Did you know that you can have your dog’s DNA tested?
It is a fantastic way to find out more information about your dog. Dog DNA tests can let you know things such as your dog’s breed, overall temperament, ancestral history and can even flag up any potential health problems.
As dog DNA testing is becoming increasingly popular, there are several different companies you can choose between. In this article, we will be focusing on one company, in particular, DNA My Dog.
We will be providing you with all of the information you will need about the company, including its history and what they have to offer. We will be looking into the types of DNA testing they carry out and will be reviewing their overall credibility.
We hope that you enjoy embarking on reading this pawsome review!
Why Should I Get My Dog’s DNA Tested?
There are many different reasons why you would want to get your dog’s DNA tested. While not everyone will see the need in doing so, the information that you can find out from the DNA test can help you to understand your dog better.
A DNA test will look into the genetics of your dog and can find out some significant information that you may not have known before the test. This can involve things such as the breed of your dog and any potential hereditary issues.
Many people choose to have their dog’s DNA tested if they are unsure of the breed, for example with rescue dogs. However, many dog owners with purebreds are choosing to get their dogs tested to check their purebred status and lineage too.
Why Choose A DNA My Dog DNA Test?
DNA My Dog is a well-known and trusted company. They provide accurate DNA results and they offer a wide range of testing, from allergy tests to breed identification.
The tests are carried out quickly and the results you receive are detailed. DNA My Dog understands the importance of knowing more information about your dog.
They run your dog’s DNA through their systems to provide you with as much information as possible. Their tests are also fairly reasonably priced.
How Does The DNA Test Work?
The DNA test is quite a simple process, so you do not have to panic about taking a sample from your dog. It is important to note that taking the DNA sample is completely painless for your dog and will not harm them in any way.
All of the tests come with easy to follow and simple instructions of how you take the DNA test. You can collect the sample at home yourself, there is no need to visit a veterinary practice to do so.
You can also request a blood DNA test instead of a cheek swab, this does cost extra and will need to be carried out by a veterinary professional.
Taking The Swab
All of the DNA My Dog DNA tests come with a swab. The swab has a soft polyester tip that will need to be placed in your dog’s mouth. It is sterile to prevent any potential infections or irritation from occurring.
Each test comes with two separate swabs to ensure you have the best chance of collecting a good DNA sample. To collect the sample you will need to place the swab in the dog’s mouth.
It should be placed at the side of the mouth between your dog’s cheek and gums at the top of the mouth.
Once you have put the swab in the correct place, you need to rub it on the area of the mouth ensuring it is completely covered for around 20 seconds. You will need to do this with both of the swabs.
Once complete, place the swabs in the envelope and leave them dry for around 25 minutes before you seal the envelope ready to ship them to DNA My Dog.
Sending Off The Swab
Sending off the swab could not be simpler. When you receive your DNA My Dog testing kit it will come with the envelope you need to place the swabs in. The shipping costs are included in the price and you do not need to pay an extra fee to send them off.
You can expect to be waiting for around two weeks for the DNA results to arrive. The date is taken from when you receive the receipt for your sample. Please be aware that given the current climates, the results may take slightly longer to arrive.
Receiving Your DNA My Dog Results
You will receive your Dog’s DNA test results via email. This is important to note as you will need to register the test and sign up with your email before you send off your results.
It is also worth taking note of if you do not have an email address as you will not be able to receive your results.
What is great about receiving the results via email is that you can print off your results to frame them. You also always have a backup copy of the results and explanations should you lose the paper copy.
What You Will Find Out From The Results
What you will find out from the results of the DNA tests all depends on the type of DNA test you choose to purchase.
Here are the different types of DNA tests that DNA My Dog has to offer:
Breed Identification Test
If you want to confirm or find out the breed of your dog, this would be the most suitable option. With this test, you will receive a certificate telling you the breed/breeds of your dog.
The certificate is custom for your dog and will display the different breeds and levels of the breed your dog is. In addition to this, you are sent a detailed analysis of the DNA findings regarding the breed.
Here are some of the things you will discover with the Breed Identification test:
- Your Dog’s DNA
- The breeds of your dog
- Report that shows the dominant breeds, any potential health problems, and personality traits
- Unique personality traits of your dog
- Any potential genetic health concerns
- If your dog is prone to any specific diseases
Please note that this is not a definitive list and the analysis will show more results.
NEXTGEN Breed Identification and Genetic Age Test
The results of this DNA test will be the same as the Breed Identification Test above but will also contain the Genetic Age Test results.
This test helps to determine the biological age of your dog. The genetic and biological age of your dog is different from its physical age. This test will help to determine the aging of your dog based on its cells.
This test can help you to determine how long your dog may live. Please be aware that many factors can affect and differ from the results. It measures the telomere of your dog only.
It is not suitable for dogs under a year old as it is not likely to provide accurate results. It focuses on genetic age instead of your dog’s physical age.
Breed Test plus Wolf - Canid/Hybrid Test
This test will contain all of the results you will receive in the Breed Identification Test.
In addition to these results, you will also receive the results of whether or not your dog has any wolf or coyote genes.
Deceased Dog DNA Breed Testing
The Deceased Dog DNA Breed Testing is taken in a different way to regular DNA testing. Instead of sending a swab kit, you will send objects such as toys or chews that your deceased dog would have recently come into contact with.
This test was created for owners that wanted to find out the breed of their dog but did not get the chance to before they passed away. As this test is a little different from the other tests, DNA My Dog does recommend giving them a call so that you can chat with them about this test further.
This test can take up to three weeks to process. The item you send off must have had contact with your deceased dog’s mouth for it to provide results.
Canine Allergy Test
The allergy test is slightly different from the other tests.
It will test your dog for over 100 different potential allergies. These allergies range from food, household products, and the environment.
Benefits Of Using a DNA My Dog DNA Test
As you can see from the results you will receive, there are many benefits of having your dog’s DNA tested.
In this section, we will be discussing some of these benefits in more detail.
Breeding Purposes
If you are planning to breed your dog, a DNA test is essential. Even if you have a purebred dog, a DNA test will help you to learn more information about your dog’s ancestral history.
This is important as you will need to ensure that the dogs you are planning to breed are not from the same bloodline in any way. If they are this can cause many health problems in the puppies and it is not recommended in any way.
In addition to this, a DNA test can help to identify any potential health problems your dog may suffer from in the future. It can also help you to learn if there are common health issues that run in their bloodline.
If it is likely that these potential health problems will carry over to the puppies, it is not wise to breed your dog. This is why a DNA test for both dogs before breeding is essential. If two dogs have similar potential health problems, this can cause issues for future puppies.
Personality Traits
As touched upon briefly, the DNA My Dog results will give you a breakdown of the personality traits of the breed or breeds of your dog. While many factors can affect the behavior of a dog, certain breeds will have specific traits.
For example, border collies were bred to be working dogs. Given this, they tend to have a lot of energy. Bloodhounds are naturally good at picking up scents, so you may find their noses are sniffing the ground a lot more than other dogs.
Although every dog is different, different breeds do tend to have different characteristics. It is worth noting that their overall behavior is very much affected by how much training they have received and how they are treated by their owners too.
Genetic Health Concerns
Given that the DNA My Dog tests can help you to identify any potential genetic health concerns is useful. While your dog may not ever suffer from the health concerns found, it is useful to be aware of them.
Being aware of any potential problems in the future can help you to plan better in the present. For example, introducing supplements from an earlier age or keeping a close eye on any potential problem areas.
A Better Understanding Of Your Dog
The DNA My Dog tests will give you a better understanding of your dog overall. It is useful to know things such as your dog's breed and ancestral history.
If your dog is a rescue, a DNA test can help you to identify roughly how long your dog’s lifespan is. The Genetic Age Test would also be useful if you are unsure of your dog’s age.
Things To Consider Before Purchasing A DNA My Dog DNA Test
A DNA test for your dog is a useful and great tool. However, there are some things that you should consider before you purchase a DNA My Dog DNA Test.
Cost
The cost of the DNA test is important to consider. We would always recommend purchasing a DNA test that is within your budget.
What is good about the DNA My Dog tests is that there are no hidden charges and you do not have to pay for your results to be sent to the laboratory. In comparison to other dog DNA tests on the market, they are reasonably priced.
If you would prefer to send off a blood sample instead of a swab, you will need to take into consideration the extra charges of this and also the veterinarian bills involved with collecting the blood sample.
Accuracy
It is worth noting that DNA My Dog states that some of the swabs that are sent into their laboratory do not provide completely accurate results.
Around 2.3% of all of the results that are sent in are either inconclusive or inaccurate. While this is a very small amount of tests, it is still worth being aware of.
The results can come back inaccurate or inclusive for two reasons:
Oral Bacteria
Dogs have a high amount of oral bacteria in their mouths.
This bacteria can sometimes affect and alter the results before the sample reaches the laboratory and the extraction process begins.
DNA Markers
Your dog’s DNA is compared to many breeds of dogs that are on the DNA My Dog Database. If the breed of your dog is not on the database, then you may receive inconclusive results.
The isolated DNA markers in the DNA My Dog Databases are based on the most common breeds that are found in the United States of America. If your dog’s breed is not on the database, DNA My Dog states to contact them specifically.
Although the DNA My Dog DNA tests have a high accuracy rating, they are not 100% accurate in certain situations. This is worth keeping in mind when you send off the DNA sample.
There may be a small chance that the results will be inconclusive and you will need to factor in the money lost if this happens.
Breed Levels
DNA My Dog uses breed levels instead of specific percentages of your dog’s breed. Given this, the results are accurate but are not as detailed as some of the other competitors on the market.
While this will provide you with a lot of information about your dog and its breed, there are more detailed Dog DNA tests available, which are worth keeping in mind.
Data Protection
Data protection is important and by sending your dog’s DNA test into DNA My Dog, their results will be in their system.
This is worth taking into consideration if you are uncomfortable with this.
Summary
Overall, we think that DNA My Dog is a great company to choose if you are looking to find out more information about your dog.
The DNA tests that they provide are accurate and will give you a better understanding of your dog’s behavior and ancestral history.
While they do not have the biggest range of breeds on their database, the breeds they can test the DNA alongside are popular in the United States. Your dog’s DNA will likely match up to these breeds.
The tests are reasonably priced and you will receive a certificate and an email with all of your dog’s results. If you are interested in testing your dog’s DNA then we would recommend using DNA My Dog.
If you would like to purchase the Breed Identification Kit you can do so via Amazon us here. Alternatively, if you would like further information on DNA My Dog you can check out their website and their full list of available products here.