As Puerto Rican culture took center stage during Sunday’s Super Bowl LX halftime show featuring Bad Bunny, a Chicago dog owner was celebrating a discovery of her own at home—one that connected her rescue pup to the island in an unexpected way.
Owner Katrina Coakley told Newsweek via email that she adopted her dog, Maverick, from Border Tails Rescue in Northbrook, Illinois. Curious about Maverick’s lineage, Coakley turned to Embark to test his DNA. The result left her surprised as his DNA was 64.2 percent Puerto Rican Village Dog, a breed classification she had “never heard before.”
Also known as satos, Puerto Rican Village Dogs trace their roots to ancient populations that followed Indigenous people to Puerto Rico and later mixed with canines brought by early European settlers, according to an article from Embark. These dogs have lived on the island for thousands of years, largely free-ranging and breeding independently.
The discovery of her dog’s ancestry made her proud to have her “own little piece” of Puerto Rico beside her. On Sunday, she shared Maverick’s story and DNA results on her Threads account, @katgab317, ahead of the island being celebrated on one of the world’s biggest stages.
“What I thought was fascinating to read is that these Village dogs often carry DNA from many ancient lineages that followed Indigenous peoples to Puerto Rico,” she said. “These dogs existed long before modern breeds of dogs like golden retrievers.”
An article from Adopt a Pet states that satos are typically intelligent and affectionate. They’re easy to please and quick learners.
“From what I have read, Village dogs tend to be independent thinkers, smart, but not blindly obedient,” Coakley said. “This means he decided whether he wants to listen to me or not.
Maverick is observant. He loves sitting on the patio and watching people or other dogs walk past. She said he will sometimes stand on his hind legs and start walking. It took her time to realize why, but it is usually because he spots another dog somewhere nearby.
“Maverick loves every single dog he’s ever met,” she said. “He needs to say hello to all of them, but it’s usually just a sniff or two, a wag of the tail, and then he’s ready to move along.”
He enjoys being within easy access to Coakley, who calls it loyal in a steady way rather than overly needy.
As for the rest of Maverick’s makeup, the DNA result listed Chow Chow, golden retriever, Labrador retriever and Doberman pinscher.
Viewer Reactions
Coakley’s Threads post, which included photos of Maverick, touched hearts, and some familiar with the breed called them “the best dogs.”
“Viva la sateria!! Congrats in owning of the best dog lineage ever!! Ours lived a long happy life. Spoil that baby,” one user replied.
Another person said: “Very cool. Sweet pup.”
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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