If you’re not sure of your dog’s breed and are interested in finding out more, there are lots of dog DNA tests out there today. Here’s how most work: You purchase a dog DNA kit online or at your veterinary office, take two cheek swabs from your pet’s mouth, send in the swabs and a small information form in a prepaid mailer, and within a few weeks you receive a certificate of breed analysis. The cost is approximately $80-$120.
Some testing options include:
BioPet Vet Lab
The Canine Heritage XL Breed Test
The Dog Breed DNA Test
The Wisdom Panel™ MX Mixed-Breed Dog DNA Test
There are, however, a few limitations. Only certain breeds are identifiable at this point (more are to come), and you will only be told a general percentage of a match (for example, the service may determine that about 20-40% of your dog’s DNA matches a certain breed or 40-70% matches another breed).
When I got Riley tested with the BioPet Vet Lab test, I was told she was part Saluki, Poodle, German Shepherd, Border Collie, and Great Dane. These were all pretty low matches (about 20-40 percent or so of those breeds matched with Riley’s DNA), but if you look at her picture on the “About” page, you’ll realize it sounds pretty ludicrous. Either way, I felt it was worth finding out a little more information about her.
Have you DNA tested your dog? What was your experience?