds—all dogs are deserving of love.

Jesse Schoff

Are Mixed-Breed Dogs Healthier Than Purebreds?

Your mixed-breed dog most likely won the genetic lottery. According to the Institute of Canine Biology, their study of 24 genetic disorders in mixed and purebred dogs from more than 27,000 UC Davis veterinary clinic medical records revealed:

"The incidence of 10 genetic disorders (42%) was significantly greater in purebred dogs."
"The incidence of 1 disorder (ruptured cranial cruciate ligament; 4%) was greater in mixed breed dogs."

The good news? Your mixed-breed dog is less likely to develop dilated cardiomyopathy, elbow dysplasia, cataracts, and hypothyroidism. The bad news? Mixed-breed dogs are more likely to rupture a cranial cruciate ligament.

Responsible Ownership

All dogs deserve the best care possible. Let's get that straight. If you landed on this article, you love dogs! To ensure that your dog lives a happy, healthy life, always offer adequate exercise and proper nutrition. Keep your dog at a healthy weight, avoid synthetic foods, keep your dog current on vaccinations, and follow up with regular health checks.

If you are considering finding a purebred or crossbreed, seek out responsible, licensed breeders, and always consider adopting from a purebred rescue. If you are simply seeking out a loving companion, visit your local shelters. I have come across so many fantastic mixed-breed dogs (my own included) in my many years of working in veterinary medicine. There is a shelter dog out there waiting for their forever home that is sure to melt your heart.

Sources

A Dog's Size and Head Shape Predicts Its Behavior | Psychology Today
New data suggests that the behavioral tendencies of dogs can be predicted by their height, weight, and whether they have long or short skulls.
What Shape Is Your Dog's Ear? | Psychology Today
A pictorial glossary of the various shapes of dog's ears and the labels that dog breeders use to describe them.
Natural Bobtail in Dogs: Wikipedia
List of Dog Crossbreeds: Wikipedia

M & M on July 09, 2020:

We know my dog is a Pomeranian mixed with...something. We just don't know what. We know nothing about my dog's parents so that makes it harder. She has been with me since I was a baby (I'm 11) she's turning 12 in October. Well wish me luck...

Kathleen Nicholson on July 05, 2020:

I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy. The mother was called a Cavalier but had a very pointed nose. The father was definitely typical cavalier. My puppy is long legged with almond shaped eyes, and a nose more like a cocker spaniel than a cavalier. What could be in the mother's ancestry to give her a pointed nose, like a border collie?

Fred230085 on May 05, 2020:

I have a purebred Cane Corso mixed with a purebred French mastiff. What would she be called?

Lance Perkins on May 01, 2020:

I have a 75 Percent America Staffordshire mix with 25 bull dog so what do u think I have?

S w on February 29, 2020:

Hi I am wondering what type puppy I have with ears go up lay down and tail pointing up and forward

Shontel Morrison on December 11, 2019:

Hi everyone. My, what we think 4 month old puppy, has brown eye brows, mostly black with a white chest, big paws that are black and brown, droopy ears, licks and chews on everything.

Any ideas of what he might be?

Concerned dog owner on November 16, 2019:

Hi there, my puppy is black and cream. She has a prominent white stripe on her front area (just below her neck and stopping just before her stomach). Her snout isn't super long but isn't like a pugs, I would say it's a pretty average snout. Her ears are folded and she is currently 30 lbs and growing everyday. Right now she's 6 months and I'm a little concerned because when we bought her off kijiji, we were told she would be a maximum of 15 to 20 lbs. At first i thought I was overfeeding her but the lack of commentary on her weight from the vet check ups convinced me that she wasn't being overfed and she was just growing. She is very obedient and she learned 7 tricks/commands at 2 months, she loves sleep but is the most energetic dog at times (she will be bouncing off the walls). I have heard it all, some strangers believe she's a German shepherd, others have said pitbull (due to her head shape and muscular back), some say jack russell and I recall some saying that her tail resembles that of a pug. When looking at pictures of breeds mixed with pugs, the wrinkles and pushed in snout is usually very prominent in all of the breeds. Since her snout was not like a pugs I ruled out the fact that she could be mixed with pug. Her bark and howl resembles a jack russell but the colours of her coat do not. The shaggy feeling of the German shepherd coat is what her coat feels like. Her head shape and muscular body resembles a pitbull. She also has a mysterious white stripe and curled tail. I have no clue what she is and I am concerned because every dog breed comes with their own set of health risks, problems and complications. Based on her temperament, weight and physical description any ideas on what she could be?

Sarah on September 27, 2019:

Without a dna test where can i find an expert to tell me if my chihuahua os mixed with lab?

Tommi Grace from Woodward on September 10, 2019:

My daughter got a dog about 15 years ago (he is still alive) but he is the most bizarre looking dog I have ever seen. He looks like the dragon in that old movie, "The Never Ending Story." But he is the most well-behaved dog I have ever been around. None of us trained him. He is just naturally well-behaved. He never had a potty accident in the house (not even as a puppy - we took him outside to potty, he did it from then on). He never jumps on people. He doesn't bark. He is extremely friendly and affectionate. He never runs away - he is really too lazy to run off. I know he has some kind of Bulldog in him because his face and head are shaped like that. He may have some Dachshund as well because his legs are disproportionately short for his body. His hair is long and blonde with a black undercoat. I have been typing in characteristics on Google like the article suggests and I come up with everything from Bulldog to miniature poodle. Not that it matters what breeds are in his DNA, he is the best dog anyone can have. He just looks really weird! LOL.

Amy on September 07, 2019:

Still confused as to what my pup is.

Animal Lover 23 on July 27, 2019:

Confused, the author clearly missed ticking in coat pattern. And head shape. Does make me curious as to what else they missed.

Nutthouse on July 18, 2019:

I came across a puppy that's grown to look like a Jack Russell Terrier in the head with a white chest and belly but a sandy coat with some black speckling, black tail with a white tip. At 7 months is a little bit bigger than a full grown Jack Russell. Very energetic. Any ideas on the mix?

Robert on April 23, 2019:

Not sure what my American bulldog might be bred with,, has a dark stripe up his spine but just looks like a tall american bulldog otherwise

fuzzy hordog on April 15, 2019:

bust down tatiana

Michelle Halligan on January 05, 2019:

I recently got a very underfed puppy, he's y'all tho almost 2 1/2' tall. He has long toes, big feet , lite Blu eyes, pink nose, floppy ears , white short hair, pink skin, few black spots, rectangle muzzle, from side view, long thin tail.

Mason on January 04, 2019:

Hello i was wondering i have a choclate lab and he is all brown his eyes are brown and has webed feet and thick pads and loves water but there is this area were its a little tanish and its on his tail so if soneone would just answer this please i would so apprecaite it thankyou

Afro on December 08, 2018:

I have a beautiful cokapoo we got him as a puppy and the woman who sold him to us told us he was a poodle. A tae cup poodle he is not a tea cup he is a medium dog btw he is called Scampi

Tina Jackson on December 07, 2018:

We bought a dog from a lady that says the mom is beagle and the dad is bassett hound. He is white with blue eyes. The vet says he is not beagle because she has never seen a beagle with blue eyes. So now I am confused. The only trait of the bassett is the stretchy skin. He is tall with long legs. Definitely some kind of hound because of the way he sniffs. Very hyper though. It is possible he is not what the lady said he is?Both parents are suppose to be full blooded

JANETG1972 on December 05, 2018:

MY DAUGHTER WAS GIFTED A PUPPY , IM NOT SURE WHAT BREED IT IS BUT I SUSPECT THAT ITS A MIX WITH A PITT BULL, COULD SOMEONE HELP ME IDENTIFY MY PUP?

Loves cats all the way on December 02, 2018:

I'm not sure about one dog it's a dog that has a red bow on its head and is brown white and black please help me figure this out pleaaasse!

norma martinez on October 28, 2018:

not sure what my dog is. He looks like some terrier breed mix. He has pricked ears, medium coated and somewhat curly, pointy muzzle, red brown and black coat and a long thin tail.

Lyn on August 30, 2018:

Im not sure if mine dog is vizsla or not.the only distinct on him is his ear is erected or pointed ear.usually viszla has v shape ear droppong down.please help.

anonymous on August 24, 2018:

Does she have blue eyes and a black spot on her left one by any chance?

anonymous on August 20, 2018:

I cant figue out what my dog is for the life of me. She had a collie face, white body with spots on it which are covered by her fur slightly, had dewclaws, webbed pawes, slender and deep chested like a running dog and had long legs (and shes quite clumsy with them haha. She has slightly big paws because shes still a bit of a puppy) should i share her insta of anyone would like to help me figure it out? Haha

anonymous on August 20, 2018:

I cant figue out what my dog is for the life of me. She had a collie face, white body with spots on it which are covered by her fur slightly, had dewclaws

Ava Blanc on August 15, 2018:

I read on multiple other websites that the vizsla is an AKC established breed and that it originally was used to make the Weimeriener and Germaine short haired pointer. Although after the vizsla dropped off in numbers they used those two breeds to reestablish it. Although I feel like it wouldn't fall under the category of cross breed

Adopted dog owner on August 05, 2018:

I adopted a dog who is about 14 months old which was run over a couple of months ago. I am still not sure what breed she is but here are some observations : narrow eyes and elongated muzzle + short sword tail + button ears + smooth, medium-coat + dark, brindle pattern + approximately 12 pounds + a little slender and long + long legged + deep chested + dew-clawed + bubblegum pink tongue + has heterochromia. Please answer this, I will really appreciate it.

Rhoglo on July 17, 2018:

We have littermates 4 months old. We were told they were a Lab/Shepard mix. The male is long, lanky, and tall, huge feet. He is a cream white color with kind of course and wiry with elongated head and muzzle and he has curly eyelashes with a wiry beard and whiskers. He is kind of serious natured like he is thinking all the time but eager to please. Who could have been in the woodpile?

Linda C on July 13, 2018:

I should have added the following info regarding my pup (from message 29 minutes ago)

She's extremely active, a jumper, and loyal to one person (me :))

Linda C on July 13, 2018:

I adopted a 15 month old dog. Here are her particulars. I heard she was one combination, but think she's another. What are your thoughts?

tricolor + Sickle Tail with long hair + semi-pricked ears with long hair + medium coat + long body + deep chested + 13 pounds + thin legs + small spots on muzzle and feet

Becky on June 24, 2018:

Short muzzle+V ears+bobbed tail+smooth coat(solid black with white spot on chest)+webbed feet and dew claws+loves water but not sure can swim because+muscular and boxy and slightly Chondrodysplasia-ish+weighs 20 lbs and isn't expected to get over 25 lbs. I already know what her mix is I just want to know what you'd guess.

Harshitha reddy on June 24, 2018:

My dog has a medium muzzle+ drooped ears + thin medium sized tail + medium hair length smooth coat + black coat with white and black patches on the extremities of the leg + hates water +too friendly + sometimes the tail curls up and sometimes it will be straight. Please tell my dog's breed.

Ash Roves (author) from San Francisco California on June 14, 2018:

S—Please share your knowledge of Vizslas. Perhaps it's the wired-haired? Looks like the standard gained AKC recognition in the US in 1960s. Will update the content to reflect this when I get a chance. Feel free to share your knowledge as well!

Mutt quinlan—15 weeks, they still do so much changing! Many dog blends are often grouped into the "lab" category as well. It's hard to say. I think coat pattern and color gives a lot away as well as ear shape.

Rishi—I think of Coonhound, Beauceron, Rottweiler blends with (black and tan and short coat).

Joy Mehan—Cleo sounds unique indeed. Might have some type of shepherd (not necessary Australian).

S on June 14, 2018:

I just had to say that Vizslas aren't a mixed breed. That was just bothering me since Vizslas have a very interesting and long history.

Mutt quinlan on June 09, 2018:

Was told our puppy was part lab mixed. She looks be able or hound but does love water. Any suggestions? How can I post a pic? She is now 15 weeks old and weights 12 lbs

Rishi on May 29, 2018:

Medium muzzle+sometimes pointed sometimes not ears+thin medium tail+short hair length+coat colour is of Doberman Pincher's+hates water

Joy Mehan on May 05, 2018:

Everytime I think I have my new dog figured out, she morphs. Particularly her color. She was fawn and white with a black mask when we got her; now she has sabling on the sides of her face, ears, and forelegs PLUS she's going all liver-colored on her belly around the white freckled patches. I think she's about 30% Italian Sportscar, she's so fast (we're thinking about changing her name to Dammit, because that's what we holler when she gets out). Must be part Greyhound or Whippet. Her head, though, says...hound? Retriever? Vshaped ears, blunt muzzle, soft mouth...tendency to eat shoes. She's also got a lot of Schmoozhound in her, which is why we can find her when she runs off--she stops to visit everyone she meets. My main concern is knowing how much to feed her. My other dog (Maggie), who must be part Corgi (size, herding behavior, cylindrical body) gets short rations to prevent her becoming roly-poly, but Cleo is all muscle (including between her ears!) and I want to be sure she gets enough to eat; maybe then I can get a new pair of sandals without her having them for a light snack.

Ash Roves (author) from San Francisco California on April 24, 2018:

Hi Patricia,

The freckles and intelligence reminds me of an Australian cattle dog. Sometimes Beagles or Cocker Spaniels (blonde) have those spots as well.

Akita/Basenji/Spitz with the curly tail

A terrier with the curly/course/coat

Size and temperament may say a lot as well . . .

Thanks for sharing!

Patricia Wilkerson on April 24, 2018:

My dog is blonde, freckles, wavy coarse hair curly tail, flat ears. She is only about 18 weeks old. Very smart.

beatbugs on April 04, 2018:

Outstanding article - one of the most informative I've read in this venue

Ash Roves (author) from San Francisco California on March 29, 2018:

A cuddling chi-poo—so adorable! Thanks for sharing with us about your beloved companion.

Kelliann Bligh on March 29, 2018:

I have a chi-poo....and the very best thing that has happened to me in the last 25 years of my life, she is devoted to me aND snuggles when I need it! She truly is my very best friend!

Ash Roves (author) from San Francisco California on March 28, 2018:

Hi Kristi,

Have you looked up Brussels Griffon or Griffon Bruxellois? Take a look!

Kristi Jordan on March 28, 2018:

I have no idea what kind of dog I have, he is small, built between a weeny dog & Chihuahua but he walks with a stocky stance, almost bow legged, has large pointed straight ears, medium length hair, is a reddish brown color, tail that curls curls into a straight up into a "u" shape but his main characteristics is he has a little beard ! Lol! Please help, thanks so much!

Ash Roves (author) from San Francisco California on March 22, 2018:

Hi Dr Mark

Congrats on your puppy! She sounds perceptive. With her luck, I wonder if she can pick some winning numbers. Thanks for your friendly comments and for sharing.

Dr Mark from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on March 22, 2018:

I had to wake up my mixed breed puppy to tell her that she won the lottery. I wonder if that angry look she gave me can tell me anything about her breed?

Nah, probably not. She went right back to sleep before I finished reading.

Great article. I look forward to reading more of your work.

jameshiday1942.blogspot.com

Source: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/breeds-in-mutt