Dog DNA Test- Is it worth it?
Updated: Jun 15, 2021
Have you ever wondered “what in the heck breed ARE you?” when looking at your pup? If your dog is rescued and not purebred, you’ve likely been asked and have wondered yourself. Being rescue dog parents ourselves, we sucked it up and finally got the Embark DNA test done. Here are our thoughts. Let us know in the comments how your experience was!
Choose your test
There are 2 tests- the DNA and the DNA + Health. Both are done exactly the same, just one includes the perk of seeing any health risks in your pups genetic makeup. The test itself was super easy. You just swab the inside of their mouth and send it back to the lab. If you have concerns about your dogs genetic makeup, I’d splurge for the DNA + Health test. I did this for my purebred and it showed some DNA that indicated he was prone to certain genetic mutations common for his breed. It feels good having that knowledge.
Family tree
How cool is it to see your dog’s family tree up to their great grandparents. The Embark test will break your pups breed down by over 250 dog breeds. See the pieces that make up your dog can help you determine where their personality traits come from.
Relative Finder
This was actually something I didn’t realize they did and is a pleasant surprise. Each time a new dog is tested, they alert you if the genetic makeup is similar. I love getting the email that says “Sandy’s got new relatives!” each time a new person does the test and matches.
Health Risks
The Embark test looks for over 200 genetic health risks in your dog. Learning if your dog is prone to one of these which can cause disease or conditions can help you and your vet better diagnose your pups health and be on the lookout for future issues.
If you’ve ever wanted to try it, here’s a coupon for $40 off the Breed + Health Kit on us.