Get Your DNA Questions Answered
In December we had a contest to win a Wisdom Panel Test, it’s a DNA kit for your dog. The test was created by Mars Veterinary to give dog owners an opportunity to find out exactly “Who’s your daddy?” For anyone who’s thought about ordering a kit but has been reluctant because they have some questions now’s your chance to get answers.
Good Morning America correspondent Dr. Marty Becker and geneticist Dr. Neale Fretwell are conducting satellite interviews on May 6th on the Wisdom Panel Test, the most comprehensive doggie DNA test available today.
Every Dog Has A Tale:
That’s why Mars Veterinary created Wisdom PanelTM MX Mixed-Breed Analysis, the gold standard in mixed-breed genetic identification for dogs.
Over 38 million people own a mixed-breed dog. One simple dog DNA test at your veterinarian’s office reveals the untold story of its ancestry.
Separate FACT From FICTION:
With Wisdom Panel MX, mixed-breed dogs will receive the most reliable DNA breed test available.
* Blood-based sampling, scientifically proven to provide the highest quality DNA analysis
* Detecting 157 different AKC breeds (incl. 4 Foundation Breeds) and counting
* Proprietary algorithm providing 90% accuracy
* Backed by a decade of peer-reviewed veterinarian science research on dog genetics
* Detailed report illustrating your dog’s heritage, revealing breed traits and characteristics
I’ve been invited to ask the doctors some questions, but I thought rather than me asking my questions I would let Dogsters submit them. Post any questions you have on DNA testing and I will forward them on, the interview footage will be posted on Wednesday, May 6th.
I want to thank Mars Veterinary and all involved for giving Dogsters this fun and unique opportunity.
* I cannot guarantee your question will be picked to be answered, I won’t know beforehand.
I have three dogs, Tipper is a Shepard/mix but does not really have no looks of the Shepard breed, except for his black and some tan coloring. We only know he does have Shepard in him, because his mother a Shepard ran with a pack in the West Nashville, TN area. He and siblings were born near a local hospital and rescued, could not catch his mother. I fostered him and 2 sidblings of 11 and kept him.He’s a member of the Dogster dogs. I also have a Border Collie/mix, Oreo, he does have the black and white, and a vet I work with said he was BCmix, but a trait not in the breed, he actually has 6 toes and declaw on his hind feet. She said the only breeds had that trait were St Bernards and Great Pyerneese. I’ve heard both breeds make good family pets, he did not get large like I thought her would, he’s more of the BC size, but he does show some agression with other dogs, his brother and sister. He wants to be the Alpha dog. His sister, Lady pretty much lets him have his way and she is an AM Staff. But his brother and he has had 3 or 4 fights, and Oreo gets the short end each time. He has been hurt twice wher he had to be treated. So I wondered if the St B and the Great P were know to show agression at times? My AM Staff Lady is very laid back and a Social Butterfly. My old vet classified her as an American Pit Bull Terrier, but I’d say she is more of an AM Staff, very low to the ground yet very stocky. Wide chest and broad back. And acourse shge thinks she is a lap dog, about 60 pounds worth of lap dog. So what is the real difference between Pit Bull Terrier and AM Staff. Are any vets in the Nashville TN are doing the DNA test? I’d like to know a little more about all three since they are all rescues and I don’t really have a date of birth or blood line on either.
I have a dog rescued from the pound (through the Sam Simon Foundation) who is a Poodle Mix; mixed with what, I am uncertain! Sailor is a medium sized dog, 25-30 pounds, white with light gold markings. I had a test done (with swab collection) on 3/4/09 and the results were curious, to say the least. According to the results, he is Poodle/Saint Bernard/Italian Greyhound/Lhasa Apso. I cannot see any of the breeds mentioned, other than the obvious Poodle; it’s a stretch, but he seems to have Saint Bernard influence in his strength and good nature. I think it’s likelier that the Foundation may have been right in their assumption that he is a Poodle/Golden Retriever Mix : he has the trademark plume of a tail and sturdy build.
How do you collect you DNA samples (blood or swab)?
Thanks!
Kelley & Sailor
Is the buccal swab as reliable as a blood sample?
Cool concept, but I’d stay away from anything that has to do with the AKC.
Ava was one of the winner’s of the Wisdom Panel Test back in December. Her results came in and the breeds detected were: Chihuahua, Bedlington Terrier, and other breeds not strong enough to identify. I recommend this test to anyone who’s curious about their dog’s breeds!
Marty Becker appears to be paid to endorse the Wisdom Panel. See this video advertising (video news release) on Youtube >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKh_HreLyO4
I would ask the question of paid endorsements directly to Dr. Becker.
And I would ask it to you as well, since your web site was giving away the Widom Panel a few months ago. Can it be said that you are in the “pay to say” business as well?
I would also ask why the Wisdom Panel says it cannot ID your breed if you actually know what it is, but that they are accurate if you have no idea of what your breed is. This is absurd on its face.
By the say, who are these “satellite interviews” for?
If they are not for ABC and Good Morning America, then why is that network and television show being mentioned?
And what does a “satellite interview” really mean? Every time I am on my phone, or interviewed by TV or radio, a satellite feed is generally involved. So what? Are we still supposed to be amazed by satellite technology when the handheld devices in our pocket use it?
Sorry for the harsh tone of the questioning, but the ethics of “pay to say” blogging and journalism are such that someone needs to ask a few questions.
PBurns
What would DNA “heritage tests” supporters say about these kinds of results:
http://caveat.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2008/9/21/3894523.html
There have been several cases I’ve read about, using the first two heritage tests available, where purebred dogs’ test results came back not just as mixed breeds, but as completely implausible breeds.
Knowing that all dog breeds are genetically identical (save these “markers” which may indicate ‘breed’ in dogs, or ‘race’, in the case of humans), I’m still suggesting people view these tests (rather, THE CONCLUSIONS based on the test parameters and results) as entertainment, rather than true science.
In humans, “markers” can hint at genography – the seeming geographical origin of certain mitochondrial DNA strains linked to certain DNA “markers” – which can, then, suggest a possible race/appearance. (I.E. People of primarily middle-eastern origin may be more likely to have a certain appearance, whereas someone with a mix of middle-eastern and scandinavian “markers” may be expected to have a different appearance.)
But I’ve been cautioned never to assume race/appearance, based solely on genographic “markers”. How the various genes linked to many aspects of appearance are expressed, can be quite varied and unpredictable.
A canine geneticist definitively stated that dog breeds are essentially the same as races, in humans. This leads me to believe the same caution should be used with this kind of DNA testing in dogs, especially given that even most pure breeds were derived from a combination of other breeds.
What say the heritage test supporters, other than to (likely) deride other kinds of tests, and protest their own to be more accurate?
Are we to believe there is a test on the market that can, absolutely, without (reasonable) fail, determine any dog’s breed ancestry? And if there isn’t, what is the use of such tests, other than as mere entertainment?
(I mean, as an experienced dog trainer, a dog’s breed has little relevance, in terms of raising a good canine citizen. You base a dog’s training on it’s individual temperament, energy level, and behaviour. It matters not if a dog is pulling on its leash or being allowed to upset the community with nuisance barking, if it is a mix of hound and retriever, or non-sporting and working breed. There are methods of dealing with these problems, and they need not be breed-specific. In fact, good training isn’t breed-specific. It may be temperament-specific or predicated on existing behaviour. But the training solution for most problems is rarely defined by the dog’s breed.
Most of the common, everyday training issues faced by dog owners are solved by relatively simple principles which apply to all dogs, regardless of breed. Short of attempting some kind of pointed, breed-specific training regime, all dogs are perfectly capable of learning all the basics that make a good canine citizen. Whether a dog is a JRT or a Rottweiler, it can be perfectly-trained to heel, come, and sit. All dogs should be properly socialized. No dog should be permitted to bark incessantly or roam or otherwise be a nuisance or a danger to anyone in the community, nor should any dog be left unsupervised outside the home, or with children. Breed really isn’t much of a factor, in this regard.)
Sincerely,
Marjorie Darby,
Dog trainer and aggression specialist (Ret.)
Author
Canine legislation consultant.
Dog bite researcher.
Responsible ownership instructor/advocate.
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Lifelong Great Dane owner & rescue supporter.