When Zira was just a tiny puppy, she and her mom ended up in a crowded shelter filled to capacity. Through no fault of their own, the little family soon appeared on the euthanasia list.
When Michaela Hyle heard about their heartbreaking situation, she rushed to the shelter as quickly as she could.
When she arrived, only Zira and one of her brothers were still there. Unable to leave them behind, Hyle decided to take both home. From that day forward, their lives were forever changed.
A Puppy With A One-Of-A-Kind Look
Hyle gave Zira the warm, loving home she had been waiting for. Her brother also found a wonderful family of his own.
Zira grew into a cheerful, affectionate dog who adored cuddling and spending time with her mom. Her days were full of joy, love, and endless playtime.
Now at eleven years old, Zira still has plenty of energy to run around and play with her two canine brothers, Buckeye and Kasson.
Even though Zira seemed like any other happy pup, her appearance was always a bit puzzling. Hyle knew Zira was a mixed breed but couldn’t pinpoint exactly which ones.
Hyle’s dad often joked that Zira looked like a coyote, and he wasn’t the only one who thought so.
When Hyle’s husband first met her, he teased that she resembled a wild desert dog.
The shelter had listed Zira as a Rottweiler and German Shepherd mix, but Hyle wasn’t convinced. Zira didn’t really look like either breed.
She had always wanted to find out Zira’s true lineage, not just to prove her pup wasn’t a coyote, but to finally satisfy her curiosity.
Knowing how much it meant to her, Hyle’s husband included a dog DNA kit as part of her gift.
The DNA Reveal That No One Saw Coming
When the results were ready, the couple could hardly wait. They recorded the moment for TikTok, eager to share their discovery.
Before opening the results, they each made a few guesses about Zira’s background.
Hyle’s husband thought she might be a mix of Carolina Dog, Siberian Husky, and maybe even Coyote. Hyle’s own guess was Cattle Dog mixed with Carolina Dog.
What the test revealed left them speechless.
Their beloved dog turned out to be 19% Rottweiler, 16% Australian Cattle Dog, 14% Pit Bull Terrier, 7% Siberian Husky, and 5% American Staffordshire Terrier.
Zira also had traces of many other breeds, such as Border Collie, German Shepherd, Chow Chow, Golden Retriever, Alaskan Malamute, Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, Dalmatian, English Springer Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, and Airedale Terrier.
The Arizona couple could hardly believe what they were reading. Rottweiler being the top breed completely surprised them.
Both were sure Zira had Carolina Dog in her mix, but the test proved otherwise.
Even though the outcome was unexpected, the experience turned out to be both fun and unforgettable. Now, Zira’s family knows her full genetic story, and they’ve finally confirmed that their sweet girl is definitely not a coyote.