DNA Tests – DNA Q&A

Most of us consider our dogs as family members. Because of this, we want to be sure about a lot of things concerning them, such as their health status and personality traits. It can be easy to tell which types our dogs are if they are a pure breed. However, it is a completely different matter if they are mixed breeds. The good news is that we can have their DNA tested to determine which breeds of dogs their ancestors are, as well as learn about so many other important things about our loving and loyal furry pals. Are you planning on getting the DNA of your mixed breed dog tested? The best DNA testing site for the job is Wisdom Panel. According to the online reviews of owners of mixed-breed dogs, the company is very good at providing a detailed look at the family tree of a dog with all kinds of breeds. Customers also love the fact that the site's DNA test kit is so easy to use. Other than learning about the various breeds that make up your canine friend, getting its DNA tested also allows you to learn so many things about it. These pieces of information can come in very handy, especially if you do not know your dog's background that much for reasons such as you obtained it from the shelter or it was given to you as a gift for your birthday. No matter the case, a simple DNA test for a dog makes it possible for trouble-free breed identification and also the establishment of details such as health risks and even the age as well as the expected lifespan of your pawed buddy. Don't stop reading now if you would like to know more about your mixed breed dog — below you will come across some of the most important things you need to know about getting its DNA tested. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a commission, at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure. DNA Test for Dogs Versus DNA Test for Humans Perhaps you are one of the millions of people all over the planet who have had their DNA tested by some of the most popular ancestry or genealogy sites these days. Nothing can be more fun and exciting than obtaining your DNA test results and learning about your ancestors and getting acquainted with family members you never knew you had. Well, it is not just the DNA of humans that can be tested but the DNA of dogs as well. This does not really come as a surprise because all living creatures have genetic materials in them which contain DNA. It is important to note, however, that DNA testing companies on the web for learning about your ancestry are not the same service providers that you should run to if you want the DNA of your dog tested. These days, there are service providers operating on the web that are exclusive for providing canine DNA tests. Needless to say, you can choose from any one of them if you would like your furry best friend to undergo a DNA test. But then again, not all DNA testing sites for dogs are created equal. Some of them specialize in identifying certain things that a simple DNA test can reveal about dogs. For instance, there are sites that dedicate themselves to determining the health risks of dogs based on the fact that, just like in human beings, some medical issues can be passed by parent dogs to their puppies. Then there are also DNA sites that concentrate on determining the breeds of canines, pure or mixed breeds alike. Telling the Breed of a Dog is Harder Than You Think In some instances, it can be hard to tell the breed of a dog simply by looking at it. If a dog resembles a German shepherd as well as a golden retriever at the same time, then it is certain that the canine is made up of a couple of breeds. However, just because a dog looks like it is a specific breed doesn't necessarily mean that it is nothing but that breed only. If truth be told, there are dogs that look like they are a pure breed, but they are not! According to experts in dog breeds, there are some pure breed dogs that do not completely appear like the breed standard. Similarly, there are also some mixed breed dogs that look just like the breed standard. The pros add that these mixed breeds simply won the DNA lottery. Taking a quick look at your dog, needless to say, is not enough to determine if it is pure breed or not. So what can you do if you would like to be certain of the breed of your beloved pet? Experts suggest for you to check his pedigree papers. If you have a Shih Tzu, for it to be regarded as a pure breed, its mother and father should be pure breed Shih Tzus. This only means that the parents of its parents should also be pure breed Shih Tzus. Fret not if you lost the pedigree papers of your dog, or you have no access to it. That's because there is something else that may be done if your goal is to reveal whether or not your barking buddy is a pure breed. Such can be done by having his DNA tested by a dog DNA testing company operating on the web. Accuracy of DNA Tests for Dogs These days, the price of a DNA test for a dog can range anywhere from $60 to $170. Sometimes it can come with an even higher price tag, depending on the popularity and credibility of the DNA testing company as well as the kind of information included in the DNA test results. Having the DNA of your pet tested for determining its breed or health, needless to say, is not cheap. This is why no one can blame you if you question the accuracy of DNA tests designed for dogs. If truth be told, it is very much possible for the DNA test results to be highly accurate. Just like a DNA test for a human, a DNA test for a dog is a science that is proven to recognize precisely the DNA profile of a pooch. Especially if a dog is a pure breed or close to being one, a DNA testing company for dogs can identify without any trouble the breed or breeds of its ancestors. According to experts, it is a good idea for a dog owner like you to opt for a company on the web with an impressive DNA database in order to get highly detailed DNA test results. For a service provider to have a DNA database that is massive, it needs to have had tested lots and lots of DNA of dogs. Unfortunately, the DNA test of even the most reliable service provider around may fail to identify every single breed that contributes to the breed of the dog if it is a mix of so many different breeds. So, to sum up, a DNA test for a dog is only accurate if it is a pure breed or made up of only a handful of breeds. The Breed is Not the Only Information That May be Revealed If you really love your furry family member and you would like to get to know it better in a way that only science can make possible, then we highly recommend for you to have its DNA tested. Contrary to popular belief, a DNA test for a dog is not only good for revealing its breed, but also a few other important matters an owner would be interested in. Most especially if your dog means a lot to you, being together for so many years to come is definitely a priority. Sadly, dogs do not live as long as humans like us. The good news is that keeping our best buds healthy can help in making them stay around longer, thus allowing us to spend more happy times and make more unforgettable memories with them. And a simple way to keep them in the pink of health is to know which canine health issues they are likely to suffer from. This is when the benefit of getting the DNA of your dog tested becomes clear as crystal. Depending on the DNA testing site on the web, you can be informed which diseases or illnesses exclusive to the breed of your dog or its ancestors are likely to strike one day. By means of DNA test results that provide comprehensive health-related details, you and your veterinarian may work together in order to keep your dog out of harm's way. For example, if the DNA test results say that your dog is at high risk of having diabetes, then you and your vet may come up with the best meal plan that can help to fend off diabetes. Aside from potential health problems, a DNA test may also reveal the age of your dog and also its expected lifespan based on its health state as well as breed. DNA Testing Companies for Dogs When having your genealogy or ancestry tested using your DNA, you can expect for the DNA test results to be released 6 to 8 weeks after the company has received the tube filled with your saliva. Sometimes it can take longer than that, especially if the service provider you have chosen has a lot of DNA samples to test. The good news is that there is no need for a dog owner like you to wait for a long time to get your hands on the DNA test results of your bone-loving buddy. Usually, it takes only 2 to 3 weeks for the DNA test results to become available. However, the said timeframe may still be affected by certain factors such as the volume of customers of the DNA testing company, or if the DNA sample you submitted was contaminated and another one has to be collected. Just like when having your DNA tested for learning about your ancestors and building your family tree, getting the DNA of your dog tested is as easy as rubbing the cotton swab in the test kit against the inner cheek of your panting pal. Do take note that there are DNA testing companies for dogs that require a blood sample, which has to be obtained by taking the dog to the veterinary clinic. Testing your DNA lets you discover family members that you never knew you had. Well, the same is true for having your pet's DNA tested. Are you aware of the fact that a DNA test can reveal if your dog has a wolf, coyote, or fox blood coursing through its veins? Certainly, getting the DNA of your dog tested allows you to understand why its personality is like that, or it tends to behave in certain ways! Wisdom Panel VS. Embark Searching for DNA testing companies on the web allows you to come across many different ones. As a general rule of thumb, it is a great idea for you to opt for a service provider that is trusted by a lot of dog owners these days. That's due to the fact that its DNA database is much larger than the rest, which is vital for getting a more informative and reliable DNA test results for your furry pal. These days, there are a couple of names that tend to stand out. They are Wisdom Panel and Embark. So which one of these two you should go for if you would like to learn about the breed of your dog? Just like what was mentioned earlier in this article, the best DNA test for a mixed breed dog is none other than Wisdom Panel. First and foremost, the company is focused on identifying the different breeds that are embedded in the DNA of a mixed breed dog. So if your pooch has an assortment of breeds and you have no idea what they are, then consider purchasing a DNA test kit from Wisdom Panel. Through this company operating on the web, you will realize why your dog tends to bark a lot or loves to dig. In addition, knowing the breeds that make up your dog allows you and your veterinarian to make the best meal, nutrition, and health care plan for your beloved pet. However, this does not mean that Embark is not good. If truth be told, a lot of dog owners are very satisfied with the amount of information included by the service provider in the DNA test results. For instance, Embark DNA Test (Amazon) is capable of providing details about the ancestors of a dog up to its great grandparents. What's more, the company claims that it can offer risk assessment for more than 160 diseases that dogs may develop in their lifetime. So which of the two should you go for? If your only goal for identifying the various breeds that make up your mixed dog breed, then opt for Wisdom Panel — it is the most trusted when it comes to having the DNA of mixed breeds tested. Going for Embark is recommended if you want to learn a few other things about your pet dog. P.S. If you can no longer get your hands on the pedigree papers of your barking buddy, you may have its DNA tested. This allows you to understand some of the reasons why your dog looks or behaves like that. In some instances, getting its DNA analyzed makes it possible for you to learn which health-related issues it may develop one day. By means of this, the necessary steps to keep it out of harm's way may be carried out by you and your vet. However, it's important for you to bear in mind that your dog loves you unconditionally. It is certainly a wonderful idea for you to return the favor by loving it just as unconditionally. This is true no matter if it is a pure breed or a mixed breed. No one can really stop you from shelling out money just to have the DNA of your dog analyzed by a service provider that specializes in testing the DNA of canines. Just see to it that the DNA test results will only change the meals that you offer your dog and the health supplements it gets, and not the amount of love that it deserves from its owner. When planning on purchasing a DNA test kit for your dog, make sure that you look for the most reputable company around. These days, you can choose from many different ones. If you have a mixed breed dog and you want to identify the different breeds in his blood, then consider going for Wisdom Panel. That's because it is known to specialize in testing the DNA of dogs having an assortment of breeds. But if you wish to learn about matters pertaining to the health of your best bud, it is best for you to opt for a site that specializes in determining the health risks of a dog. Photo credit: ©canva.com/miriam-doerr