The best dog DNA testing kits for learning about your pooch – Mashable

Everyone thinks they have the best dog in the world. In a way, they’re all absolutely right. All dogs are the best dog in the world.
You already know that your dog is unique, but you’re probably wondering: What it is about your pet’s genetic makeup that makes them so special? Why are their eyes different colours? Why do they have spotted fur? Why do they insist on barking any time something walks past the window? All important questions in the dog-owner world.
You could put a picture of your dog on Twitter and have people vote on what he or she is — but we all suck at guessing. Enter dog DNA tests.
Yes, dog DNA tests are a real thing, and it’s pretty much as it sounds. DNA can tell you an awful lot about your dog’s family history, their genetic makeup, and their risk of disease in the future.
For rescue dog owners, these are pretty much a must-do to finally solve your pooch’s identity issues. Plus, it’ll be nice to be able to give people a real answer when other dog-walkers at the park ask about their breed.
Similarly to the way human DNA tests show a pie chart of percentages from ethnic regions around the world, a dog DNA test shows you what your pooch is really made of — and maybe you’ll even find out that his grandma was a Great Dane, and that’s why his ears are so pointy when you’ve been thinking he was all Mastiff this whole time. 
Wondering how TF the science works? Well, the whole thing is actually pretty similar to human DNA kits. Dogs have two copies of every gene, one inherited from the mother and one from the father. DNA genetics labs can hone in on each and trace your dog’s maternal and paternal line all the way back to great grandparents. It’s also important to note that puppies will randomly inherit 50 percent of each of their parents’ breeds, making it very possible for puppies in the same litter to have different breed compositions. So even if you know (or think you know) what your dog’s parents or siblings are, a DNA test is still super worthwhile.
What we were surprised to see is that almost all dog DNA tests offer health screenings. 23andMe(opens in a new tab) is the only human DNA test that offers a health service, and it’s optional. It’s way better to spend the money to take precautions now instead of waiting until a problem actually arises and you end up having to break the bank on vet bills. And let’s be real, finding out if there’s a problem early and possibly being able to add years to your dog’s life is worth all of the money in the world. 
Also, we’ll warn you now that most of dog DNA kits are just as expensive (or more expensive) than DNA tests for humans. Owning a dog is never cheap, but these will set you back. Then again, most owners care about their dogs as if they were their actual children, so hell yeah, we’ll fork out that money.
You’ve got plenty of options when it comes to DNA test kits for your dog, which is good and bad. It’s great to have options, but it does make the decision process a little bit harder when there are so many products to consider. This is where we can help.
Time to let us take the lead, you could say.
We’ve checked out everything on offer and highlighted a selection of the best DNA testing kits for dogs. There should be something for every dog and budget in this list. It’s worth taking some time to properly consider all of these options, and weighing each one up against your own set of preferences. Then you just need to pick a favourite.
These are the best DNA testing kits for dogs in 2022.
If you’re really trying to kick the family finder up a notch (or cannot for the life of you figure out what random mix of breeds your dog could possibly be) Wisdom Panel(opens in a new tab) might be the kit to snag. This kit claims to have the largest breed database in the dog DNA market, testing for over 220 canine breeds. However, it does test for significantly fewer genetic markers than Embark does.
Remember, if your dog is a mutt and both of his parents were mutts, the chance of finding the exact percentages of each breed can be slightly limited, and something like “51 percent mixed breed” may come back if some older grandparent genes can’t be untangled. Worth a shot, though.
Just swab the inside of your dog’s cheek with the provided tool, send it back, and get your results in two to three weeks.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating to learn more about your dog’s genetic heritage? EasyDNA(opens in a new tab)‘s dog DNA test can not only give you details on breed, but is designed to help you provide your dog with a longer, healthier, and happier life. 
This test analyses the genetic makeup of your dog in order to establish its full breed composition. EasyDNA can then highlight which diseases your beloved doggo is most likely to suffer from. You can also learn about unique personality traits and more, but it’s the health screening that might prove to be the most valuable element of the test.
EasyDNA’s dog DNA database is composed of over 95 breeds of dogs, which isn’t as much as some of the others in this list, but then it is considerably cheaper than some competitors.
Results are ready in 2-3 weeks from receipt of samples at the laboratory.
DNA My Dog might not be the cheapest but you do get a lot for your money. You can discover your dog’s breed composition, its unique personality traits, genetic health concerns, predisposition to disease, and more.
When you recieve your results you get a custom photo certificate of the breed’s found in your dog’s genetic breed composition, a percentage breakdown of the levels found in your dog’s unique DNA, and a report containing all the essential information you need. Better yet, you should get your results within two weeks. So if you need results fast, this test could be the one for you.
If you are willing to spend a little more for a comprehensive test that delivers fast results, you should check out DNA My Dog(opens in a new tab).
You trust only the best for your fur baby, and Embark(opens in a new tab) is nothing but praised by customers on its website. This is due to the fact that the people at Embark care about your dog just as much as you do — it tests both the maternal and paternal line of your dog, going all the way back to great grandparents. They’ll test for a crazy 256 quadrillion genes and over 350 dog breeds, and are even able to tell you if your dog has any wolf or coyote in his or her blood. 
As for the health test, Embark screens for over 160 diseases and known medical issues for dogs, which is the highest number we’ve seen (AKA next to nothing will get past this test). Just swab the inside of your dog’s cheek, send the tool back, and get your results in three to seven weeks.
Let’s also discuss the stellar customer service: Unlike when you take your pet to a giant vet office and they want you to get in and out as fast as possible, Embark makes it obvious that they want the best for your pet. If something worrisome shows up in the health screening, they won’t just send an envelope to your house that says “Surprise, your dog is dying” — they’ll call you and break the news like a doctor would, and then talk you through the options.
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