When Gwen, a rescue dog from a Colorado shelter, first joined her new family, no one knew much about her past.
This sweet Boxer mix quickly became the heart of her household, living a joyful life surrounded by love and care. Sadly, after several happy years, Gwen passed away following a battle with cancer, leaving her family heartbroken.
But as it turned out, Gwen’s story was not quite over. A DNA test her owners had taken long ago would later bring an unexpected discovery that stunned them all.
A Surprise No One Could Have Predicted
A Reddit user known as u/Hungry-Emu-6732 recently shared Gwen’s story online, and it quickly captured attention.
According to her owner, Gwen had been adopted from a Colorado shelter when she was around two years old. At the time, she had already given birth to a litter of puppies, but none were found with her.
Gwen adapted beautifully to her new home and became an inseparable part of the family. She lived a wonderful life until her passing, and her owners believed that was where her story ended.
Then, unexpectedly, they received an email notification from Embark, the dog DNA testing company they had used previously.
“A few years before she passed we had the Embark DNA test done. Lots of cousins, etc. but, today we got an update that they found a sibling, 72% match,” the Reddit post read.
The update revealed that Gwen had a biological sibling named Jake. What made the discovery even more puzzling was the significant age difference between them.
“However, this dog was born recently. We adopted Gwen when she was estimated to be about 2, meaning she was born some time before that. What are the chances her parents had another litter so many years later, or what other connection could this be?” the post continued.
The post soon went viral, with commenters offering their own theories. Some suggested it was possible for Gwen’s parents to have another litter after many years, while others believed something else might have happened.
A Curious Possibility
In the comments, Gwen’s owner shared more details that hinted at a potential mix-up. She explained that Gwen’s DNA sample had been submitted at the same time as Sparky’s, her daughter’s dog who was also born recently.
While Gwen and the supposed sibling did not resemble each other much, Sparky looked remarkably similar to him. This raised the family’s suspicion that the results might have been accidentally swapped.
“He and this boy look very much alike, and the matches for him on Embark look more like Gwen. I’m thinking they were mixed up somehow when they lost and then found one sample and this guy is actually Sparky’s brother,” the owner wrote.
Although the mystery may never be fully solved, one thing remains certain: Gwen’s legacy continues to bring smiles, curiosity, and a sense of connection long after her passing.
Her family treasures every memory they shared with her and remains grateful for the unexpected surprise that reminded them just how special she truly was.