DNA testing

Finally; for those of you who have breeds of questionable heritage you can now find out just what's in the mix. DNA testing is becoming much more popular now that it is being offered to people who really need to know what they dogs heritage is. When you see a litter of mixed breed puppies they can look similar or each and every puppy can look entirely different. And yet those puppies have the same identical dna as one another so guessing as to parentage can be difficult.

Even if two purebred dogs have been bred their puppies can look very different; take the doodles for instance. You can have what looks to be almost pure labs all the way up to almost pure poodles and everything in between. So what if you add a third or forth breed? The results can number into the hundreds of different looking dogs. So if you really want to know what breeds were mixed together to create your dog you can now find that out through canine DNA testing.

Canine DNA tests available


You can have this test done with only a cheek swab although after I have researched the subject; it seems that a blood sample renders a quicker and more reliable end result. While you may be able to take a good guess at what breeds are in your dog; you could be way off. Some mixed breeds are simply the mixing of two purebred dogs while others can have 25 or more breeds in the mix. Dogs can come from a long line of mixed breeds adding more and more dna to the mix over the years.

But do you really need to know? I think it is more for interest sake; your dog may exhibit some behaviors that you want explained. Why do they chase everyone? Why does your dog seem so guarding? Some answers may be revealed by a DNA test but some may just be your dog being a dog. Remember all dog breeds are mixes; over the years humans picked and mixed what they preferred in a dog resulting in the breeds we have today.

Breeders of purebred dogs have been using DNA testing for a longtime. It is used to ensure lineage, coat color and type as well as health issues. Many canine disorders and diseases can be located by a DNA test before breeding.

So if you really need to know what may be in your mixed breed dog's lineage; you can now find that out for a small fee.