Most Common Dog Breeds that Make Up Mutts

It’s National Mutt Day! July 31 is all about celebrating the amazing dogs out there who are a perfect mix of dozens of other breeds.

If you are a mutt parent, you likely have had moments when you looked into your pooch’s eyes and wondered, “What breeds came together to make this beautiful canine I see before me?”

For a long time owners have had to settle for random guesses, but thanks to the burgeoning world of dog DNA testing, pet parents can get answers.

Wisdom Panel has tested more than 1 million dogs with its innovative DNA testing panel, providing owners around the world with answers about what makes up their mutts. Through their research, which also looks at a canine’s ancestry and health profiles, Wisdom Panel found that some breeds have intermingled more than others. 

These are the five most common breeds among mutts who had their DNA tested by Wisdom Panel. Chances are, one or more of these breeds can be found in your magnificent mutt.

1. American Staffordshire Terrier (23.76%) 

Nearly one-quarter of dogs tested with Wisdom Panel were Am Staff mixes. American Staffordshire Terriers have grown in popularity over the decades, likely because of their loyalty and strength, traits they often pass on to their mutt counterparts. 

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2. Labrador Retriever (16.9%)

Labrador retrievers are the most popular dogs in the Unites States, which likely contributes to large presence in the mutts tested by Wisdom Panel.

3. Chow Chow (14.37%)

Chow Chow is one of the older breeds, first appearing on-record 2,000 years ago in northern China. This breed was also one of the top 10 American Kennel Club-registered breeds in the 1980s. Both of this factors have helped Chow Chow genes spread across the country.

4. Chihuahua (12.88%)

Like Chow Chows, Chihuahuas have a long history: Chihuahuas have been traced back to the time of the ancient Mayans in Mexico. They have had plenty of time to infiltrate the gene pool.

5. German Shepherd Dog (11.34%)

German Shepherd dogs are known for their intelligence, athleticism and loyalty, often making them an ideal breed for service dogs, police dogs and mutt relatives.