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I’ve conducted three Wisdom Panel tests on my dog over the years. I share my experience and results here to show you what you can expect through their testing. Turnaround time is quick, so you don’t have to wait too long to learn more about your dog’s breed makeup and health.
Table of Contents
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Wisdom Panel DNA Review
Summary
Our team determines the overall rating based on several factors, including ease of testing, genetic health screenings, breed identification, pricing, customer support, and more. Wisdom Panel is an excellent choice for mixed breed dog DNA testing as it offers both breed and health information. It’s a comprehensive solution, and we consider it the best one-stop-shop for dog DNA testing.
Overall Score
Pros
- Screens for 365+ breeds
- Genetic mutation testing for 265+ health conditions (Premium test)
- Tests for 50+ physical traits (Premium & Essential tests)
- Tests for behavioral traits, like anxiety and sociability
- Comes with two swabs, and they’ll replace for free if damaged
- Veterinarian phone consultation available to discuss ‘at risk’ health findings (Premium test)
- Includes a relative finder
- Results within 2-3 weeks
- Charitable partnerships with animal rights groups
- Phone, email customer service for any questions
- Good website resources about canine DNA testing
- Cat DNA testing available
- Tests for dog and cat breeders
Cons
- Complaints of inaccurate results
Wisdom Panel Test Price, Overview & Comparison
In addition to the kits below, Wisdom Panel also offers tests for breeders of dogs and cats (these include genetic health tests, traits, and genetic diversity).
| Breed Discovery | Essential | Premium | Complete for Cats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $104.99 ($104.99 / Count) | $159.99 ($159.99 / Count) | $129.99 ($129.99 / Count) |
| Breeds | 365+ | 365+ | 365+ | 70+ |
| Drug Sensitivities (MDR1 test) |  | | | |
| Relative Finder | | | | |
| Physical Traits | 50+ | 50+ | 25+ | |
| Genetic Health Risks | 25+ | 265+ | 45+ | |
| Behavioral Traits | 2 | 2 | 15 | |
| Vet Consult For Notable Health Findings | | |||
| Identify Blood Type | |
Coupon Codes
Wisdom Panel is often offered at a discount from the MSRP price at Chewy.
My Experience With Wisdom Panel
I have tested several Wisdom Panel DNA tests for my dog, Sally. Specific kits and dates are listed below.
- Wisdom Panel 3.0 (discontinued) – March 2017
- Wisdom Panel Health (discontinued) – July 2018
- Wisdom Panel Premium – December 2023
Collecting The Samples
Collecting the DNA samples for Wisdom Panel has been easy each time. The instructions are simple to follow, and it takes fewer than five minutes to activate the kit, swab Sally’s mouth, and repackage the box for shipping. I like that the original packaging is reused for shipping to the lab, so there is no unnecessary waste.
Timeline
I’ve been impressed with Wisdom Panel’s turnaround time, especially with the Premium test during the holidays. Wisdom Panel has promised results within two to three weeks and has consistently delivered for me. They even got me results for the 3.0 test faster than two weeks.
| Wisdom Panel 3.0 | Wisdom Panel Health | Wisdom Panel Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample Mailed To Lab | 3/15/17 | 7/5/18 | 12/4/23 |
| Sample Received By Lab | 3/17/17 | 7/7/18 | 12/7/23 |
| Anticipated Result Date | 3/29/17 to 4/5/17 | 7/19/18 to 7/26/18 | 12/19/23 to 12/26/23 |
| Results Received Via Email | 3/27/17 | 7/20/18 | 12/21/23 |
| Total Days From Mailing To Results | 12 | 15 | 17 |
Sally’s Ancestry Results
Wisdom Panel has become more informative and user-friendly as the years have passed. Their technology and algorithms have significantly advanced, but I’m puzzled by how different these DNA results are from the 3.0 kit in 2017 and the Premium kit in 2023.
Today, Wisdom Panel can detect 368 different breeds using their current algorithm. Perhaps some of these breeds weren’t available when I conducted the 3.0 test on Sally. However, I’m mind-boggled as to how she could’ve been 25% Beagle in 2017, but now that breed is undetected.
| Breed | Wisdom Panel 3.0 | Wisdom Panel Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Treeing Walker Coonhound | 37.5% | 56% |
| Mastiff | 25% | 23% |
| Beagle | 25% | – |
| German Shepherd Dog | 12.5% | 8% |
| Labrador Retriever | – | 4% |
| American Pit Bull Terrier | – | 3% |
| American Foxhound | – | 2% |
| White Swiss Shepherd | – | 2% |
| Chinook | – | 1% |
| Czechoslovakian Vlcak | – | 1% |
Sally is a pretty close match to a perfect dog. She has a few minor quirks, but she’s a very good girl overall. Here’s more about her to help you understand which breed may be responsible for which trait.
- Exercise – Sally enjoys long walks/runs but is also good with being a couch potato while I’m busy working. Has fun chasing prey up into trees.
- Family Life – Loving and affectionate with family but not fond of snuggling. Enjoys attention and companionship and likes herding family members and keeping an eye on their locations. Fantastic around children and excellent with being gentle around them.
- Personality – She can be stubborn, which makes training challenging. Barks at animal sounds, the doorbell, or when she’s left alone. No baying or musical barking. She is a calm, well-mannered house pet and not destructive.
- Physical – Medium-length smooth coat, no drooling, occasional bathing, no hair cuts required, and seasonal shedding. A relatively weak nose compared to other hound dogs (struggles to find food on the floor).
- Social – Suspicious of strangers and can become protective until she is allowed to greet them. Not the most playful and is a loyal watchdog. Thrives off of routine and can become anxious when the routine is disrupted, or she is left alone. Enthusiastic when greeting people.
Sally’s Health Results
Wisdom Panel’s Premium kit detected one notable genetic variant (hypocatalasia) in Sally’s DNA out of 267 tests. Previously, the 3.0 determined her to be a carrier for hypocatalasia, too, and cleared her for 151 other tests. Sally is spayed, so we don’t need to be concerned about her passing one copy of the disease onto her offspring.
Overall, I’m thrilled with her health results because there were no tests that she came up as “at risk” for. Sally has been a healthy girl all of her life, and these findings have me hopeful that she will continue to be in good health.
Sally’s Relatives
No close family members were discovered, but there were five extended and 39 distant relatives. Her closest relative was a Treeing Walker Coonhound purebred named Katie. An older Treeing Walker Coonhound purebred, Hank, was an extended relative I discovered, too. His parent had uploaded some photos of him to his account; it was fun to see any similarities in their physical traits.
Sally’s Genetic Traits
Wisdom Panel performed 58 genetic trait tests on Sally’s DNA with the following results alongside what I feel Sally’s actual traits are. I bolded the key differences.
| Wisdom Panel Results | Sally’s True Traits | |
|---|---|---|
| Coat Color | Dominant black or brindle Possible tan points | Dominant black Brindle in her face, legs, paws No tan points |
| Coat Patterns | Possible white markings Possible saddle tan | White markings on her paws and chest No saddle tan |
| Coat Length & Curl | Short coat likely Long coat possible | Short coat |
| Hairlessness | Unlikely | None |
| Shedding | Occasional shedder | Occasional shedder |
| Weight | 49-82 lbs (ideal) | 62 lbs |
| Head Shape | Average to long snout | Average to long snout |
| Eye Color | Brown or amber eyes | Brown/amber eyes |
| Ears | Upright “prick” ears | V-shaped ears |
| Extra Toes | 5 on each front paw 4 on each back paw | 5 on each front paw 4 on each back paw |
Wisdom Panel’s Genetic Research
Wisdom Panel partners with scientists to expand genetic research into dogs and cats, and their findings are helping provide a foundation for further discoveries into inherited diseases in both species. In the largest DNA-based study of domestic cats to date, published in June 2022, researchers genotyped more than 11,000 domestic cats for 87 genetic variants associated with disease, physical appearance, or blood type. They found 13 previously undocumented disease-causing variants in 47 breeds or breed types.
Another recent study examined the DNA of over one million dogs in Wisdom Panel’s database. Scientists then analyzed the medical records from veterinary clinics for 43.5% of the genotyped dogs to better understand the prevalence and distribution of 250 disease-causing variants in dogs. The study found that disease mutations are collectively common in all dogs and that many health issues are shared by both mixed-breed and purebred dogs.
How To Get A Good Swab
When I swabbed my dog Sally’s cheek, I was worried I wouldn’t do it correctly. Watch this quick video to see how I did it.
Want To Learn About Genetic Makeup Or Health?
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Wisdom Panel provides breed and health information in its DNA tests, which is why it’s an excellent one-stop-shop for dog DNA testing and one of the best dog DNA tests 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. And if you’re curious about how Wisdom Panel compares to Embark, you can read our comparison, including my hands-on testing.
If you genetically test your dog and find that they’re predisposed to certain chronic illnesses, you may consider pet insurance. Read our pet insurance comparison to see which companies are the best.
Why Trust Canine Journal?
Many Canine Journal team members have experience conducting DNA tests on their dogs, including Kimberly Alt, who has tried several companies and numerous test types. Kimberly has many firsthand accounts to glean from and has also spent extensive time researching different companies and the industry to help explain the ins and outs to our readers. She has gifted many DNA kits to loved ones because she wants to share the enjoyment of the process and help other pet parents learn about their dog’s ancestry and health.
