A little over 50 years ago (yikes!) I bought a dachshund and named him Schatzie. Dachshunds have always been my favorite breed of dog. His official name was Gray’s Klein Schatz or Gray’s Little Sweetheart.
He was the runt of the litter…so tiny, but so adorable. I hadn’t thought about Schatzie in years, but cleaning up my office unearthed a wonderful reminder of a friend I once had.
When we picked Schatzie up to take him home, I discovered he had his own family tree. It turns out he came from championship stock. His pedigree chart shows three 3x great-grandparents who were once champions…CH Bencelia’s Intent, CH Saber of Gera, and CH Herman V. Tenroc.
A Google search of “CH Saber of Gera” led me to the website, /https://www.dachshundhistoryonline.com/ . If you want to see a picture of Saber of Gera, go to https://tinyurl.com/3ud7vyn4 (I didn’t receive permission to use the picture before posting today’s blog). Even Schatzie’s parents’ names sound impressive…Fermand Von Geissinger and Rosalinde of Rivermont.
It’s funny I should write about this subject today, as Ancestry.com has just announced they have doggie DNA kits. If you want to find out the breed mixture of your canine, you can purchase a kit at a reduced price through the end of September.
Why would you want to find out about your dog’s DNA? Fun and curiosity are all that come to mind. You may have a mutt and want to find out the breeds that make up your dog. Or perhaps you think you have a purebred and want to make sure.
Also, your dog may have some peculiar traits (physical or behavioral) and want to find out why. According to Ancestry’s website, genetic DNA testing on dogs can find out those types of things.
Whatever the reason, tracing your dog’s family line or getting their DNA is another way to bond with your best friend.
Genealogy tip: Sometimes genealogy just needs to be fun…go find the fun!
If you’re looking for humans on a pedigree chart, call me. I’d love to help with your journey to the past!