A new DNA test out this summer can tell owners if their mutt's a dachhuahua (dachshund and chihuahua), Labradoodle (Labrador retriever and poodle), a dorgi (dachshund and corgi) or a pugle (pug and beagle).
As the cost of DNA analysis plummets, the new test is the second to promise owners an answer to the most frequently asked question in the vet's office: "What is my dog?" With up to 50 percent of all dogs in America mixed breeds, it's a big question and one that is often impossible to answer just by looking.
"We think it's going to primarily appeal to mixed-breed owners who are just plain curious," said Daisy Okas of the American Kennel Club. "People come up to our booth at shows all the time asking."
The test, called the Wisdom Panel MX Mixed Breed Analysis, requires a blood sample and is done in a veterinarian's office. The results come back in two to three weeks. It's based on DNA samples from 3,200 dogs, covering 134 breeds. Expected to cost about $130, it's a product of Mars Veterinary, a subsidiary of food giant Mars Inc. (Visit www.whatsmydog.com)
It joins the Canine Heritage Breed Test, a do-it-yourself kit from MMI Genomics. Owners swab the inside of their dog's cheek, then mail it to the company. This test covers 38 breeds, costs $71.95 and takes four to six weeks. (Visit www.metamorphixinc.com)
Genetics are a big deal in the world of purebred animals. The American Kennel Club has long offered DNA testing to confirm parentage — at $40 a test — using a cheek swab. The club keeps a DNA library of over 100,000 dogs on file, allowing breeders to investigate pedigree claims.
Most professionals see the tests as providing a fun fact. "Does it really matter? In reality, no. But some people want to know," said Bonnie Beaver, past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Neither of the commercial tests would likely stand up in court, she said. With numerous cities and counties banning breeds deemed dangerous, it's unclear how courts will rule if an owner makes a claim that a dog isn't, for example, a pit bull based on these tests, says Beaver, a professor of Small Animal Medicine at Texas A&M University in College Station.
The tests might help owners and vets watch for breed-specific problems, said Marty Becker, author and veterinarian. For example, corgis, dachshunds and basset hounds are prone to obesity. Boxers tend to get cancer. Golden retrievers have skin problems.
Knowing a dog was a certain breed that was at risk would help him "prevent rather than treat, which is always preferable," Becker said.