You may have heard of people taking DNA test to find out more about their ancestry, but did you know that you could do the same thing for your dog? With this DNA test, you can find out more about your dog, and knowing their information can help them live longer and save you money.
To do this test, just simply order a testing kit online, swab your dog’s mouth for DNA, and send it back for testing. In a few weeks you will receive your dog’s detailed test results which will help you learn a lot about them that you didn’t know before.
What is your Dog’s Breed?
When you test your dog’s breed, you may find that it wasn’t what you were expecting, or it may confirm what you had known all along. Additionally, you may find that your dog has a very diverse ancestry.
Most DNA dog tests will go into detail about your dog’s family tree, going back as far as 14 generations. The test may reveal that one of your dog’s parents, or grandparents, was a purebred, and the other may be a mix of three or more different breeds.
Is Your Dog a Wolf?
There are some dogs that have wolf ancestry, as well as some fox or coyote. It may be present in their physical features, or it may show up in their behavior.
While most dogs have around 1% of wolf DNA, some dogs are more closely related to wolves than others.
If you ever thought that maybe your dog has some wolfish features about them, a DNA test could tell you if this is true.
Why does Your Dog Behave a Certain Way?
Finding out your dog’s breed is only a small reason to do this test. Your dog’s test can also tell you what traits run in their DNA.
For example, Jack Russells can be energetic, stubborn, and vocal, while Golden Retrievers are kind, intelligent, and reliable. It could be that a dog, which looks like a German Shepherd, but has the temperament of a Poodle, may indeed have Poodle somewhere in their ancestry.
The Mix of breeds could also cause a mix of personality traits. So if your dog is completely calm one minute, and then zipping around the room the next, this could be why.
What Sort of Puppies Will Your Dog Have?
It is entirely possible for your dog to have puppies that look fairly different from themselves. This is due to the genetic variants that determine the physical characteristics of your dog.
A puppy’s chances of looking like either parent are higher or lower, depending on what genes each parent carries.
Knowing the physical appearance and traits of their ancestors could help determine what your dog’s puppies might look like as adults. Having a DNA test done could help determine what traits might be passed down to them.
What is Your Dog’s Genetic Health?
Testing your dog may give you some very vital information about their genetic health. It can help you find out if they have any inherited diseases.
Knowing whether your dog has an inherited disease early on can help you either prepare or prevent. Some diseases can be avoided with a few dietary changes, or a certain amount of exercise.
Keep in mind that this information doesn’t guarantee that your dog will definitely develop the disease, only that there is a chance that they could.
Is Your Dog’s Weight Healthy?
Overweight dogs are a common thing, nowadays. Some people may not know whether their dog’s weight is healthy for them.
It is entirely possible that you could have an overweight dog and not realize it.
The DNA test can also help determine whether your dog’s weight is healthy. This information is estimated based on their breed, as well as gender and whether or not they have been spayed or neutered.
How Might Drugs Affect Your Dog?
Some dogs have a negative reaction to drugs, causing them to become ill. In some cases the dog may even die.
The Multi-Drug Resistance Gene helps protect your dog by coding a protein that carrying harmful chemicals away from the brain. In some breeds, a mutation occurs in this gene, causing sensitivity to a number of drugs.
DNA Tests can help you determine if your dog has a fault in their drug resistance genes. Knowing this can help you avoid certain medications that might do your dog more harm than good.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, knowing more about your dog can save you tons of money on vet bills in the end.
If you want to know what breed of dog you have, determine their genetic health, or just want to know your dog better, a dog DNA test can help.