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A pup is truly a key member of any family. Whether we adopted a pooch just recently or Fido was part of the gang for years, our dogs are a super important part of our lives (and in turn, we’re a massive part of theirs!)
Unless Spot is an AKC-registered pedigree, there’s really no way of telling what our pup’s roots are. Many adopted pooches can be any mix of breeds and most shelters can only guess at a pet’s lineage based on appearance and certain behaviors. While that doesn’t impact how much we love our dogs, of course, knowing their ancestry can play a key part in helping understand why they look or act the way they do! Plus, if we love learning about our own ancestry so much via kits like 23andMe and Helix, why not do the same for a pup that loves us just as unconditionally as we love them?
Enter: Dog DNA kits. The genetic ancestry kits can help resolve any looming questions we have about our pup’s parents and find out whether they’re really part Pomeranian or Golden Retriever. Even if Fido might be unable to thank us (outside of tail wags and kisses) we’ll still appreciate knowing more about our pup’s past.
Here are our top three:
Best for a budget: Wisdom Panel 3.0 Breed Identification Dog DNA Test Kit
See it: Check out the Wisdom Panel 3.0 Breed Identification Dog DNA Test Kit for $73 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, January 11, 2019, but are subject to change.
This kit does it all! Unlike traditional human DNA kits (which require either saliva or a blood sample) all this kit needs is an easy cheek swab that we can do at home. This particular canine DNA test can screen more than 350 breeds, types and varieties of pooch pedigree.
After swabbing our doggy’s cheek, we just need to activate the kit online and send it to the lab (don’t worry, pre-paid shipping is included). In two weeks, we’ll receive our dog’s ancestry, breed identification and family tree.
The tests screens for even more! The kit screens for multidrug sensitivity, a mutation which can affect how certain pups can process common drugs. This has the potential to save a life!
Reviews show that mixed breed pups were able to find their exact parentage! Many were excited about learning the lineage of their “almost” pups!
Best splurge: Embark Dog DNA Test Kit
See it: Check out the Embark Dog DNA Test Kit for $10 off the original price of $199, now only $189 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, January 11, 2019, but are subject to change.
Like the Wisdom Panel test, Embark only needs a cheek swab from the furriest member of our family to learn more about their paw-rents!
The Embark test will reveal our dog’s family tree dating back to their great-grandparents. It even shows other pups that have similar breed mixes to Fido’s unique cocktail!
Beyond that, Embark tests for over 165 diseases, including many genetic ones that occur later in life (like glaucoma, degenerative myelopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy) as well as drug sensitivities.
Embark is partnered with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and results take between two to four weeks to be delivered.
The best part is how many reviewers claim the test helped prolong their dog’s life by alerting them to conditions they can bring up to their vets! Many even noted that they wished they tried the kit on dogs they had before, as the test would’ve been able to spot the conditions before they became life-threatening.
Our favorite: Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel
See it: Check out the Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel for $93 at Amazon today! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, January 11, 2019, but are subject to change.
There’s a reason over a thousand reviewers love the Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel — it gives unparalleled insight to our pooch’s past! Like the other tests, all we need is a simple cheek swab that gets mailed to the lab. Each test comes with two swabs for increased accuracy (don’t try to use it on two different dogs, because the results will come back skewed!)
The test also screens for MDR1, a mutation that can cause drug sensitivity in pups. It can be a huge lifesaver, especially if our pup is from a shelter without much background on the dog’s history, or if they’re only a puppy and might not have had too much exposure to medication.
Reviewers love how quick results arrived (some note that they came in as little as two weeks!) and others note that it helped them bond with their beloved pup more! The best part, however, were the reviewers that were shocked that their own guesses about Fido’s lineage were totally wrong — one even swore their pooch was part mongoose, yet they were half Chihuahua!
See it: Shop the Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel for $93, the Embark Dog DNA Test Kit for $10 off the original price of $199 (only $189) and the Wisdom Panel 3.0 Breed Identification Dog DNA Test Kit for $73 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, January 11, 2019, but are subject to change.
Check out more of our picks and deals here!
