What is a lineage? What does it mean to get a lineage result?Updated 20 days ago

What is a lineage?

A lineage is a group of dog breeds that share common ancestors, common segments of DNA, and similar behavioral traits related to the jobs they were originally bred to do—like herding, hunting, or guarding.

Why does a lineage appear in my results instead of a specific breed?

When your dog's ancestry comes from distant relatives (like great-grandparents or further back), the DNA segments passed down are very small, and only a tiny fraction of that DNA actually differs between closely-related breeds within the same lineage.

Rather than making uncertain guesses about individual breeds where the genetic evidence is limited, we report ancestry at the lineage level, which gives you a more scientifically accurate answer based on what the genetics can actually tell us.

What do lineages tell me about my dog?

Lineage results help you understand the "types" of dogs in your dog's background and the behavioral tendencies, instincts, and traits they may have inherited. For example, if your dog has herding lineage, they may show traits like high energy, strong focus, and instincts to manage movement; even if we can't pinpoint the exact herding breed from generations back.

Here is a list of example breeds with ancestry from each lineage
Pointer-Spaniel Lineage: English Cocker Spaniel, Irish Red Setter, German Shorthaired Pointer
Scent Hound Lineage: Basset Hound, English Foxhound, Dachshund
Spitz and Sled Dog Lineage: Akita, Chow Chow, Siberian Husky
Terrier Lineage: Jack Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier
Mastiff and Bull-Type Lineage: French Bulldog, St. Bernard, Bullmastiff
Herding Dog Lineage: Border Collie, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, German Shepherd
Toy Dog Lineage: Chihuahua, Maltese, Shih Tzu
Retriever Lineage: Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Sighthound Lineage: Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, Whippet