Being a former dog owner myself, one of the key things I considered when adopting was the dog’s breed and age.
While it wasn’t the most important factor, I had my preferences, and I am sure most people do. There is nothing wrong with that.
Still, some people welcome a dog into their home without being entirely sure of its breed, only to find out later that their pup is not quite what they imagined.
That’s exactly what happened to one woman from North Carolina, who adopted a ‘Labrador’ puppy not realizing what she would discover in the weeks to come.
Jenny Gets an Unexpected Surprise
When Jenny first brought home Stetson, there was no reason to think he was anything other than a black Labrador.
The shelter had listed him as a stray, and it seemed they hadn’t done any further research into his breed.
As he grew, Jenny began to notice a significant change. Three and a half months later, she realized he wasn’t actually a black Labrador at all.
Curious, she decided to have a DNA test done to be certain. The results were more surprising than she could have imagined.
It turned out Stetson wasn’t just one breed. He was 58 percent German Shepherd, 18 percent Retriever, and 10 percent Chow.
Labrador? Not a bit. Her first assumption about his breed had been completely wrong.
Still, this didn’t matter to Stetson’s family. They love him dearly, and nothing could change that.
TikTok Responds
After the surprising discovery, Jenny shared Stetson’s story on her TikTok account. As expected, people were quick to comment.
One person commented: “Yeah. I was told black lab and when her legs hit her growth spurt I realized quickly that she is part Great Dane. They also said she would be 40-60lbs. She is 98.”
It’s true that when puppies are small, it’s not unusual for mistakes like this to happen.
Another person said: “I got a ‘lab mix’ from the shelter. It turns out he has absolutely no lab in him at all. But I think they tell you all black dogs are labs. You have a beautiful shepherd mix there.”
I didn’t know this either. Maybe it’s something that happens at certain shelters, though it’s hard to understand why anyone would say that all black dogs are labs.
Lastly, somebody commented: “Those ears and back legs are screaming German shepherd!”
I’ve always been amazed at how some people can identify a breed just from small details like ears and legs.
Even though I’ve been around dogs my whole life, I’m not good at telling breeds apart so easily.
In the end, this lighthearted story shows that mix-ups like this can happen. While they’re not a big deal, it’s always interesting to hear how others react to them.