How do I verify which breed my dog is? (For insurance document)

sweet-rasmus

Hi all, I adopted a dog from a rescue three months ago. (My first dog!) I was told she was a Terrier. From googling it I think she is a Patterdale Terrier. I haven’t met others like her on our walks. I’ve asked at two different vets and they are reluctant to assign her a specific breed and called her a Terrier. They guessed she was about 2 years old.

People I’ve talked to on our walks have told me they’ve used online companies to find out the breed. Can you recommend any?

Recently my husband took out pet insurance for her with Allianz and guessed when answering breed type (purebred / crossbreed / mixed breed) and breed as we just don’t know for sure. (I wondered if choosing purebred would mean more costly insurance... Maybe I’m better off not knowing?!) My husband put her down as a ‘Patterdale Terrier cross’ (selected from the list provided) and ‘Mixed breed’ (“an indeterminate breed”) and now I’m fretting about how we should have answered this question. I feel silly saying it, but I’m well aware that insurance companies can be troublesome about claims, and the cost would change depending on my choice, and we don’t know the correct answer! Should I ask them to update the details to just call her a Terrier, as is on her microchipping cert? Thanks for any feedback.

peasant

...just ask her what she identifies as (SCNR)

Terrier mix is what I would say

tk123

You’re overthinking things OP! It’ll be fine

Duke of Url

Put her down as a Jack Russell

Alun

They're probably only interested in breeds that have known health problems.

JustAThought

Alun wrote: »

They're probably only interested in breeds that have known health problems.

your insurance will be cheaper if she is a mixbreed.unless you know both parents or have papers you cant say exactly what she is.Dont make your life difficult by telling them she is a rescue because they might impose penalty costs on you -just say terrier mix and leave it at that.Alliance have a v good reputation for not messing people about unlike many others so just write mix breed terrier & go with that & stop overthinking it!! : )

em_cat

JustAThought wrote: »

your insurance will be cheaper if she is a mixbreed.unless you know both parents or have papers you cant say exactly what she is.Dont make your life difficult by telling them she is a rescue because they might impose penalty costs on you -just say terrier mix and leave it at that.Alliance have a v good reputation for not messing people about unlike many others so just write mix breed terrier & go with that & stop overthinking it!! : )

Penalties for it being a rescue? We’ve 2 & both with Allianz, never had penalties or loading if that’s what you mean. OP, just put mix breed as unless you’ve papers & parentage it doesn’t make a difference. Sorry, meant to say she’s a beauty, love the ears.

twomonkeys

Put down Terrier cross, that is what your vet has her recorded as as so any documents that the vet submits will have terrier cross on them. The Insurance will only cross check your details against the vet, they’re not going to query more than that.