BELTSVILLE, Maryland: Afraid your Beagle may be a Bulldog? Suspect your guard dog is more Golden Retriever than German Shepherd?
A breakthrough DNA test means dog owners will never have to face an Anna-Nicole Smith-style situation and be left questioning the pedigree of their family pooch.
The claims and counter-claims surrounding the Anna-Nicole Smith paternity case showed just how easily the issues of parentage can become muddied and distorted.
And despite breed registration papers 'proving' the authenticity of purebred hounds, potential dog owners paying thousands of dollars for their pedigree puppies could never be completely sure that they were getting what they paid for, always being at risk of being defrauded by unscrupulous breeders.
However life-sciences company MMI Genomics says its new DNA-based 'Canine Heritage' diagnostic test can definitively tell owners the exact breed mix of their purebred (or otherwise) family pooch.
Afghan Hound
Akita
Basenji
Basset Hound
Beagle
Golden Retriever
Belgian Tervuren
Bernese Mountain Dog
Border Collie
Borzoi
Boxer
Bulldog
Labrador Retriever
Chihuahua
Chinese Shar-Pei
Mastiff
Chow Chow
Cocker Spaniel
Collie
Dachshund
Poodle
Doberman Pinscher
English Setter
Pug
German Shepherd
German Shorthaired Pointer
Greyhounds
Italian Greyhound
Miniature Schnauzer
Rottweiler
Saluki
Samoyed
Shetland Sheepdog
Shih-Tzu
Siberian Husky
St. Bernard
Whippet
Yorkshire Terrier |
The company says it is the first commercially-available DNA process to determine doggy pedigree, and is capable of certifying parentage for 38 major breeds.
The test requires only a swab taken from the dog's cheek, which is then mailed to MMI for analysis. The company said results should take about six weeks to come back.
Owners of mixed-breeds, as well as dogs without breed registration papers can use this test to directly determine pedigree.
“The first question always asked of mixed breed dog owners is, ‘What kind of dog is that?’ Now, owners need not guess and can say with certainty,”said Dr. Ed Quattlebaum, co-chairman and CEO of MMI Genomics parent company MetaMorphix.
“The Canine Heritage test showed that my dog is a mix of Labrador Retriever, English Setter and Border Collie. In addition to better understanding your pet’s behavior, your dog’s breed analysis can enable you to work more closely with your veterinarian to develop a lifetime health and wellness program.”
However MMI doesn't have the field all to itself. Rival company Mars Veterinary says its 'Wisdom Panel MX' mixed-breed test will be able to identify more than 100 types of canines.
The test is designed to analyze distinct genetic markers in a small sample of of blood drawn during a routine visit to the vet, according to the AnimalPharm industry newsletter.
The product is reportedly in the final stages of testing and is planned to launch in the US this summer.
This is a great idea. when i was a kid my dad bought a dog which was supposed to be placid, but it attacked me. We later found out it was a cross-breed and not what we paid for. This test should be compulsory for all breeders.
This is ridiculous - who cares this much about whether their dog has whatever genes? A dog is a dog is a dog - they all love you, and if they don't, go out and get a new one.
I think this is a great idea! As a dog lover, this test is important for many reasons. Specifically, knowing the breed of a dog is important for health and behavioral reasons.
I adopted a beautiful puppy two years ago and was told he was part Boxer and part Mastiff, however that was simply a guess by the shelter. I am in the process of having his DNA breed testing done, because boxers are prone to cancer, so if he is part boxer that will give me information for his health that I believe I should know, that way I can look for signs that I normally wouldn't look for!
If he is part boxer and mastiff, that makes him a large breed dog - and large breed dogs have different needs, they are prone to hip dysplasia, need a different food, etc.
I thank the person who came up with this test and is offering all pet owners a chance to have all the information they need about their dog!
I think Alan Pugliese is an asshole. If he doesn't care about pet DNA then why is he on the web site posting messages. I think its an awesome idea!
yeah i sure would like to know what kind of dna is in my dogs- they're not pure-breeds, but i love them they're the best!
I have a pet poodle. and my brother has a chocolate lab. my poodle loves to jump on my lap and on every lap of the people at home. one time, bruce, my bro's lab, tried to jump onto our laps! haha! the cute big thing thought he was also a poodle! he did not know his size!
Anyway, i think that this is an awesome idea. breeders should have that so that customers who want to buy a dog are guaranteed that the pooch they are buying is the real thing. some sellers pass some pups as pure because it's hard to see if they really are pure when they are still a few months old.
This is a good idea. I agree with Amy Kindernay. This is a chance for those dog owners of mixed breeds. Certain dogs are prone to certain diseases. If you adopt a nice mixed breed pup, it certainly would help to know what to expect so you can take preventive measures and precautions.
I know Buddy's a pure lab. but in any event i find out that he's part something else, i'd give the pet shop an ol' one-two! lol but heck, it doesn't matter. i love bud just the same.
is this for real? how can we be sure that their analysis is 100% accurate? just to be sure of my dogs breeds, i would to let them take this but of course, it still depends on how much.
what more proof do you need? sure it may be nice to know your dog is part this-dog and part that-dog, but seriously, if you really love your little dawgie-wawgie, does it really matter?