What to Expect...
Waiting for your dog’s DNA test results can rival the anticipation of a new baby. Some customers have absolutely no idea what breeds are in their furry friend while others may have strong suspicions. Either way, you will want to know what you can expect to learn from the Canine Heritage® Breed Test.
How it Works
Our canine database is built with 10,000 samples of 108 breeds. We tested thousands of markers to identify the just over 300 markers that characterize these 108 breeds. To test the accuracy of the markers, we ran the DNA of over 2,500 purebred dogs through our program. The result? Over 99% percent of the dogs were assigned to their correct breed based on their genotype similarity.
To determine what breeds make up a mixed breed dog, we developed software that evaluates the DNA of the mystery mutt and compares it back to the patterns that are uniquely characteristic of the purebred dog populations in our database (click here to view the breed list). The analysis then determines how closely, and to what extent the genetic patterns match those of purebreds identified by the test. Ultimately the dog’s breed composition is determined.
Did You Know?
Talk about a canine conundrum! Did you know that dogs with similar looks can have very different genetic structures? It is also true that dogs with similar genetic structures can have very different looks.
Let’s take a glance at some examples. These two dogs were DNA tested with the Canine Heritage® Breed Test. Although they both appear to be Chihuahua mixes, only one of them actually is.
LOLA
Primary:
Secondary:
Chihuahua, Pug, Dachshund
In the Mix:
MINNIE
Primary:
Secondary:
Dachshund
In the Mix:
Cairn Terrier, Pug, Pomeranian
Now let's look at these two "Labradoodles" (Labrador Retriever and Poodle crosses). They do not look very much alike yet their genetic structures are very similar.
KIWI
Primary:
Secondary:
Labrador Retriever, Poodle
In the Mix:
LIBBY
Primary:
Secondary:
Labrador Retriever, Poodle
In the Mix:
Keep in mind that it is very difficult to draw conclusions about the genetic origin of mixed breed dogs based on outward appearances only.
Take a look at Flora. By most accounts, Flora looks like a lab puppy. But Flora is 2 years old and still weighs only 30 lbs. A purebred Labrador Retriever will weigh between 65 and 80 lbs by age 2. Still, you would assume there has to be labrador lurking somewhere in the genetic pool. Her DNA results say something very different.
FLORA
Primary:
Secondary:
Cocker Spaniel, German Shepherd Dog
In the Mix:
Not surprisingly, many results are consistent with the outward appearance of the dog and simply confirm the pet parent’s suspicions. Buddy and Charisse clearly met the expectations of their caretakers.
BUDDY
Primary:
Secondary:
Golden Retriever
In the Mix:
Alaskan Malamute, Collie
CHARISSE
Primary:
Secondary:
Poodle, Cocker Spaniel
In the Mix:
Your Certificate of DNA Breed Analysis
Your dog's DNA results come to you in the form of a Certificate of DNA Breed Analysis as shown here. As you can see, these results are reported in one, two or three categories.
It is important to remember that most mystery mutts will not have breeds listed in every category. As a matter of fact most mixed breeds will have nothing reported in the "Primary" category unless one of its parents is a purebred.
Some will receive results in only one category such as "In the Mix". What does this mean? It could mean that the dog is composed of one or more additional breeds that are not included in our validated breeds. In many cases, however, it simply means that your best friend is composed of so many different breeds, only low amounts of identifiable breeds can be detected. Dogs mixed over many generations who do not have a purebred in their recent ancestry (great grandfather/mother), will not have a "primary" and in many cases, will not have a "secondary" either. Consequently, adding more of the hundreds of existing breeds into our database may change the results for some, but for most, the results would remain exactly the same.
Our section on Frequently Asked Questions will provide you with more information on DNA analysis and what you can learn from having your dog DNA tested with the Canine Heritage® Breed Test.
Important Facts About Breeds and Mixed-Breeds
- Research shows that there are fourteen ancient dog breeds that have the closest genetic similarity to wolves: Afghan Hound, Chow Chow, Lhasa Apso, Pekingese, Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Tibetan Terrier, Saluki, Basenji, Akita, Shiba Inu, Samoyed, Siberian Husky and Alaskan Malamute*
- Other than the ancient breeds, most of the breeds we know today were created in the last 400 years
- Not all breeds were created at the same time
- When older breeds are crossed to create a new breed, it takes some time before the new breed develops a unique DNA pattern of its own
- Ancient breeds sometime appear in new breeds
- Not all mixed breeds have a purebred ancestor
- Visual appearance is not necessarily an indication of breed
*Parker, H.G.; Kim, L.V.; Sutter, N.B.; Carlson, S.; Lorentzen, T.D.; Malek, T.B.; Johnson, G.S.; DeFrance, H.B.; Ostrander, E.A.; Kruglyak, L. (2004-05-21). Genetic structure of the purebred domestic dog". Science 304 (5674): 1160.