Dog DNA tests are all the rage nowadays. Often times, you’ll get a dog from a shelter, or get a rescue from some other place. In such situations, the staff from the shelter will give you their best guess of what the dog’s ancestry might be. But most times, their guess is simply that – they are looking at the dog and telling you what they think. But, as we all know, often times this is going to result in less than accurate information.
If you have a dog like that, you are probably making and modifying guesses about what exactly his or her breed is the whole time. Not only is it intellectually satisfying to ascertain what breeds your dog comes from, but many a time this is also very important for your dog’s health. Different breeds are genetically prone to different diseases, and so knowledge of your dog’s ancestry also provides you guidance on what diseases to watch out for, or to take any preventative measures if they exist. Some DNA tests also actually test for certain genetic health conditions.
Here, we have compared some of the most popular DNA tests for dogs on the market. Please do respond in the comments section below to let us know what you think the best dog DNA test is.
| Wisdom Panel | Embark | DNA MY DOG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Easy. This is not a blood test – just a cheek swab is required. | Easy. This is not a blood test – just a cheek swab is required. | Easy. This is not a blood test – just a cheek swab is required. |
| Accuracy of Breed Testing | It appears that fewer genetic markers are used for testing | Very accurate – uses over 20,000 genetic markers | The database of breeds against which your dog will be tested is relatively small, so rarer breeds will probably be missed. Also seems to be using fewer markers. |
| Cost | Easier on the wallet – under $100 for Wisdom Panel 4.0 | Fairly expensive – around $200 for one dog. Multi-dog discount is available. | Cheapest of the three – under $70. |
| Typical Turnaround Times | 3 weeks | 6-8 weeks | Fastest results – 2 weeks |
| Miscellaneous | Tests for over 250 breeds, types and varieties. Wisdom Panel 2.0 does not test for health conditions. Wisdom Panel 2.5, 3.0 and 4.0 tests screen for the MDR1 genetic mutation. In addition, Wisdom Panel 4.0 screens for Exercise-induced Collapse (EIC). Wisdom 4.0 also provides a predicted weigh profile and information about physical traits of your dog. | Tests for over 175 breeds, over 160 health conditions, and several traits (such as coat and size) | At the time of this writing, only 95 breeds are in the database. DNA My Dog provides a custom certificate with a photo of your dog stating their unique DNA composition. |
| The Bottom Line | This is a good middle-of-the-road choice. You won’t have to wait that long, won’t strain your wallet that much, and you’ll get some key health information as well with the newer versions of this one. | If price is not a concern, and you are not in a hurry, then this is probably the best choice for you – you’ll get detailed results for your dog, no matter how rare part of the ancestry maybe, and you’ll also get detailed information about genetic health conditions and traits. In particular, if, apart from breed ancestry, you are also interested in knowing about genetic health conditions, then Embark is your best bet. | If you are on a tight timeline and/or budget, go with this one – unless your dog’s ancestry is from super rare breeds, you’ll probably get sound results here. |
| Buying Options | Check Price for Wisdom Panel | Check Price for Embark | Check Price for DNA MY DOG |
