Wisdom Panel DNA Review

Collecting Your DNA Sample

Now that you are aware of the reasons to test your dog, let's go through the process itself. First, as we mentioned, you may take a basic canine breed detection test or opt for the more in-depth version, which covers the breed as well as disease detection.

Whichever you choose, here's how it will go down once you receive your kit.

Luckily, performing the test is straightforward, and it will take you mere seconds. You'll find two swabs on long handles that look like mascara wands in the package. Remember to keep the box and plastic wrap, as you'll use them to send the samples back to the company.

Roll the swabs around the mouth of your pet for about 15 seconds each. Heads up: your pet might not like this.

Then, put them in the box you received to dry for approximately five minutes. All you need to do is return them into the plastic wrap they came in.

Visit the site to activate your kit. Wisdom Panel then gets the information needed to send you the results. The package will contain an activation code that you use to enable the account.

Finally, seal up the box and send it. It's already addressed to Wisdom Panel, and shipping is covered. You'll need to wait for a few weeks for your test results to arrive, but the company will keep you updated meanwhile.

How Fast Do the Results Come Back?

As we mentioned, Wisdom Panel asks you to create a profile on their webpage to activate the kit. When you take the samples, you send them back in the original package. Why do you need to know that?

A neat little feature is that the postage cost is included in the price of the box. You won't have to spend any more money on sending them to the processing center, and there is no need to concern yourself with it getting lost or damaged by being packed incorrectly.

The waiting time matches up with the competition for most other DNA testing companies. It’s not the quickest of processes in any case. Once you send off your information, you need to wait for two to three weeks until your results arrive via email.

What Do the Results Include?

Once the email with the results finds its way to your inbox, you'll see that it's easy to read, colorful, and personalized. Choose to view a detailed report on the website or print out an abridged version.

Here is what you'll get:

• The breakdown of breed percentage
• Family tree three generations back
• Health markers
• The ideal weight of your dog
• A unique set of traits per breed

The breed percentage will come in the form of a pie chart. There will also be info about the characteristics and tendencies of each breed, helping you understand why your puppy behaves the way it does.

Interpreting the Results

If you're having trouble interpreting the results, you may always contact one of the PhDs that work in Wisdom Panel labs. Although most data that arrives is self-explanatory, people tend to get confused by the Breed Group designation. They will explain it to you and help to answer any questions you might have.

Accuracy

Speaking of accuracy beyond breed, you may ask yourself - will the test show results correct for my dog? Those who used the test see the characteristics mentioned in the results, both visual and behavioral, in their pets.

Besides, the weight guidelines can be quite helpful, as it's difficult to determine whether your dog is underweight or overweight. With the framework, it is much easier to decide how, when, and what to feed your pet. It can also help avoid thinking there is something wrong with your dog when there isn’t.

How Does Wisdom Panel Protect Your Privacy?

Naturally, the website uses encryption to protect your personal info. If you don't consent to it, they won't share your results with anyone. However, you may decide to consent and thus help several projects.

All information you send to Wisdom Panel won't go to waste. They use it for some basic research and also put it in their broader business model.

The parent company, under the name of Mars, develops breed-specific dog food under the Royal Canine brand. They polished, for example, the Pug formula designed for the species' specific jaw shape.

The data will go to breeders, helping them determine how large a dog will get. These findings are geared towards breeding healthier puppies. So, if you don't mind sharing the data on your dog, rest assured it serves a charitable purpose.

Matching With Relatives

As your dog gets more and more mixed through its lineage, it becomes more challenging to determine unique breeds from the results. In this case, they will show you traces where the most active markers are the most prominent. With this information, you can do a little more detective work to narrow down the findings.

Beyond tree generations back, today's technology is only able to identify the genetics on a ‘group’ level - guard dogs, sporting dogs, toy dogs, and more.

They determine the breeds within these groups and see with which your dog shares the most genetic similarities. Thus, your dog may not be the exact breed from the test, but the most likely kind will come first on the list.

So, if you bought a mixed breed without information of the ancestry, these results are as accurate as it gets.

Wisdom Panel’s Prices and Details

Wisdom Panel packs come in two versions, plus an older release if you want to save some money. The main packages are as follows.

4.0 Canine Breed Detection

With this package, you also get a base of 350 breeds, but no genetic markers for diseases. It will cost you $84.99.

• World’s largest breed database
• Detailed view of 350 or more breeds, types and varieties
• Testing for drug & exercise sensitivity
• Analysis of your dog’s traits

This pack is a fantastic starting point for those wanting to understand their dog better.

Health Canine Breed + Disease Detection

This one runs your dog's DNA through a base of 350 breeds, and costs $149.99, being the most expensive one.

• More than 150 genetic health conditions screened
• World’s largest breed database
• Analysis of your dog’s traits
• Identify more than 350 breeds, types and varieties

This package is for real enthusiasts who want to get the most detail possible about their dog’s genetic history and background. Go for this option if you want every possible detail available about your pets, and are concerned about diseases they may suffer from now or in the future.

To reduce costs, you may go for the earlier version of the second package, called 3.0 Canine Breed Detection. It's still available on Amazon, but it runs the DNA through a base of 250 breeds. Go for it if your pet isn't likely to be mixed with a number of different breeds.

Summary

Wisdom Panel is an excellent one-stop-shop for canine DNA testing, as they provide both breed and health information in its tests. The amount of information may be too much, but they will go to great lengths to help you understand and act upon the results.

Wisdom Panel DNA, of course, isn't the only dog DNA test out there. However, it fares well in comparison to most, and people who used it agree with this verdict. So, if you were dying to know more about your dog, this company is a fantastic one to help you do that.

With these results, you may consult a veterinarian about developing training and a long-term health and nutrition plan. You will have your puppy live a longer, happier life.