Doggy DNA tests have started to fill up the marketplace. For anyone who has a mutt or a breed that gives you a little pause, it can put your curiosity to rest.  It helps us identify ancestry that we had no idea existed.

When you know the genetic makeup of your dog you can also find out their predispositions to certain diseases. This is why many vets recommend it. There are less ethical concerns compared to humans(data mining), so people more readily offer up their pets history. Which has led us to some interesting results.  For example, if you have a pooch with blue eyes .. you can almost be sure that they're part Husky. A test analyzing samples found a 98.6-kb duplication that causes the eye colour in Siberian Huskies. Simply put, this breed carries a genetic mutation that makes this trait common. 

In some cases, people discovered a large portion of their dogs DNA was of a Shepherd mix. The reason this is relevant is that breed has a genetic mutation called the multi-drug resistance gene. Things like heartworm medication can do more harm than good for this type of dog.  Other dog breeds with the possibility of this mutation include the German shepherd, Australian shepherd, border collie, long-haired whippet and the old English sheepdog.

With prices dropping rapidly in the past few years, a kit can now be purchased for around 60 dollars. Many owners are actually a little shocked to find out that the breed they'd been claiming was theirs, wasn't the case at all! Owners can unexpectedly learn new things about their dog, including their breeds tendencies and how to train them better. 

One customer of a popular test was pleasantly surprised with the results. Greg says,"We have a goofy dog that was adopted a few years back but we never bothered to find out his heritage. He looks like a Boxer with some other dashes of breeds mixed in. We had thought he was mainly an American Bulldog and part Boxer. The results surprised us as we found out he is actually three breeds of dog. American Bulldog, Boxer, and Standard Bulldog."

What the tests include

In the results, a page is included with the DNA coding of your dog. This is unique to every single animal. Then, the dog ancestry is displayed. Including descriptions of the breeds, your dog is made up from. Finally, and most importantly is a section regarding health and traits. This shows any genetic markers or predispositions your dog may have due to their genetics.  The tests are administered by a saliva swab, simple enough.

Something to watch for

Not all tests have the same data sets. The bigger a database of dogs, the more likely you will have an accurate result. So for cheaper tests, many of the companies have fewer data to work with. Additionally, if your dog is a super mutt you may be out of luck! Some owners have experienced up to "50% unknown or mixed breed"  ancestry on a popular test. Go into this with an open mind and you won't be disappointed by the results.

Gene mutation study: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/01/15/247973

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