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When my husband and I adopted our dog Sally in 2017, we were extremely curious about her dog breed makeup. We suspected she was hound of some sort but were uncertain of what type or anything else beyond that.
We decided to take a dog DNA test to learn more. We completed a Wisdom Panel breed detection test for her and in less than two weeks, we had the results. What we discovered in the results was completely surprising to us.
Wisdom Panel sent us the Wisdom Panel Health DNA test to try for free in exchange for an unbiased review. The DNA test I conducted with the 3.0 kit was not a free trial. The review scoring and pros and cons are for the newer Essential and Premium test kits.
Wisdom Panel Overall Rating
4.6/5.0
Our team determines the overall rating based on several factors, including ease of testing, genetic health screenings, breed identification, pricing, customer support, and more.
Pros & Cons Comparison Table
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Tests cover 99% of 350 breeds, types, & varieties | Genetic marker testing is much less detailed and in-depth vs. Embark (twice as much genetic info from Embark vs. Wisdom Panel) |
| Comes with two swabs, and they’ll replace for free if damaged | |
| Charitable partnerships with animal rights groups | |
| Genetic mutation testing for over 210 canine health conditions (Premium test) | |
| Veterinarian phone consultation available to discuss results from health tests | |
| Includes a relative finder | |
| Results back in two to three weeks | |
| Phone, email customer service for any questions | |
| Good website resources about canine DNA testing |
Key Features
- Fast results compared to other
- Simple instructions
- Distinguishes the breed makeup of your dog
- User-friendly website
Price
- Premium DNA Test (350 Breeds + Disease & Trait Detection): $159.99
- Essential DNA Test (350 Breeds): $99.99
- Breed Discovery Test: $79.99
- Complete for Cats DNA Test: $129.99
My Experience With Wisdom Panel
I had a great experience with Wisdom Panel. In fact, you can read about my hands-on testing in comparison to Embark DNA in this article. I have tested both Wisdom Panel’s 3.0 kit and the new Health DNA tests for my dog, Sally.
The instructions were easy to follow for both tests, and I liked that the packaging was simple because it didn’t complicate things. The swab used to collect the DNA samples are similar to a mascara wand, which I wasn’t expecting but it didn’t affect the way I used it.
Thanks to the DNA test, we were able to learn more about Sally’s genetic makeup as well as the different traits that each breed shows. For example, she has some German Shepherd in her, and she definitely loves to herd. It was fun to connect the dots and understand our pup even more.
Both times I submitted the tests, I received my results within a couple of weeks and was able to read up on the different breeds that makeup my dog as well as the health information provided by Wisdom Panel Health. Overall, it was a fun experience, and I learned a lot.
Sally’s DNA Results
Are you curious about our dog’s DNA results? The Wisdom Panel test said Sally was the following:
- 37.5% Treeing Walker Coonhound
- 25% Mastiff
- 25% Beagle
- 12.5% German Shepherd Dog
The Coonhound in her is pretty obvious but seeing Mastiff on the results was entirely unexpected. She’s about 50 pounds, so she’s definitely not the size of a Mastiff. However, the brindle coloring in her face and paws, as well as the white patch on her chest, have Mastiff written all over her.
I’m not the only one who was surprised with my dog’s DNA test results. Read some of the whackiest results we found while conducting research for this article.
Sally’s Health Results
Wisdom Panel screens for more than 150 genetic health conditions and noted if Sally was “at risk” or a “carrier” for any disease-causing mutations. Sally’s results showed that she was a carrier for hypocatalasia (aka acatalasemia and canine catalase deficiency (CAT)). She didn’t show up as being at risk for any diseases, which made me a happy dog mom.
How To Get A Good Swab
When I swabbed my dog Sally’s cheek, I was worried I wasn’t going to do it correctly. Watch this quick video to see how I did it.
Want To Learn About Genetic Makeup Or Health?
Wisdom Panel provides breed and health information in its DNA tests, which is why we think it’s a great one-stop-shop for dog DNA testing and our pick for best dog DNA test for mixed breeds. You can learn about Wisdom Panel’s competitors and see how Wisdom Panel compares to other dog DNA tests by reading our comparison article.
Tagged With: DNA, Review
