Solving Your Dog's Mystery Breeding

We've all had dogs that we've introduced to family and friends as "Petey, my All-American pooch" or "Brownie, our beloved mix of a mutt."

You pepper your vet for his or her ideas on lineage. My vet thought my shelter dog Petey was part Dalmatian, part terrier and part whippet, and all-world energetic. (She sure was.)

Now, you can use science to solve one of the pet world's great mysteries. MetaMorphix, a biotech company in Beltsville, Md. (near D.C.) can tell you your dog's breeding courtesy of a $65 DNA test (plus $6.95 S&H) called Canine Heritage. Just like a human DNA test, you swab the inside of the dog's cheek -- using a soft-bristled nylon brush in the dog's case -- and mail it in.

MetaMorphix tests for 38 identifiable breeds, and in four to six weeks, you get a certificate with the dog's primary and secondary breeds, and something called in the mix -- breeds that appear, but have the least influence on your dog's composition. To order a kit, call (800) 362-3644, or go online.

After that, all that's left is the bragging.