When I adopted Feebs, Best Friends said she was a “Lab Mix.” It turns out that’s only half true: she’s not a lab at all, but she is a surprising mix!

Our friend gifted us an Embark DNA kit for Christmas while he was dogsitting for us. He was hoping to have her sampled before we returned from Utah, but Feebs was was not at all interested in being swabbed.

But whatever her DNA might be, she is a creature of habit. I started having her taste a peanut-buttered Q-tip for a few seconds each night before she could receive her Dentastix. Five weeks later, I was able to get a full sample, pop it in the mail, and wait for confirmation.

Reader, Feebee isn’t a Borador. She’s a Chow Chow.

Okay, fine. She’s also a mix of other dogs, and outwardly bears the more obvious Bully / German Shepherd genetics.

But in her heart, she is royal.

This distinctive-looking dog breed has a proud, independent spirit that some describe as catlike. Often aloof and suspicious of strangers, the Chow Chow may not be a cuddle buddy, but for the right person, they are a fiercely loyal companion.

She’ll take your treats, but she doesn’t give her trust, and long remains wary of anyone she doesn’t know well. So now I know why it’s been hard to find walkers and sitters when I’ve needed them. She’s just trying to protect her princess.