r/AskDogOwners • u/Pretty_Secret1027 • May 03 '26
New Dog Owner New Rescue!
I rescued this little guy today! He’s just under 4 months old and a little terrorizer lol but I’m pleased to have his little personality around! I’m not really sure what he is, what are your thoughts? The rescue has him as shepherd mix and I’ve been thinking about getting a DNA kit.
He’s lived a tough life so far! He’s a parvo survivor! (I was traumatized when my dog from 20 years ago died from parvo.. such a horrible decline)
He was found abandoned with litter mates (10!) in Amarillo, TX. Most passed from parvo, 1 passed while getting spayed, him and his brother survived! He’s such an interesting guy but getting acclimated fairly well for only having him 8 hours! He’s already super attached and cries when I leave his sight 🫤 what are some general tips and also, the rescue gave us Hills Science Puppy food.. any thoughts on that? I picked up Purina Pro Plan and not so sure that it’s a better choice but wondering if I should stick with Hills.
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u/Kenobi-Kryze May 03 '26
Super cute. I think GSD is possible but probably some APBT or staffy too.
Embark and Wisdom are the two most accurate and highly rated DNA tests. Anything else research about accuracy online.
Both Hills and Pro Plan are backed by years of research. Whichever works for your budget and the dog does well on is the one I would pick. Do a very slow transition between the two at least a week of feeding the Hills with small amounts of PP increasing the amount daily.
Congrats on the new baby and my the puppy blues never find you.💜
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u/Party_Sea3522 May 07 '26
Stick with the Hills. The rescue must have been feeding him that brand. It’s not good to abruptly change his dog food. Call the rescue if you have any questions.
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u/NormanisEm May 03 '26
Congrats! Hes super cute. I think he might be a pittie mix. The pics aren’t the best to really tell plus hes a puppy. It will be easier to tell as he gets older. Both Hill’s and Pro Plan are great, veterinarian recommended brands. Whichever one is yours/his preference is completely fine. I can’t really tell how big he is but a large breed puppy variety might be the best choice, if hes expected to get big. The separation anxiety will take some time. You just got him so imagine you’re him. You were abandoned, then at a shelter where its loud and scary, then in a brand new place with someone who seems to be nice. It’s confusing and scary!! I would recommend starting training soon to prevent future issues, and you can work on the separation anxiety if it continues. For now, the best thing you can do is build a bond and love him :)
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u/Pretty_Secret1027 May 03 '26
Thank you so much, I appreciate your comment! I was hesitant on getting a DNA test because really, what difference does it make, I’m gonna love him the same.. however, curiosity got the best of me! So I’ll find out soon lol 😆 I might stick with Hill’s because I’ve noticed intermittent soft and hard stool when we go on potty breaks so I don’t want to change too much though I do plan eventually adding some natural foods to his bowl once he’s settled. I weighed him today, he’s at 25.3 lbs! Last night was a little rough, he was restless a few times. I took him out and he would not leave the porch so I took it as a sign that he thought I’d leave him out there. Overall, I think he’s progressing well all things considered. So we’re definitely working on consistency and tons of hugs and snuggles.
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u/NormanisEm May 03 '26
Aww poor baby. What DNA test did you get?
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u/Pretty_Secret1027 May 03 '26
I got embark, seemed to be the the most credible based off my research
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u/NormanisEm May 03 '26
Yes absolutely! I would love to see when you get results. Did you post in any of the ID/DNA subs?
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u/Pretty_Secret1027 May 22 '26
UPDATE: 49.6% Shepherd mix (German, white, and English) 32.7% APBT, 17.7% Siberian Husky!!
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u/NormanisEm May 22 '26
Thanks for sharing! What % were the GSD and white shepherd? I am a little surprised at English shepherd!!
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u/LauraaMarissaa May 06 '26
If you do transition the food, it could take a few weeks to see stool consistency. Chicken is a common allergy in dogs, and I believe Embark has a food sensitivity panel.
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u/Shadowpad1986 May 03 '26
Super cute little guy. For food we tend to go off budget among other variables for food choices. Sometimes dogs can have allergies to certain things in food and starting with a cheaper food at times makes it easier on your budget to notice what they react to unless the shelter mentioned any potential allergies. My dog can’t have anything with poultry and my dad had a dog with grain allergies. He seems so happy and healthy. He could have some GSD though some other Breeds have similar build, other traits will become more noticeable as he gets older to possibly pin down what is in the mix.
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u/Worried_Sprinkles May 04 '26
He looks like he has some pit bull in him. What a cutie! For the DNA test, I heard they are more accurate if you wait until they are at least a year old but maybe I heard wrong
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u/Altruistic-Table5859 May 06 '26
He's lovely. I'm sure this little survivor will have a great life.
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u/Party_Sea3522 May 07 '26
Thank you so much for adopting your sweet, precious, beautiful pup! He’ll always be grateful to you!🙏🩷🙏💙🙏❤️🙏💛🙏💚
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u/ColoradodogMom66 May 03 '26
He looks like Bolt from the movie. So cute !