DNA Dog Breed Identification

Mixed-breed dogs may have a varied and surprising pedigree, and now owners can find out just what their dogs' genetic backgrounds look like. Dog DNA tests are available from veterinarians, at pet supply stores and online. If you've ever wondered where your mutt's curly tail or multitude of spots came from, a number of genetic labs can tell you.

  1. Choosing a Test

    • Starting at around $60, in-home dog breed DNA tests top out at around $120. Looking closely at the packaging or online information, shoppers can see that different labs have the ability to test for different breeds. If you have a hunch on the outcome, look for that breed on the list. Veterinarians and professional dog breeders can help with the guessing game.

    Administering

    • Most test kits include cotton swabs, instructions, a pre-paid return envelope and an information card. The dog should not be allowed food for an hour before performing the test, and all shared bones, toys and water dishes should be made unavailable to him. The swabs are used to take saliva samples from the dog's cheek, each one having contact with the inside of his mouth for at least 10 seconds, preferably longer. After air-drying, the swabs go back in their sleeves, the information card is filled out, and the test can be dropped in the mail.

    Results

    • The dog DNA testing facility will return results with a certificate, which will list the breeds found in your dog's DNA. Dog breed relevance is scored by percentage. The DNA Diagnostics Center (DDC) produces results within three weeks and separates scores into five levels: A Level 1 relevance score means 75 percent of your dog's DNA comes from that particular breed. Level 2 represents 37 to 74 percent; Level 3, 20 to 36 percent; Level 4, 10 to 19 percent; and Level 5, less than 5 percent. The DDC features information on 62 AKC breeds, while other tests can identify as many as 170.

    Advantages

    • Dog breed testing can give owners the information they seek through a simple and painless method. Not only can it explain physical features, discovering a dog's breed through DNA testing can shed light on behavioral patterns, likes and dislikes or medical concerns. Some labs will provide breed-specific information with their results, but if they don't, researching your dog's breed is a good idea. Finding out if your dog has a predisposition to conditions like separation anxiety or hip dysplasia will affect how you train him and what to watch for where his health is concerned.

    Considerations

    • Although all of the tests report high accuracy ratings, your dog's results may list questionable dog breeds. The testing companies attribute mixed results to very mixed breeds. But Michigan State University genetics professor John Fyfe has said the tests are unreliable due to the lack of information available on dog DNA. "The DNA determinants of most phenotypic traits are as yet unknown," he said in 2009. Different labs have different genetic databases, and the control groups are made up of dogs whose pedigree is known. Fyfe recommended consulting a veterinarian, who he said would be able to tell a dog's breed as accurately as any mail-in test.