The Best Dog DNA Tests of 2024

Embark stands shoulder to shoulder with Wisdom Panel for having the most extensive breed database, also at 350. And like its competitor, the company regularly contributes to health and wellness research, which serves to both expand that database and potentially lead to scientific advancements for the canine community at large. Where it differs—and ultimately what knocked it down from the top spot—is its higher prices: $129 for the breed-only Breed ID Kit, and $199 for the Embark Breed+Health Kit.

Embark’s packaging comes with clear and helpful instructions, and you’ll receive multiple progress report emails (perhaps too many?) once your sample arrives at the lab. Ours was processed within the promised range—15 days—and an emailed link leads to the website where the comprehensive results are stored. Unlike Wisdom Panel, Embark offers many options to share its reports with others, either through a printed PDF report or via a link for social media.

In addition to the breed breakdown, family tree infographic, and optional health screening, both versions of the test will tell you how inbred your pup is, which affects health and diversity—a result not offered by Wisdom Panel. Unsurprisingly, my adorable mutt Zander registered at 0% inbreeding, but it would stand to reason that a purebred dog might rank quite high on this index.

Like Wisdom Panel, Embark explains the genetics behind your dog’s appearance and size. For instance, the presence of A (Agouti) Locus accounts for Zander’s black, brown, and tan coat color pattern, while other genes accurately indicate his light-to-moderate shedding, medium-to-long muzzle, and “intermediate” body size, even though he’s still growing. (But, phew, does that mean he won’t reach 117 pounds?)

Another cool feature unique to Embark: Your pup’s breed breakdown is compared with other dogs in the database with similar mixes, and matched, according to percentage (not unlike how human DNA companies, like Ancestry.com, match you to distant relatives). Zander’s closest “mix-match” was a dog named Marietta at 70%, but some users have actually found their pup’s long-lost litter mates this way!

Zander’s Embark Results:

• 26.5% Rottweiler
• 15.5% Australian Shepherd
• 15.1% Bloodhound
• 14.2% American Pit Bull
• 12.8% Beagle
• 8% Collie
• 7.9% Boxer

Orivet has a somewhat smaller database than the two market leaders, encompassing 220 breed types and 150 health conditions (versus 350 and 200, respectively). So while Orivet’s test results for Zander largely echoed Wisdom Panel’s and Embark’s findings, it did so with less specificity.

When it came to registering samples and checking on their status, I found the website temperamental and difficult to navigate. I also waited the longest for our results by far—it wasn’t until I wrote an email to customer service almost a month after mailing that they were magically processed the next day.

As stated, the breed findings seemed accurate in comparison to other tests. But you’ll receive very little else by way of scientific, DNA-based data, like the genetic trait breakdown or family trees offered by Wisdom Panel and Embark.

If you personally input health, breed, and environmental information about your dog on the website (oddly, Orivet doesn’t pull any of it from its own DNA results), it will provide advice like disease screening suggestions, daily calorie requirements, or feeding recommendations. Which frankly, with no evidence anyone at the company is a vet or dog nutritionist, Orivet has very little authority to do.

In short, the marginally lower price isn’t enough to choose Orivet over Wisdom or Embark if you want detailed results.

Zander’s Orivet Results:

Parent 1 * 12.5% Rottweiler * 12.5% Bloodhound * 12.5% Collie, Rough * 12.5% American Bulldog

Parent 2 * 37.5% Mixed Breed Unknown * 12.5% Rottweiler

I first reviewed DNA My Dog more than a decade ago with my dog Rowdy. Back then, the service left a lot to be desired, but I hoped that its database had expanded and the process had improved since.

Nope. You stick your swabs in the same basic, unprotected paper envelope, which quickly becomes soggy and transparent with drops of saliva if you don’t wait for the cotton tips to fully dry. You fumble your way through the oddly barebones website in order to activate your test. And then you wait. And wait. And wait.

My results that were promised in 1 or 2 weeks took close to a month, and when they arrived, it was via two emailed PDFs—no personal info lives on the website.

Our former dog, which Wisdom Panel and Embark deemed a mix of Doberman, bloodhound, American Bull Terrier, German shepherd, and Weimaraner, came back a purebred cocker spaniel (yes, really) during my last go-round with DNA My Dog.

This time with Zander, the results were a little closer to the mark, citing he’s part Rottweiler (and part Rhodesian Ridgeback, which none of the others picked up on). But otherwise, DNA My Dog’s breed analysis lacks detail and is confusing to boot: Instead of a straight percentage breakdown, the company categorizes breeds as Level S (single breed), Level T (trace), and then ranks “T” breeds from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating a 61% to 99% makeup of a particular breed, and a 5 being 10% or less. (I promise, that’s the clearest way to explain it in words.)

By way of additional info, all you get from DNA My Dog is a printable photo certificate of the breeds identified and a generic write-up on the personality traits and health concerns of said breeds, but DNA My Dog doesn’t offer a genetic health breakdown based on your dog’s DNA. But, hey, considering its paper envelope swab delivery system, I’m impressed our pup didn’t come back “Level 3 Pocket Lint.”

Zander’s DNA My Dog Results:

• Level 1 Rottweiler
• Level 4 Rhodesian Ridgeback

If you don’t feel like dishing out the extra cash for the Wisdom Panel Premium Dog DNA Kit you can still expect accurate results from the Wisdom Panel Essentials Kit.

Wisdom Panel’s basic Essential test, which retails for $99.99, analyzes a dog’s ancestry from 350 breeds and even includes screening for MDR1 sensitivity that the pricier Premium package offers, and only Wisdom Panel is licensed to provide.

Along with discovering your dog’s breed heritage you can use the information from your dog’s Wisdom Panel DNA test to find out their ideal weight and likely physical traits so you have an idea of what to expect. This is especially helpful for those living in small spaces and can help you plan ahead for your pet’s care.

What’s nice about Wisdom Panel’s dog DNA kits is that they are straightforward in their use. Simply collect a sample from your dog’s gum line on the included swab, place it to dry in its designated spot and send it off. Results come back well within the promised 2 to 4 week timeframe and while you can’t directly share results from the website, you do have immediate access to them.