These are the best doggy DNA kits so that you can stop answering with “IDK, a mutt?” when people ask what breed your dog is.
Our top pick
Embark
Spending as much as 23andMe’s test costs gets you a full look at your dog’s familial and medical history.
Everybody thinks their dog is the best dog in the world — and they’re right. All doggos are the best doggos in the world. 11/10. 100% good boy/girl.
You already know that your dog is unique, but you’re probably wondering what about your pet’s genetic makeup makes them so special. Why are his eyes two different colors? Why does she have spotted fur? Why does he insist on barking any time something walks past the window?
You could put a picture of your dog on Twitter and have people vote on what he or she is — but Mashable did a What’s your mutt? quiz in 2017 that proved that all of us suck at guessing.
Enter dog DNA tests. Yes, they’re a thing, and they can tell you an awful lot about your dog’s family history, their genetic makeup, and their risk of disease in the future. For rescue parents, these are pretty much a must-do to finally solve your fur baby’s identity issues. (Plus, it’ll be nice to be able to give people a real answer when strangers at the dog park ask about their breed.)
Similar to the way human DNA tests shows a pie chart of percentages from ethnic regions around the world, a dog DNA test show you what your “mutt” is really made of — and maybe you’ll finally find out that his grandma was a Great Dane, and that’s why his ears are so pointy when you’ve been thinking he was all Mastiff this whole time.
Wondering how TF the science works? Well, the whole thing is actually pretty similar to human DNA kits: Dogs have two copies of every gene, one inherited from the mother and one from the father. DNA genetics labs can hone in on each and trace your dog’s maternal and paternal line all the way back to great grandparents. It’s also important to note that puppies will randomly inherit 50% of each of their parents’ breeds, making it very possible for puppies in the same litter to have different breed compositions. So even if you know (or think you know) what your dog’s parents or siblings are, a DNA test is still super worthwhile.
What we were surprised to see is that almost all dog DNA tests offer health screenings. 23andMe is the only human DNA test that offers a health service, and it’s optional. But it’s way better to spend the money to take precautions now rather than wait until a problem actually arises and end up having to break your bank on medical bills. And let’s be real, finding out if there’s a problem early and possibly being able to add years to your dog’s life is worth all of the money in the world.
Also, we’ll warn you now that most dog DNA kits are just as expensive (or more expensive) than DNA tests for humans. But then again, most of us care about our dogs as if they were our human children, so hell yeah, we’ll fork over that money.
Here are the best DNA testing kits for dogs:
Embark
Spending as much as 23andMe’s test costs gets you a full look at your dog’s familial and medical history.-
Breed tests:
200+ -
Wait time:
3-7 weeks -
Health screening:
Yes -
Wolf and coyote test:
Yes
As for the health test, Embark screens for over 175 diseases and known medical issues for dogs, which is the highest number we’ve seen (AKA next to nothing will get past this test). Just swab the inside of your dog’s cheek, send the tool back, and get your results in three to seven weeks.
Let’s also discuss the stellar customer service: Unlike when you take your pet to a giant vet office and they want you to get in and out as fast as possible, Embark makes it obvious that they want the best for your pet. If something worrisome shows up in the health screening, they won’t just send an envelope to your house that says “Surprise, your dog is dying” — they’ll call you and break the news like a doctor would, and then talk you through the options. Amazing.
You can grab your Embark kit for $199 here.
Wisdom Panel 3.0
Pinning down a mutt’s breeds is often a shot in the dark, but this robust collection of breeds is your best bet.-
Breed tests:
350 -
Health screening:
No, but Wisdom Panel Premium offers it -
Wolf and coyote test:
Yes -
Wait time:
2-3 weeks
Remember, if your dog is a mutt and both of his parents were mutts, the chance of finding the exact percentages of each breed can be slightly limited, and something like “51% mixed breed” may come back if some older grandparent genes can’t be untangled. (Same for dogs imported from outside the U.S.) Worth a shot, though.
Wisdom Panel also offers a kit that combines the classic DNA test with a Disease Detection test, which will screen your dog’s DNA for over 150 genetic health conditions common in dogs. (Even if you only do the DNA kit, Wisdom Panel will test for the potentially life-saving mdr1 drug sensitivity at no extra cost. Sweet.) Just swab the inside of your dog’s cheek with the provided tool, send it back, and get your results in two to three weeks. To get even more results (especially in the health department), Wisdom Panel Premium is available for $159.99.
HomeDNA Orivet Dog DNA Test and Life Plan
Not sure how to parent your pup? HomeDNA gives a customized life plan, but DNA results are less detailed.-
Breed tests:
220 -
Health screening:
Yes -
Wolf and coyote test:
No -
Wait time:
3 weeks
HomeDNA also offers a package with a health screening (instead of the breed finder) and life plan package, testing your dog for over 100 genetic diseases and traits that could be bad. While that number may be high enough for you, we’ve seen other kits test for up to 160 medical issues — so if you’re super into the health aspects, we’d suggest a different kit. At any rate, you’ll just swab the inside of your dog’s cheek with the provided tool, send it back, and get your results in around three weeks.
Both the Mixed-Breed Identification Test and the Health Screening Test are sold separately at $125 each. We love the idea of the mixed-breed one with the personalized nutrition and play info, but a health screening for $125 just isn’t as good of a deal as kits mentioned above. Learn more and get them here.