Owner DNA-Tests Deaf Dog Who Became Foster Fail-‘Was Not Expecting' Results
What started as a routine DNA test for a deaf foster dog turned into a surprising revelation that left her owner saying she "was not expecting" the results.
Hilary, a foster-based rescuer in New York who shares her journey on Instagram under @brooklynfosterclub, recently posted an update on the subreddit r/DoggyDNA about her 5-year-old dog Frankie, whom she started fostering in January. She expected Frankie to be a pit bull mix, but a DNA test result from Embark Veterinary revealed a single breed: 100 percent American pit bull terrier.
The results left Hilary stunned, even prompting her to question the accuracy. She told Newsweek via email that she contacted Embark to confirm the findings. She received a “thoughtful email” back from an Embark employee, who assured Frankie’s DNA was consistent with single-breed American pit bull terriers in their database, adding that no other detectable ancestry was found within the testing threshold of three to five generations back.
Full-bred or not, Frankie quickly stole Hilary’s heart. A few weeks into fostering, Hilary and her partner decided that they couldn’t part with Frankie, and the dog became a foster fail. They both knew she was “the one,” but Hilary initially hesitated to make it official until she was sure Frankie would thrive in a multi-dog home, since she intends to continue fostering, she said.
Purebred’s Traumatic History
“Even though Frankie is technically ‘pure-bred,’ we suspect she comes from some kind of backyard breeding situation,” Hilary said. “Pure-bred doesn’t always mean ‘well-bred!'”
Frankie first entered the animal shelter in 2021 at 8 months old and was adopted shortly after. However, the adopters never returned for her spay appointment. She was brought back to the Animal Care Centers of NYC as a stray on January 13, 2026, with visible signs of being bred at least once, Hilary said.
Although she was microchipped with contact information for several people, no one wanted her back. She struggled being in a closed kennel, and suffered anxiety, which is when Every Last One Rescue decided to pull her into their care. Timing worked out as Hilary’s prior foster had been adopted, leading her to take Frankie in after her spay surgery.
Discovering Frankie’s Deafness
Frankie's story became even more meaningful when Hilary realized she was deaf-something not clearly documented when she arrived.
Hilary said she remembered seeing videos of Frankie during her first stint at the shelter, where volunteers suspected she was deaf. It became obvious to Hilary as soon as she brought her home.
“She didn’t know any commands at all,” she said. “She sleeps on our couch, and she didn’t notice we had woken up in the morning until I went over and pet her to wake her up. She also had no idea when we came home until she saw us!”
To test her suspicions, Hilary waited until she was fast asleep and then banged pots and pans, which did not make her flinch. The discovery was meaningful to Hilary, an audiologist with a deaf cousin-it felt like fate.
“I’m not fluent at all in American Sign Language, but I do know quite a bit,” she said. “Frankie didn’t know any commands, and now she knows 12 signs! Sit, down, up, come, stay, place, off, eat, bathroom, yes, no, pound it.”
Life After Adoption
Since her gotcha day, Frankie settled into home life with ease. She’s been nothing but a sweetheart and Velcro dog, always staying close to her humans, which is what Hilary wanted. She arrived potty trained, leash-ready and eager for affection.
“She’s lower energy, happy to just lie across my lap most of the day while I’m working from home,” Hilary said. “She’s still learning to play with toys, but she’s super goofy whenever she does.”
However, Frankie does have several health considerations consistent with her background, including a low-grade heart murmur, dental and jaw abnormalities, and brachycephalic airway traits that can make her extra sensitive to heat and strenuous exercise.
“Plus she snores like a sailor and snots like a piggie,” Hilary said.
Viewer Reactions
Like Hilary, several Reddit users shared their shock about the dog’s DNA results, and as of Tuesday, the post had reached over 900 votes and 100 comments.
“This is the only full pit that has ever surprised me tbh,” said one person, while another wrote: “He's so cute and floppy looking!”
A third user commented: “Omg those saggy jowls. I’d literally kiss them all the time. I defo would have guessed maybe a little Sharpei or bulldog. Not 100% pit. A beauty regardless!”
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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 9:27 PM.