As many of you know we adopted our sweet and lovable Java last summer from a local rescue group. Since having her in our home we've been trying our best to work with her on behavior and training. But not knowing her background in regards to where she lived before us, or what breeds she is make it hard sometimes. So after a few bouts of frustration with her I decided it was time to get some outside help via a canine DNA test. Besides the "I really want to know" aspect of canine DNA testing there are also many benefits to finding out what breeds your pet is. By knowing it can help with any potential breed-related health issues, providing proper nutrition for the breed, and of course training that may be affected by breed tendencies. The latter was our biggest reason for wanting to know.
Yes Java is a big ball of love most of the time (as you can see from the photo), but sometimes she just won't listen no matter what we say or do. She's a big people person and just loves to be near us, but when we are trying to eat dinner it's a "no dog zone" around the kitchen table. Sometimes she just can't grasp this no matter what we try. We've tried feeding her or giving her a chew treat, but after it's gone she's always right back to trying to sneak up to the table.
The Test:
The at home test from Wisdom Panel is actually quite simple. Using the two included swabs from the DNA test kit you simply swab the inside of your dogs cheek. Then after letting the swabs dry using the stand inside the box you place them back in the box and ship them off for testing. Shipping is prepaid using the same box the kit arrived in. Testing takes approximately 2-3 weeks - and yes it feels like forever when you're waiting. However, you can track the progress from the time the lab receives your kit up to the time they email saying your results are in.
The Timeline:
• I mailed our kit on 2/28
• I received an email on 3/3 notifying me that the kit had arrived at the lab.
• On 3/15 I received another email letting me know the results were in and ready for me to view.
About Wisdom Panel 4.0:
Mars Veterinary, makers of the Wisdom Panel canine DNA tests, holds the exclusive worldwide license from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center on the method by which genetic markers are used to discover the breeds in a dog. In addition to being the most comprehensive breed test on the market (250+ breeds, types and varieties), Wisdom Panel 4.0 also includes the potentially life-saving MDR1 screening for drug sensitivity as part of an exclusive license from Washington State University.
Most people think they can tell the breeds in their dog by simply looking at his or her physical (phenotypic) characteristics. That’s simply not the case. Studies have shown that visual identification even by professionals is only accurate about 25% of the time – that means they’re incorrect 75% of the time! And when results come back with breeds you “can’t see”?…Look at the dog’s behavior. Many times the way the traits are being expressed are more behavioral than visual.
Wisdom Panel tests use more than 1800 markers and draw from a 12,000+ breed sample database and the test features the largest breed coverage (250+) available. Since its inception in 2007, Mars genetic tests have been used by more than 630,000 pet parents to find out their dog’s unique genetic make-up and breed heritage.
I have to say when the results were in we were all in shock. All along we had thought Java was a lab mix, and while yes she does have some lab in her most of her DNA shows that she's dominantly a Terrier mix. When broken down into percentages she's 60% Terrier mixes and only 12.5% Labrador Retriever. Guess we didn't know our Java as well as we thought we did. But..now we know. And now we can work with her knowing this information. Wisdom Panel does so much more than just tell you the various breeds of your pup, they also tell you specifics about each breed. While reading about the Terrier breed I saw many characteristics that fit Java perfectly. One was that they are very loyal to family and usually good with children. She definitely fits this characteristic for sure - the way she wants to just be near us all of the time and loves the kids is amazing. Another was being eager to learn and responds well to reward-based training using treats. Java definitely loves her treats!
On the overall it was very interesting to read all of the information that was gathered just through the testing of her saliva. Yes it's much more complex than that, but it's really that simple on our end.
Buy it: Want to test your canine friend and see what their DNA make-up is? You can purchase a kit online at WisdomPanel.com, Amazon.com, or Chewy.com.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of the above mentioned brand. I may have received monetary compensation or product(s) in exchange for my honest and unbiased thoughts. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and are in no way influenced by my partnership with mentioned brands.
