Dog DNA Testing

Believe it or not, dog DNA testing has become affordable. So, now you can possibly discover the wonderful "recipe" of lineage that makes up your pal.

I've been having an inner Brown Dog debate over this one. Using my dog-sense, my first reaction to this possibility is "This is dumb, why bother?"

Then, the more I thought about it, the more I arrived at a "Hey, if it's important to you, why not?" kind of an attitude.

"Hey Pal, no Poodle in here!"

Why Bother?

So, why bother with a dog DNA testing?
• Your dog is getting older and is awesome.
  
  As you know, different breeds have their own unique behavioral characteristics. By understanding the lineage of your wonderful, loyal, smart mixed breed family member, you have a better perspective of what type of dog you may want to add to your family one day.
  
  
• Your dog has some unique habits or behaviors.
  
  Why does your dog, that looks an awful lot like a German Shepherd, enjoy the water so much? There may be some Lab, or other water dog, in there. This testing can help you solve the mystery of those behaviors that don't match up with your dog's "look."
  
  
• You are curious.
  
  Did you know "curiosity killed the cat?" Sorry, that has nothing to do with what we're discussing here, but it is one of my favorite expressions.
  
  Hey, you may just want to know the dominant breeds that make up your guy's amazing mix. That's fair and reasonable.
  
  
• Because you can.
  
  Here's the deal. It's not ridiculously expensive. When I think, "DNA testing," it sounds very scientific, complicated and expensive. It is scientific and complicated, but manageable as an expense if you really want to proceed. We're talking $60 to $170 USD, depending upon the type of test.
  
  If you have a local Vet that is doing the testing, they will take some blood and likely charge you on the higher end of that cost spectrum.
  
  Some Labs (not the dogs) are marketing a home test, by mail, to help identify the breeds in your mix. It involves you scraping some cheek cells from your guy.

What Kind of Dog am I, Really?

Check locally. Are any Vets in your area providing this service? And, if so, what is involved and how much does it cost?

Check the internet for those lower cost, cheek swab mail-in types of tests. There are a few Labs (again, not the dogs) providing the service now, so do a little research and make a decision.

You can do a search right here to get started. Just put dog dna testing in the Google search box and click on Search:

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Sincerely, Musical Brown Dog

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