Dog DNA Testing

Ever wondered what breeds are in your dog?

You can use dog DNA testing to:

• verify the breed of dog for purebreds
• identify the breeds in your mixed breed dog
• identify the breeds of the father and mother of a litter

Tests cost around $75, and take a few weeks for the lab to process the results. Cheaper tests may not test for as many American Kennel Club (AKC) breeds than more expensive tests do.

Is Dog DNA Testing Accurate?
Dog DNA testing is accurate, but there are a few limitations:

• Dog DNA testing does not identify all breeds of dog. Depending on the test, tests claim to identify between 38 and 62 unique American Kennel Club (AKC) identified breeds. Dog DNA testing gives you the percentages (or levels) of specific breeds in your dog. A dog may be primarily a breed that's not on this list, but that breed won't show up in the testing. So, you may learn your dog's 1/16 Pug, but the test won't tell you the dog's 50% Australian Cattle Dog, because the DNA test doesn't test for Australian Cattle Dog.
• Because dog DNA testing is fairly new, DNA kits continually add to the number of breeds they test for.
• At best, dog DNA tests can prove a dog is 75% from one specific breed. The tests cannot determine 100% breed purity. So, dog DNA test results cannot be used to register a dog as a purebred.

Dog DNA Tests Compared

There are quite a few Dog DNA Testing kits out there, so comparison shopping can be tough. The table is sortable.

All of the dog DNA testing kits in the table use a simple, at home cheek swab, so there's no need for an expensive, time-consuming blood sample at your vet.

Tests do have some important differences in cost, the number of breeds tested for, and delivery times.

Dog DNA Canine Heritage XL Test

The Dog DNA Canine Heritage XL Test offers tests for 100 breeds.

The kit should arrive at your door within three to seven days. The company claims that results are available in four to six weeks by USPS mail.

Results include a frame quality Certificate of DNA Breed Analysis with a photo of your dog (if you provide a digital photo).

Based in the US, the Dog DNA Canine Heritage XL Test costs $79.95. The cost includes laboratory processing fees, and shipping and handling charges.

Wisdom Panel Insights Dog Breed DNA Test Kit
Wisdom Panel's Insights Dog DNA kit tests for 185 breeds.
Results are available in 2 to 3 weeks, and you can check progress of your dog's sample online.

Wisdom Panel is one of the industry leaders in mixed breed Dog DNA testing.

Results include a downloadable multi-page report, and a Breed Certificate report.
Based in the US, the Wisdom Panel Insights Dog Breed DNA Test Kit costs $69.99. Shipping is included.

DNA My Dog
DNA My Dog's kit tests for 63 breeds.

Results are promised online in less than two weeks, and the company says paperwork follows in the mail a few days later. An online link allows you to check the status of your dog's test results.

Results include a custom certificate with a photo of your dog stating their unique DNA composition and a percentage breakdown of breeds in your dog. Results also include a personalized analysis of breeds found in your dog, including personality traits and genetic health concerns, including any diseases the breeds found in your dog are pre-disposed to.

A Canadian company, DNA My Dog's kit costs $59.99 Canadian dollars. Processing Fees are included.

I spoke to the folks at DNA My Dog, and they tell me that they cannot legally ship the kit to the US.

BioPet DNA Breed Identification Kit
After settling out of court in a patent infringement suit, BioPet is no longer selling canine DNA breed identification markets. If you bought a kit on or before June 15, 2011, BioPet will process your samples (for a limited period of time) and provide results.

PetSafe Dog DNA Test Kit
Like BioPet, PetSafe is no longer selling dog DNA test kits after setting out of court in a patent infringement suit.

How is Dog DNA Testing Done?
A DNA sample taken from a swab on the inside of the cheek is as accurate as a blood test, since the DNA in the cheek and blood is the same.

Mixed breed dog DNA testing can be done done at home, using a cheek swab, so you don't need a veterinarian to do a DNA test for your dog.

The process is simple. Basically, you order a kit, take a swab from your dog's cheek, put the swab in a test tube, and mail the kit to the lab. A few weeks later, the lab sends you your results in the mail. There's no need for a blood sample, since all of the DNA is taken from the swab of the inside of the dog's cheek.

While the taking your dog's DNA sample, it's important to read the instructions carefully. For example, you need to be careful not to contaminate the cheek swab with your DNA. Don't touch the cheek swab with your fingers, and be careful not to let your hair or eyelashes fall on the swab.

Results
Dog DNA testing results are broken down into several categories:
Primary: Where the results say your dog is 50% or more from one of the recognized breeds.
Secondary Where results say your dog is less than 50% from one of the recognized breeds. However, there's still enough of one of the recognized breeds to make a significant impact.
Mixed: Where recognized breeds can be identified in your dog, but they have little impact on your dog's looks or health concerns.

Some newer tests break down the dog DNA testing results into more categories. In these tests, Level 1 indicates your dog is 75% a specific breed.

Behavior and Health
Knowing the specific breeds in your dog can give you some important clues about your dog's behavior and health.

Some breeds are more likely to develop health issues. So knowing your dog is made of up one of those breeds can help you and your vet watch out for specific health problems.
Knowing your dog's breed can help you adjust your dog's diet and exercise, since breeds vary in their nutritional and exercise needs.

Your dog's temperament is partly determined by their genetics. Knowing your dog's breed can help you predict and identify behaviors related to their breeds. Knowing your dog is part terrier can help you nip the terrier's dominance-related behaviors in the bud. Finding out that your dog is part Basenji, a notoriously independent breed, can help you understand why your dog has always seemed so aloof.

What Breeds can Dog DNA Testing Identify?
Depending on the lab, dog DNA testing can identify almost 175 breeds, including:

• Afghan Hound
• Airedale Terrier
• Akita
• American Eskimo Dog
• Australian Shepherd
• Basenji
• Basset Hound
• Beagle
• Belgian Tervuren
• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Bichon Frise
• Border Collie
• Borzoi
• Boston Terrier
• Boxer
• Brittany
• Bulldog
• Bull Terrier
• Chihuahua
• Chinese Shar-Pei
• Chow Chow
• Cocker Spaniel
• Collie
• Dachshund
• Dalmatian
• Doberman Pinscher
• English Setter
• English Springer Spaniel
• German Shepherd Dog
• German Shorthaired Pointer
• Golden Retriever
• Great Dane
• Great Pyrenees
• Greyhound
• Irish Setter
• Italian Greyhound
• Keeshond
• Labrador Retriever
• Lhasa Apso
• Maltese
• Mastiff
• Miniature Pinscher
• Newfoundland
• Norwegian Elkhound
• Papillon
• Parson Russell Terrier
• Pekingese
• Pembroke Welsh Corgi
• Pomeranian
• Poodle
• Pug
• Rhodesian Ridgeback
• Rottweiler
• Saint Bernard
• Saluki
• Schnauzer
• Scottish Terrier
• Shetland Sheepdog
• ShihTzu
• Siberian Husky
• Weimaraner
• West Highland White Terrier
• Yorkshire Terrier

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