Are dog DNA and genetic tests worth barking about?

Yes! The pet DNA testing industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the past 5 years. Dog DNA and genetic testing is now cheaper and easier than you think.

Back in 2014 as my husband and I walked the rows of dogs at the shelter, we saw a…husky? Malamute? Shepherd mix? She was picked up roaming the streets of Spokane Washington and had only been at the shelter for 24 hours of a 72 hour hold. We didn’t adopt a dog that day, but her face haunted our dreams (in a good way!) When the hold was over as we held our breath and headed back to the shelter. I was sure her people parents had been relieved she was safe and rushed to the shelter to pick her up. Or that someone adopted her right as her hold period ended. But alas, fate was on our side. Nobody had claimed her, nor had she been adopted. That is how “Sonic” joined our pack of 4 other dogs, some chickens and a flock of sheep.

I had a few misgivings about bringing an unknown breed who probably made a houdini escape and then roamed the streets. I figured if she was a Nordic breed, known for breaking out of fences and running long distances, she may require some extra care and attention. Rather than guess at her heritage, we got her DNA tested. Suddenly so many things about personality quirks started making sense (her breed mix is revealed later in this article.)

Why DNA test your dog?

In “hooman” land, we do DNA testing to learn more about our health and background. It’s become common over the past 5 years. The process is done at home with some spit on the at-home testing kit. It doesn’t require any expertise beyond the ability to read and follow basic instructions.

The same DNA testing approach applies to your pooch. Dog DNA testing is firmly rooted in science. While it pains me to say it, I’ll go out on a limb and say that dog genetic testing has become trendy! Generally “science” and “trendy” don’t go in the same sentence unless you’re Neil deGrasse Tyson. Dog DNA testing isn’t just a fad, despite all of the crazy “breed reveal” videos you may see online. Advances in technology over the past 15 years have brought the price down and greatly improved the accuracy.

3 reasons to DNA test your dog:

1. You’re curious about what’s “in” your dog. You know there is poop in there…but so are the genes that make your dog who he/she is.
2. You want to manage or get a jump on medical concerns that stem from genetics.
3. You are a breeder and want to confirm genetic traits and coat color (or you’re looking to confirm that the purebred dog is actually “purebred”)

What does your dog’s DNA tell you?

Quite a bit! All tests on the market include a base level of information. You can learn what breed or breeds make up your pup. The testing shows your dog’s ancestry, with most of the tests on the market going back to the great grand parent level. You can also learn what types of genetic conditions your pet might carry. Using this information, you can glean information about about personality traits, predisposition to disease and genetic health concerns. Just remember that Dog DNA testing isn’t as advanced (yet) as people DNA testing. This is a good article that outlines the differences in the people vs dog DNA analysis industries.

It’s easy to perform a DNA test on your dog.

Order your testing kit online or get it at a local pet store. Each brand has slightly different instruction, but they all collect specimens through saliva. No need to draw blood or go to the vet. But if you’re worried about doing it right, rest assured it’s easy. This is basically how they all work:

1. You’ll register your test kit online at your DNA tester’s website. Be sure to follow your tests instructions carefully.
2. The tests are simple cheek swabs with little bristles. You want your dog to get a bit of saliva going before you swab. Testing just before breakfast or dinner is a good time. Or just wave a smelly snack around the nose. Be sure to swab BEFORE feeding the snack or meal. Also be sure that the dog you are testing wasn’t just wrestling with another dog, wasn’t just at the dog park or anything else that may have recent slobber from another dog in or near your dogs mouth.
3. Stick the swab from your testing kit in along the cheek/gum line. Now rub it around, then pull it out and stick it in the container that came with your test kit. Put your sample in the postage pre-paid return envelope.
4. Wait 2-4 weeks for the results to come in. And now that the swab is safely in the mail, you can give your dog a snack and a kiss on the nose without contaminating them!

While the waiting is hard, it can also be fun. Many people make “dog DNA reveal videos” to share the results when they come in. Others have secretly bought a DNA test kit and then surprised their friend with the DNA results on a special day like Christmas, birthday or Valentines Day.

How to choose the right dog DNA test for your dog

You may have started reading this article because you were curious about what your pound-hound was made of. Now you probably realize that you may get some valuable health related data from a DNA test too.

There are only 2 core, scientific benefits that come from DNA testing: breed identification and genetic health screening. All of the dog DNA testing brands feature “nice to have’s” like certificates for framing, history of the breeds in your dog, how active/inactive your dog is likely to be based on his/her background and an analysis of the traits your dog may manifest throughout his/her life.

2 questions to ask yourself:

1. What is my budget? Typically costs range from $69 to $199 with varying features. The price difference reflects the number of features and the size of their databases.
2. Am I breed or genetic health focused? There is nothing wrong with either, or both! Many people want to know about what breeds make up their dog. Some people also worry about getting a jump on my dogs genetic health, while others would rather not have the “worry of the bad possibility” in their minds.

The less expensive tests will focus mostly on breed identification and ancestry. The more expensive tests include genetic health screening for your dog.

If cost isn’t a big factor and you just want to jump to the best overall solution for a combination of breed and genetic makeup, you can stop reading now and go with Embark. They cover the largest number of breeds and genetic tests as the best price. MSRP is $199, but they generally have a coupon available on their website.

Breed identification as your primary focus

Here are the choices to get the best bang for your buck:

1. The Wisdom Panel Breed Identification kit claims the world’s largest breed database of 350 dogs. $84.99 at Wisdom.com (often sold for less than MSRP $72.69 on Amazon).
2. DNA My Dog DNA testing has a dog breed database of 98 dogs. At $69.99 is the least expensive of the tests on the market and a fast 2 week turn around. Be aware that the smaller dbase size means the odds of your dog coming up with “unknown” results will be higher than with other tests.

Getting Wisdom on Amazon will give you a discount that makes it a no brainer to spend a few extra dollars to get your dog tested against 350 breeds rather than 98.

The Wisdom breed identifier test also includes whether your dog has either of the 2 most common genetic genetic mutations that impact pets:

1. Multidrug Sensitivity (MDR1) – this determines whether or not your dog will have side effects associated with certain medications. One of the most common impacts is on herding dogs.
2. Exercise-induced Collapse (DNM1) – Carriers of the EIC gene tend to be labradors. The symptoms of weakness during exercise can be mild or severe.  

Health genetic screening as your primary focus

There is one solid test that offers genetic screening in one a la carte test:

1. HomeDNA has a $125 test that does ONLY genetic screening. It includes analysis of 150 genetic mutations. No breed identification is included.

Breed identification AND health genetic screening

You have 3 solid choices at differing price points:

1. Embark Breed and Ancestry (165 genetic conditions) plus they have a neat “Discover your dog’s relatives” feature. This is similar to the human 23andme.com people DNA site that identifies “relatives”. It’s fun if you have an adopted dog and one of your pups relatives has also taken the embark test. MSRP $199
2. Wisdom Panel Breed and Health Identification (150 genetic health conditions MSRP $149.99). Don’t confuse this one with the breed identification only Wisdom Panel Breed ID product.
3. HomeDNA’s breed identification panel (235 breeds) that is sold separately from their health genetic screening (150 conditions). So to get the breed identification and the genetic health screening, you buy two kits rather than one. But That’s more expensive than the Embark or the Wisdom Breed and Health tests since both include breed ID and genetic screening in just one test.

So the world is your oyster (or your dog bone, if we stick with your dogs preference)

A quick note on the genetic mutation tests.

If your dog has a genetic mutation, that does NOT mean your dog is going to end up with the disease! Do NOT make medical decisions based on any pet health DNA or breed identification test. Always consult your vet!

Don’t start worrying and turn to Dr. Google. Take the information next time you have an annual checkup or shots with your vet. Provide your vet with the DNA results so they have it on file and can provide you with advice for YOUR pet. Remember that Dr. Google knows lots of general information. Your vet and you know your dog. Also keep in mind that your dog probably isn’t a purebred, which can reduce the likelihood of some diseases presenting.

The down sides of DNA testing:

A word of caution around breed identification results that generally isn’t discussed, but is a consideration for some dog moms and dads. There are some breeds of dogs who aren’t welcome in apartments, in certain cities or states, or won’t be covered under homeowners insurance. If you adopted a dog that the shelter listed as “Lab/collie mix”, you may not want to challenge that assumption. If you test and your dog comes back as a “Lab/Doberman/Pitbull” mix, it won’t matter that your cuddle monster displays all the goofy characterics of a Lab and none of the guarding behavior of a “guard” type of breed. Your dog may become less welcome when you rent an apartment if you are ever required to disclose to a landlord or insurance agent what breed your dog is likely to be. It’s straightforward to be able to say to your insurance agent “When I adopted Fluffy, the shelter told me she is a Lab/Collie mix.” It’s less straightforward to say “I did a DNA test on Fluffy that said she’s a Lab/Dobbie/Pitbull” mix, but maybe those results aren’t right, so let’s go with what the shelter said.”

Another situation to be aware of is that not all dogs get results of their breed and ancestors. When this happens, the result you receive will be “unknown”. If your dog is made up of a few breeds that aren’t in the database of the testing company, an “unknown” result is likely. Also, if your dog has a very limited number of “purebred” ancestors going back to the great grandparent level, then your dog may come back with an “unknown” result as well. Technically, you’re still learning that your dog is “all mutt”. But that’s not nearly as satisfying as learning a few specific breeds that give you insight into behavior and health. Most people take the chance, but it’s important to go into the testing with your eyes open to the possibilities.

The tail end of Sonic’s story

Returning to the story of Sonic the adopted “hound”, her breed mix turned out to be husky, greyhound, boxer and mutt. The greyhound explained her ability to spot a deer in the bottom 20 acres before anyone else was aware it was there. It also explained her strong desire to curl up on soft blankets on the couch. The Husky showed in her coat, her coloring and her love of the snow. The Boxer was clear in her paw expressiveness and desire to put her paws on the shoulders of anyone who would let her. Would I have ever guessed all of that? The husky, yes. greyhound and boxer? Not in a million years. But now, when we’re hiking and people exclaim “Wow, she’s so beautiful! What is she?” I have an answer.

Regardless of your mutt’s background, one thing is certain: there is a permanent paw print on your heart. Treat your mutt with some homemade bone broth! You’ll find The Hiking Hound step by step recipe with just 3 ingredients here.

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