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.
Article Overview
- Rating, Pros & Cons
- Key Features
- Price
- Personal Experience
- What Do Customers Think?
- How To Get A Good Swab (Video)
- Learn More About Genetic Makeup Or Health
Wisdom Panel
Pros
- Tests cover 99% of 350 breeds, types, & varieties (250 for older tests)
- Comes with two swabs, and they’ll replace for free if damaged
- Charitable partnerships with animal rights groups
- Genetic mutation testing for over 200 canine health conditions (Premium test)
- Results back in two to three weeks
- Phone, email customer service for any questions
- Good website resources about canine DNA testing
Cons
- No relative finder option available
- Genetic marker testing is much less detailed and in-depth vs. Embark (twice as much genetic info from Embark vs. Wisdom Panel)
Key Features
- Fast results compared to others
- Simple instructions
- Distinguishes the breed makeup of your dog
- User-friendly website
Price
- Wisdom Panel Premium DNA Test (350 breeds + disease & trait detection): $159.99
- Wisdom Panel Essential DNA Test (350 breeds): $99.99
- Wisdom Panel Health Canine Breed + Disease Detection (250 Breeds & Disease Detection): $149.99
- Wisdom Panel 3.0 Canine Breed Detection (250 Breeds): $84.99
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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.
What Do Customers Think Of Wisdom Panel?
Read about what other Wisdom Panel users have to say about the DNA test below.
Positive Reviews
Results were available 14 days after they received the sample and sent me an update that they were working on his test. I chose this panel that has 350 breeds and they run 29 genetic conditions that could impact your specific dog’s health. The cheaper version checks for 100 fewer breeds that is 250 breeds. I think this is perfect for a really loved mutt. I am glad I chose this option because I knew he was a major mix. I was right his test shows 16 detected breeds and types. – Joey, Chewy 6/26/2020
This was a fun experience to see my rescue’s lineage. He’s a unique looking guy, that no one could seem to place a breed or two on. Some said German Shepard with Chow or Keeshond. I thought Golden Retriever, with Husky, or long haired German Shepard. Turns out he’s got 25% Rottweiler? I’m not too sure about that part, but the rest came back making total sense. Overall pretty fun and worth the price. – Amanda F., Wisdom Panel 1/11/2019
Negative Reviews
For years I have wonder what my pup Nala was. She has so many traits of a hound. She has a huge prey instinct when she rabbits or squirrels. And if off could run for hours even days. I was always nervous about getting a DNA test because what if they just say mixed. I finally bit the bullet and got a test. Wisdom has gotten so many great reviews. I get my test and just like the box it was easy to do. I swabbed my dogs mouth and shipped it off. I eagerly waited for my results. And within 2 weeks my results are in. And I was shocked Wisdom Panel said my dog was Great Dane, Pittbull, Aussie and chow chow mix. If you look at her pictures she looks like none of those dogs. Or even have personality traits of these dogs. I was so disappointed! I felt like I got ripped off! – Katydid0220, Chewy 6/17/2020
I received a referral from a friend who had a 7 of her dogs done. We liked the report just wish they were able to tell more about the 12% of the other mixes in our dog. He is 87% Border collie and 12% mixed with 3 other breed groups. We wanted to know which specific breeds not just the breed groups. A bit disappointed that we did not received the names of the breeds that make him up. Over all happy to see all the additional info about him. – Trent W., Wisdom Panel 5/26/2018
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. You can learn about Wisdom Panel’s competitors and see how Wisdom Panel compares to other dog DNA tests by reading our comparison article.
Would you ever do a DNA test on your dog?