A noble pup’s tale: How to celebrate your dog’s lineage with photos, portraits & personality
15 Aug 2025 | 3 min read
A noble pup’s tale: How to celebrate your dog’s lineage with photos, portraits & personality
Photo by Blue Bird
In the story of your life, captured in real time via photo reel, your beloved dog plays a starring role. It’s why pet photo books are among Mixbook’s best-sellers, and your family photo books absolutely must dedicate space to four-legged family members. But what is this main character’s motivation? (Treats and belly rubs, probably.) What are their unique personality traits? Do you know your pup’s origin story?
To celebrate National Dog Month, Mixbook has partnered with Know Your Pet DNA by Ancestry. Together, we’ll help you answer those questions and turn your dog’s DNA and personality into a beautifully crafted story.
Mixbook x Know Your Pet DNA
Pairing your favorite dog photos with knowledge about their canine lineage is a really fun way to create a photo book. That’s why Mixbook has partnered with Know Your Pet DNA by Ancestry. This remarkable service analyzes your dog’s DNA to provide you with a comprehensive breed breakdown, behavioral and physical trait reports, and DNA matching with relatives in the Know Your Pet DNA database. (The Breeds & Health kit even includes 200+ screenings for health conditions.)
Whether you know a little or a lot about your dog’s heritage and the lineage of their breed(s), the report is full of fascinating insights. Does your dog turn into an anxious mess the moment you grab your keys? Do they transform into a four-legged security system every time a delivery truck pulls up to your home? Maybe they’re surprisingly muscular for their size, or they sport a rare variant of coat color! Well, there might be a scientific explanation for your dog’s unique quirks—the answers are in their DNA.
Beyond satisfying your curiosity, the information about your pet’s lineage can inspire a custom photo book that’s equal parts meaningful and hilarious. A photo of your dog annihilating a squeaky rabbit toy could be captioned “She’s 50% Beagle, so bunny doesn’t stand a chance.” With a blurry pic of your pooch running at top speed, create a race-themed spread titled “Her great-great grandmother was a Greyhound!”
Tools for creating historical AI portraits have been trending, so why not join in with your dog’s newly discovered heritage as inspiration? This creative storytelling tool offers a fun way to showcase your dog’s lineage in a photo book. Input your dog’s DNA results and generate images that appear to be their most regal ancestors.
These portraits, which are styled like antique oil paintings, nod to the geographic origins of a breed as well as traditional roles. Include them in your photo book as a playful way to reflect your dog’s personality and “inner spirit.”
This impressive Xoloitzcuintli is posed as an important, lavishly dressed Maya ruler, complete with a backdrop of ancient pyramids.
This Saint Bernard is “painted” in the style of an old European military hero, with medals pinned to his chest. Perhaps they were awarded for mountain rescues, for which this Alpine breed is famous. Your dog must be so proud of this brave ancestor!
Your part-Bloodhound pooch’s ancestor is depicted leading an old-fashioned hunt in the wintry European countryside. Your sporting dog may have inherited such skills and poise.
These portraits playfully depict a Border Collie as a medieval shepherdess, a Hokkaido as a Japanese noblewoman in her kimono in front of cherry blossoms, and a French Bulldog styled à la Marie Antoinette. Could these delightful depictions represent your dog’s illustrious ancestors? It’s fun to imagine!
How will you celebrate National Dog Month?
Your dog would probably like to celebrate the occasion with extra walks, treats, and cuddles. We think there’s no better way to honor the incredible role pets play in our lives than by dedicating a photo book to all the things that make your dog so special. Science might say those traits are their DNA, but don’t forget about nurture—meaning all the love you’ve lavished upon your four-legged pal.
