If you’ve rescued or adopted a mixed breed dog, maybe you’re tired of having to answer “I don’t know” when friends or strangers ask what kind of dog you have.  Would you prefer to say, “My dog is primarily German Shepard & Samoyed, with traces of Clumber Spaniel, Labrador Retriever and Shetland Sheepdog.”?  Then we may have the perfect thing for you. 

There are at least two companies out there doing DNA testing of mixed breed dogs. 

Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis is available from Mars Veterinary.  For ~$200, you can go to a participating veterinarian who will take a small sample of blood for testing.  Within 2-3 weeks, you’ll receive a personal breed analysis for your dog.  Click here to see a sample breed analysis.  This method boasts the ability to identify 130 AKC breeds.  We checked a few zip codes in NY and there are a ton of vets who offer this service, maybe even your own vet.  Go to www.whatsmydog.com to check it out for yourself.

Or, if you looking for something a little less intrusive, you might want to try the Canine Heritage Breed Test from MetaMorphix Inc.  This test only requires you to send a cheek swab from your dog (no vet visit required) and the cost is $79.95.  Results are available 4-6 weeks after they receive your DNA cheek swab.  On the downside, MetaMorphix’s test can only identify 38 breeds, but if you suspect that your dog is one of the 38 common breeds in their database, then this might be a more cost effective option for you.

Check out this link to an article on dogchannel.com for more details on the two different techniques.  Either way, knowing what breeds your dog is made up of can help you to identify potential health risks.  It can also help you better understand your dogs behavior and identify what type of training and exercise might be most effective for your dog.

Everyone know that mutts are the most lovable dogs, but would it make them any less lovable to know what breeds are in their family tree?    I don’t think so…