We have new addition to the Double Six team… well sort of. She comes to the office everyday, but she doesn’t do much work. Her office responsibilities include: greeting guests with loud tail-wags and enthusiastic kisses, day-dreaming and sleeping the day away, and, most importantly, getting us away from our desks and out of the office for periodic walks.

Her name is Buca, and she’s a mutt just like the rest of us. We adopted her when she was 6 months old from the Oakland Animal Shelter last summer. We thought she was probably a Labrador / Pit Bull / Something-else mix.

As we settled into our routine, however, we began to wonder what created all her endearing traits (i.e. love for the water, sociable flair, occasional retrieval skills, evening cuddliness, and excessive kisses), as well as some of her more frustrating traits (i.e. jumping up, running in circles, leash aggression, and excessive kisses).

Last month I ordered a DNA kit. (www.wisdompanelinsights.com) Yes, you read that correctly… laugh if you like. In a couple days a package arrived in the mail. It contained 2 sterile brush-like swabs, and I was instructed to swirl them around on her cheek and send them back. Within just a few weeks, the results were in!

It turns out that she’s not a Lab/Pit mix, as we had expected. In fact, she had no Labrador in her at all, and only had a faint trace of American Staffordshire terrier (a relative of the American Pit Bull). Her main breeds turned out to be Boxer / Boston Terrier!

At first I didn’t believe that my 55 lb bundle of love could possible be related to the more diminutive Boston Terrier. But as I absorbed this analysis over the past month, I researched the breeds in detail and observed Buca with fascination. Sure enough, there it was! The DNA results explained so many of her behavior traits, and I could easily recognize the physical traits that she acquired from each breed. Amazing!

I guess it comes down to the old saying we all learned from our parents — you just can’t judge a book by it’s cover.

We are super excited about the launch of our new website today. It’s been in the works for a while, and it feels great to send it out into the world! This blog is one of the most exciting additions to our online presence, as now we can keep you updated on current project releases, articles or news coverage of our past work, or even cool creative inspiration. Please check back often, and feel free to create conversation through your commentary. We look forward to speaking with you!