DNA testing for your Dog

Have you ever wondered what breed your dog is? I know I do. I have 3 dogs all who were adopted from shelters and I always truly wonder what breed they are. Do you know there is now a way you can find out with a simple mail in DNA test. That's right - if you really want to know and stop all that wondering then all you have to do is buy a DNA test kit send it in and they will send you back the results to end that mystery.

You need to follow the directions of course from the DNA test you purchase, but it is just a cotton swab you rub in the dogs cheek.  You then take that swab and put it into the container or envelope given and mail it off to the company for testing.  Then you wait for the results to come in the mail which take a few weeks.  When they come back you will learn what breeds were found in your dogs DNA according to a database of breeds the lab has.  if DNA is found from a breed that is not in their data base, it will be assigned to the most closely related breed, or to breeds that are further back in your dog's ancestry.  The breed lists are usually extensive - so you should not have any issues.

If 2 pure bred dogs are bred together to create a mixed breed puppy. If this mixed breed puppy is bred with another puppy from 2 other breeds then the inherited traits seen in the offspring would not be what you would expect to see. Common sense would indicate that the dog should be 25% of each of the 4 breeds of their grandparents, however when the genetic make up of those puppies is examined then that is not the case. If there were 16 puppies in the litter then 4 of those puppies would be expected to show 25% of each of their grandparents breeds, 8 puppies would only show 3 breeds, and 4 puppies would only show 2 of the breeds. The DNA Breed ID test only shows the Breeds that actually contribute DNA, so the fact that 12 of the 16 puppies do not show all 4 breeds would be shown by the Breed ID Test.