If your dog could talk, they might tell you exactly what’s on their mind (food, walk, pet, repeat) but since that’s not yet possible, we’re left to interpret their actions and expressive barks to figure out just what they need. And while specific breeds have common traits, dog behaviors can vary wildly. If you’re wondering why your dog doesn’t actually enjoy a good round of fetch or why they love to swim? It might be in their DNA. The good news is Doggie DNA test kits can help provide some of the answers and right now on Amazon, you can get the Ancestry Pet DNA test kit for $79, a 20% savings on the regular price.
My dalmatian, Katniss, doesn’t look exactly like the rest of her breed. She’s larger than most female dalmatians, and the shape of her nose isn’t what most picture when thinking about the breed. This led some family members and dog trainers in my social circle to speculate that maybe she has genes from another breed, which would affect recommendations for her nutrition and long-term care. The regular price for this test kit is $99, so the current price tag will save you $20 while providing you with at least some of the answers to your pet’s specific physical and behavioral traits.
Ancestry’s pet DNA test is relatively new, and as a result, the company warns not to expect as rich of a feature set compared with its human DNA tests. As more dogs are studied, things like heritage analysis will be added. For now, the best thing you get from this test is breed confirmation and the unique health notes associated with each breed. In my test, it turned out Katniss is a full-bred dalmatian. With that comes a genetic predisposition for bladder stones, which means I need to be careful about what I feed her.
The test kit itself is easy enough to use (as long as your pet is cooperative). A swab of saliva is all you need, and when you send the kit away, you’re notified via email of its progress until getting some much-needed details about your dog and how to care for them and keep them safe. If nothing else, the kit is worth satiating your curiosity at this discounted price.
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