
We all know that dog owners want to provide only the best health care and nutrition for their dogs, but sometimes you probably have wondered whether your lovely four-legged friend gets everything he needs. We bet you had a doubt at least once in a lifetime what ‘type’ of dog you really have and how does his health background look like.
Canine DNA tests have become very popular lately and their main purpose is to exactly identify the breed composite of a dog, find out what kind of behavior to expect in future, and how to discover potential disease-causing mutations. Of course, all the facts you’ll find out will not make you love him less. Dog DNA tests allow you to find out your dog’s hidden secrets and even who were their ancestors by going 3 generations back.
Dog genetic testing is not only a life-saving chance for your pet but it’s also fun and worth of a try. It provides you the opportunity to better care for him and understand his behavior and nutritive needs.
Top 5 Dog DNA Test Reviews
Overall, the Wisdom Panel 3.0 breed identification DNA test kit is a great choice for every pet owner who wants to get exceptionally accurate dog DNA testing. It’s definitely a good value for money that offers highly sensitive examinations and more accurate results than its predecessors.
Why use a dog DNA test?
If you ever wondered why anyone would put a dog on DNA testing, we want to tell you that those who did – have definitely made the right decision. Only a mixed-breed dog owner can understand someone’s need for finding out a dog’s detailed breed and health history, because often happens that a dog owner was sure that he lives with at least 70% American Staffordshire Terrier and then found out his four-legged fellow is 30% Rottweiler, 40 % Pit Bull and 30 % Labrador Retriever. By putting your dog on genetic testing you’ll also become aware of your dog’s possible health problems.There are many dog DNA tests on the market, however, Embark and Wisdom Panel Tests are considered the best dog DNA tests. By discovering your dog’s possible health issues on time- you will be better prepared to help him and accordingly provide him with the best care. Different dog breed tests are certainly a fun way for understanding who your dog actually is. By using a similar method like human DNA testing, dog DNA tests will provide you the chart of explained percentages why your dog has so pointy ears or great swimming abilities. Dog genetic testing serves not only to find out a dog’s breed composition, but also for discovering his pedigree, lineage, and parental age.
Are dog DNA tests accurate?
If the sample is taken correctly then you can be sure you’ve got the right results. A dog shouldn’t eat or chew at least one hour before you take the sample. Dog owners should also be especially careful not to leave their own DNA on examination swabs because the results may be incorrect. Most dog breed DNA tests cover about 97 % of the mixed breed population while Wisdom Panel Tests has the biggest dog breed database in the World. However, there’s only one case where you may not get such valuable results about your dog’s DNA. In case you own a mixed dog breed that comes from more than two/three dog breeds, then it would be much difficult for the dog breed test to identify all the history of your dog. On the other hand, if you own a mixed dog breed from pure breed parents, you can be sure that the test will be 100 % accurate. When you decide to do a dog breed DNA testing you also need to keep in mind that many dog breeds are extremely closely related. That means that so-called purebred dogs are also a ‘product’ of other breeds such as the American Staffordshire terrier. So, the main thing you can expect from a canine DNA test is that it will show you the possession of the main breeds your dog’s having. Like a human being, a dog’s appearance may also vary beside the fact he doesn’t show any physical appearance with the breeds that the test has shown.
What to look when picking the best dog DNA test?
Since there is a huge choice of dog breed DNA test on the Market these are some most important things you should take into consideration:
- A wide range of genetic markers tested: Not all DNA tests are the same because each has specific points- so-called markers. The more markers the test ‘covers’ the more correct a dog genetic testing is going to be. Although such tests tend to be more expensive, remember that DNA tests with a larger number of markers will provide you with more accurate results.-
- Large database of dog breeds: While some tests reach only 80 dog breeds, there are also those with a larger number of dog breeds in the database. According to the American Kennel Club, there are currently 190 recognized dog breeds in the world. Most dog breed DNA tests don’t cover all recognized dog breeds, but there are also a few that are considered for the best on the market.
- A wide range of genetic health risks: When picking the right dog DNA test, it’s extremely important to know the range of genetic health risks that give the information about your dog’s current and future health. It is desirable to find a test with a range of 140-160 genetic health risk factors. However, you also need to keep in mind that some tests don’t have such a research included.
- Physical traits report: Dog genetic tests may also vary in detecting a dog’s physical traits. Before choosing a dog DNA test, you may need to make sure that the company you’ve chosen will provide you true physical traits report based on your dog’s DNA and not on a specific dog breed. Since every living being has different DNA, it wouldn’t be of any worth to have a test with basic information about certain dog breeds. –
- Wolf test: Some dog DNA tests offer the wolf test that shows whether a dog has wolf origins.
How Does Dog DNA testing work?
First of all, you need to know that not all dog breed DNA tests work the same and give 100% accuracy. While some tests offer more genetic markers tested, others test a larger number of dog breeds. By online ordering a dog DNA test kit, you’ll also need to read all the instructions.Taking the dog’s DNA sample is pretty easy to do. You only need to carefully swab the inside of your dog’s cheek. When we say carefully we mean to do it in sterile conditions and not to compost a dog’s DNA with yours. After you took the dog’s saliva sample, you need to mail it back to the company’s lab as soon as possible. The company examines your dog’s sample by putting it in a solution that takes the cheek cells off the swab and releases the DNA. The next step includes the analysis of the information found in your dog’s DNA and thousands of other purebred dogs.The wait time for the results usually lasts between 2-7 weeks.
Conclusion
In order to choose the right dog DNA test, we suggest you considering all DNA testing kit reviews for each dog genetic test written. However, one thing is for sure-dog DNA tests may save your dog’s life by discovering possible health issues, and taking into account your dog’s wellness and exercise needs. By providing you with detailed information, you’ll know what to expect from your dog and how to react in certain situations (whether we talk about his health or behavior). By carefully considering all DNA testing kit reviews, and observing customers’ reviews, the Wisdom Panel 3.0 dog DNA identification breed test seems to be the perfect choice. It’s much cheaper than Embark and still offers all the exams that the best dog DNA test should provide.