DNA testing to find out the breed of a dog?

I've heard of a few places online in which you can send in a sample of your dogs blood and they'll run a DNA test to determine the breed(s). Has anyone tried these? Do you believe they are accurate?

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This entry was posted on Sunday, September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm and is filed under DNA Testing Discussions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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7 Responses to “DNA testing to find out the breed of a dog?”

  1. Amanda B Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    I think they are a novel way to take your money.. Fun modern way to "guess" the breed…

    Accurate.. not really.. there are some DNA markers that are unique to some breeds.. they look for these..that is all.. unfortunaly many breeds can and do share similar DNA markers..they are of similar breed origin or development..
    in some cases you would get some intresting results.. and honesly I do think they run the test.. as stated but because many require a picture be submitted.. there may be more than advertise interpretation going on..
    Hence the reason they CANNOT be used to prove Purebred status on a dog..

    Amanda

  2. TAP Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    Its absolutely accurate , science at work , If you have unlimited resources or know someone in a teaching college, take a sample of hair with the follicle , test takes about 1 week ,

  3. *Sombra* Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    It’s my understanding that the BEST DNA testing (for dog breeds) is between 81-85% accurate. I’m assuming that’s if you have it done through a vet.

    What you’ll get from an online site … who knows?

  4. BMTHESPIAN Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    They are very inaccurate. They have been tested by breed clubs and news media alike by sending samples from dogs with well known pedigrees, of breeds the test claim to be able to detect. The tests were coming back with the breed the dog actually was not in the "profile" and breeds that were never even used in the creation of the breed (or the breeds used to create the breed) were coming back as a large percentage of the dogs "mix"

    The only DNA tests that are accurate for dogs is to tell if a particular dog is the offspring of to other dogs (basically a paternity test)

  5. suthurnbell Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    DNA testing of dogs is a scam. Not accurate at all. I saw a case on TV on one of the daily judge shows where someone bought a chihuahua and was suing the breeder because instead of the "teacup chihuahua" they wanted, they got one that weighed about 12 lb. It was clearly a chihuahua, even tho it was so large. They had a DNA test done on it which showed it had about 12 large breed dogs in it, the breeds were all about 50 +. No small breed dogs were listed, The judge beluieved the DNA test and ruled against the breeder. There was no way those 12 breeds combined could have produced a dog that looked exactly like a chihuahua, altho a little bigger than most. I have never believed in dog DNA since then, It was crazy!

  6. ragapple Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    actually THE COMPANIES THAT DO THE TESTING – claim it isn’t 100% accurate

    from biopet vet lab
    Who’s Your Dog’s Daddy? Find Out! 92% Accuracy Within 58 AKC Breeds.
    ——————————————
    from lovetoknow
    Although DNA testing provides some amazing results, the process is still in its infancy, and there are limitations on the accuracy of an individual test.

    If there are breed genetics present that are not on the current list of thirty-eight identifiable breeds, genetics may only be determined for more distant relatives in a dog’s bloodline. These genetics may play little to no role in the animal’s actual appearance, and have no bearing on potential health concerns.

  7. Joe Ruttman Says:
    September 28th, 2009 at 5:35 pm

    I work at a large midwestern vet clinic and we get this question all the time. They are not 100% accurate nor do the companies that offer it claim to be, but it’s not a scam either, it’s about 90% and can be a good thing for people who are just curious about the possible background of their dog. It offers insight into the dog behavioral patterns and could help your vet diagnose potential health issues down the road.

    Having done over 100 dogs using these tests I would check out DNA Diagnostics Center. http://www.vetdnacenter.com They have never asked once for a picture of the dog prior to doing the DNA test. We have found them to be very accurate and reasonably priced at $60…and they just need a cheek swab sample.

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