Quote: kristen shepherd

Unfortunately, most places, if you tell them it's a "mix" - they want to know what exactly it is. I could always lie and say that he is a Leonberger/Collie mix, but he definitely looks more Shepherd than anything else, which means people would complain and I don't want to take that risk. When I try to explain that my boy has a CGC and what it is, it doesn't usually matter.

I ran into that attitude not long ago trying to find another homeowner's policy. One insurance company asked me exactly what "mix" Molly was. I told her that other than lab I don't know. She insisted on knowing what exact mix I had. I finally told her that even the vet I take her to can't tell me that so why would she think I would know. It's impossible to tell mixed breeds accurately. Anyone who knows about dogs will tell you that.

She finally told me that if I couldn't identify the exact breed/s of dog I own then I can't purchase a policy so I asked her if that were so then they must refuse to sell policies to anyone who doesn't own a purebred dog. That's when she hung up on me.

Then the next insurance company I spoke to was more interested in how long it's been since we had our chimney cleaned (didn't even ask if I had a dog). As far as I know that chimney hasn't been used in over fifty years and the fireplace is sealed up. What fun it is dealing with insurance companies.

 Quote: matt wyrick

 Quote: kristen shepherd

Unfortunately, most places, if you tell them it's a "mix" - they want to know what exactly it is. I could always lie and say that he is a Leonberger/Collie mix, but he definitely looks more Shepherd than anything else, which means people would complain and I don't want to take that risk. When I try to explain that my boy has a CGC and what it is, it doesn't usually matter.

I ran into that attitude not long ago trying to find another homeowner's policy. One insurance company asked me exactly what "mix" Molly was. I told her that other than lab I don't know. She insisted on knowing what exact mix I had. I finally told her that even the vet I take her to can't tell me that so why would she think I would know. It's impossible to tell mixed breeds accurately. Anyone who knows about dogs will tell you that.

She finally told me that if I couldn't identify the exact breed/s of dog I own then I can't purchase a policy so I asked her if that were so then they must refuse to sell policies to anyone who doesn't own a purebred dog. That's when she hung up on me.

Then the next insurance company I spoke to was more interested in how long it's been since we had our chimney cleaned (didn't even ask if I had a dog). As far as I know that chimney hasn't been used in over fifty years and the fireplace is sealed up. What fun it is dealing with insurance companies.

If she is the drop eared coated dog in the pic, she doesn't fit the average person's image of a GSD. So saying Leonberger mix should do nicely. Visit most shelters and you will be amazed at what breedsthe dogs are listed as. Is it solid black? Then it must be a Labrador. Is it blue merle? Than it is obviously an Australian Shepherd. Is is coated and black with whit marking on legs and neck? It could be nothing else but a Border Collie. Does it have black spots on its tongue? It is now a Chow Chow (despite the fact that chows do NOT have black tongues, but blue gray tongues) Is it smooth coated with broad jaws? Pit bull! And does it's tail curl over its back? A husky it is.

As for identifying the breeds in a mix, even the DNA testing for identifying what breed of dog, are quite inaccurate. They rely on SNPs (pronounced snips) common in the breed. But to initially find out what SNPs are common, they take samples from pure bred dogs. The sample size, as well as the variety of bloodlines sampled; determine what SNPs will be common. For example. If their samples for GSDs came primarily from AKC show line GSDs, they will have a preponderence of genes, and therefor SNPs, from Lance of Fran-Jo. Test a GSD from outside this source, and even a pure GSD might test as another breed.

If you do have a GSD PB then you could always say Alsatian. but then when i got my homeowners policy, my agent just automatically put down mix breed.