As Breeders Test DNA, Dogs Become Guinea Pigs

Wendy, right, is a "bully whippet," while Fox is a regular whippet.

FORT MOTT STATE PARK, N.J. — When mutant, muscle-bound puppies started showing up in litters of champion racing whippets, the breeders of the normally sleek dogs invited scientists to take DNA samples at race meets here and across the country. They hoped to find a genetic cause for the condition and a way to purge it from the breed.

It worked. “Bully whippets,” as the heavyset dogs are known, turn out to have a genetic mutation that enhances muscle development. And breeders may not want to eliminate the “bully” gene after all. The scientists found that the same mutation that pumps up some whippets makes others among the fastest dogs on the track.

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Comments

Anonymous said…
I don't know who checked facts for this article (and all the permutations of it floating around the internet) but bully whippets ARE NOT euthanised. They are usually adopted out as pet-quality under a spay/neuter contract, but unlike what these articles report they are not killed simply because they lack the skinny sleek lines of their less-muscled brethren.
2:12 AM
The WillaWoman said…
Thank you for that information!
The WillaWoman
2:19 PM
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