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Pet DNA kits on sale as of Sept. 25:
BIGGEST SAVINGS: Basepaws Cat DNA Breed and Health Kit — save $50
OUR PICK: Embark Dog DNA Breed and Health Kit — save $30
BEST FOR REALLY MIXED MUTTS: Wisdom Panel Premium Dog DNA Kit — save $30
Our pets have been by our side through the unfamiliar (and often lonely) territory that is working from home — fervently offering companionship despite the fact that we’re intruding on their run of the house during the nine-to-five.
As a token of our gratitude, the gift of having a better answer than “IDK, just a mix” when someone asks what breed they are just seems fitting. Pet DNA tests work similarly to AncestryDNA or 23andMe for humans, providing a breakdown of their family tree and a better idea of what breed gives your cat or dog their quirks (or their one floppy ear and one pointed ear).
Embark and Wisdom Panel are the leading kits for dogs while Basepaws is the lone, reliable choice for at-home kits for cats. Just in time for planning your fur baby’s holiday stocking, all three are on sale: Save $50 on Basepaws, $30 on Embark Breed and Health, and $20 on Wisdom Panel.
Coining itself the world’s first at-home cat DNA test, Basepaws conducts comparisons to four main breed groups and 21 individual breeds. (It cannot confirm your cat’s pedigree, but might be able to tell you if your weirdly-agreeable cat actually does have ragdoll traits.) The Health portion screens for risks of like polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and retinal degeneration.
As of Sept. 25, savings include a $20 discount already applied plus an extra $30 click coupon.
Agreed upon across the internet as the best dog DNA kit, Embark’s database covers the broad list of breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club, as well as assorted street dogs and the gray wolf. (In total, it analyzes over 100 more genetic markers than the competition.) The Health Kit addition adds analysis of 171 mutations that could cause disease or medical issues.
Let’s say that your dog is a mysterious mix, and you know that mom, dad, and extended family definitely weren’t purebreds, either. Compared to the competition, Wisdom Panel’s testing pool of 350 breeds is the most comprehensive available in at-home kits. Accuracy falls behind when it comes to genetic markers, but the addition of the Mexican street dog, coyote, and wolf could give answers if you think your dog’s breed is uncommon in the U.S.