If you don't know this word, have a look at this Australian English dictionary - just scroll down till you find it. It does use the synonym 'mongrel', but no way is Penny a mongrel!! She's too much of a lady to go by that name.
Well, usually...
Anyway, I heard on the radio yesterday that genetic testing to determine heritage is now available in Australia at a reasonable cost. It seems I would take a cheek swab from Penny and then receive an analysis of her parentage for a few generations back, plus information about typical health issues for those breeds and suggestions for activities suitable for those breeds.
But what if she's got many breeds in her parentage? Will I have to worry about every known medical problem? (Champion worrier speaking here!) Perhaps it's best not to know, not to feel constrained by others' expectations of her.
I did post about this topic in October 2007 and decided not to do it, but this time it is the highly reputable Lort Smith Animal Hospital promoting the test. They will receive 20% of the AU$ 125 it costs.
Hmmm... interesting.
However, I did once post about a highly critical article discussing the dangers of possible misuse of this technology.
