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Best Dog DNA Test (2025): Embark Vet Awarded Top Dog DNA Test Kit By Expert Consumers
Boston, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - January 17, 2025) - Expert Consumers has recognized Embark Vet as the top provider of dog DNA test kits for 2025, highlighting its contributions to advancing canine genetics and health care. This reinforces Embark's status as a leader in the field, delivering innovative products that provide pet owners with critical insights into their dogs' genetic makeup.
Best Dog DNA Test
● Embark Vet: recognized for its dog DNA test kits, offering unmatched accuracy, comprehensive genetic insights, and tools that empower pet owners to improve canine health and well-being.
Embark Vet, a global leader in dog health and genetics and official research partner of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, has transformed the way people care for their pets by offering advanced DNA testing. Developed by veterinarians, Embark's tests are designed to provide accurate and actionable genetic information.
According to Expert Consumers, Embark's dog DNA tests excel in breed identification, testing for more than 350 breeds with 99% breed ID accuracy, and genetic health screening, screening for more than 270 genetic health risks, setting a new standard for quality and reliability.
"Embark Vet's combination of scientific rigor and user-friendly design makes their tests a standout choice for dog owners," said a representative from Expert Consumers.
The recognition comes amid a surge in pet ownership and growing awareness of canine health and wellness. Recent studies show an increasing number of dog owners seeking advanced tools to ensure their pets lead healthier lives. DNA testing has become a key trend, providing insights that support preventative care and improved lifestyle management. By addressing this demand, Embark is helping to redefine pet care, aligning with the priorities of modern pet owners. In fact, 60% of pet owners plan to adjust their dog's routine or feel prepared to be a good pet parent after testing with Embark.
Embark's comprehensive dog DNA test offerings include the Breed + Health Test, Breed Identification Test, and Dog Age Test. Each test is designed to address specific needs, from identifying breed ancestry and health risks to determining a dog's age through DNA methylation science. These products reflect Embark's commitment to combining cutting-edge research with practical applications that benefit pet owners
● Breed ID Test: Decode your dog's unique breed mix and find relatives with the world's first canine relative finder.
● Breed + Health Test: In addition to breed identification and relatives, screen for genetic health risks and insights about your dog's physical traits.
● Dog Age Test: Reveal your dog's estimated age and birthday with the science of DNA methylation, as well as get lifestyle and care insights
This approach helps pet owners make informed decisions about their dogs' care, from preventative health measures to lifestyle adjustments.
Embark's process is simple and accessible. Users collect a sample from their dog using a cheek swab, activate their kit online, and send the sample to Embark's laboratory for analysis. Results are delivered electronically, providing insights that can inform everything from health care plans.
The recognition from Expert Consumers underscores the growing importance of genetic testing in promoting canine health and well-being. As awareness of hereditary health risks and the benefits of genetic insights continues to rise, Embark Vet remains at the forefront of this evolving field. By delivering reliable, science-based tools, the company supports better care practices and strengthens the bonds between dogs and their owners.
To read the full review, visit the Expert Consumers website.
Embark also offers high-quality, veterinarian- and geneticist-backed supplements. Available in a soft chew format, the supplements are formulated with natural active ingredients to help address and deliver on specific needs observed in dogs:
● Embark Multi: An all-in-one solution supporting overall health for dogs of all ages.
● Embark Allergy: Formulated to support seasonal allergies and maintain skin and coat health.
● Embark Joint: Designed to maintain joint health and mobility, especially in senior and active dogs.
About Embark
Embark Veterinary, Inc. Is a global leader in dog health and genetics that is transforming the way humans care for dogs. Starting with the most accurate dog DNA test in the industry, Embark is bringing joy to dog lovers by offering the world's best products and services to strengthen their bonds with the dogs in their lives. Dog lovers can dig into their dog's breed, ancestry, and health - and even find and connect with other dogs that share their dog's DNA with the world's first canine relative finder. An official research partner of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Embark believes the bond between humans and dogs brings the world joy and can be strengthened and extended through the power of science.
About Expert Consumers: Expert Consumers provides news and reviews of consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Expert Consumers may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.Newsfilecorp.Com/release/237666
This Dog DNA Test Helped Me Figure Out What Breed My Rescue Dog Is And What Health Conditions To Watch Out For
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Even if you picked up your puppy from the pound with no information — and you've been guessing or making up breeds to satisfy strangers' curiosity ever since — there is a way to actually know the precise origins of your furry best friend.
Enter the Embark Breed and Health dog DNA test. The test uses 200,000 genetic markers and 100 times more genetic information than its competitors. It checks for over 350 different breed types and 200 genetic health conditions — and it has partnered with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (the leading veterinary school in the country) and a pioneer in consumer genetics — Spencer Wells — to combine cutting-edge science and pet care. They're the people who are ecstatic to tell you they recently discovered why some dogs have blue eyes.
Knowing your dog's genetic history is great for the shallow interest of curiosity and dog park small talk, but it can also help you navigate potential health risks, avoid medications they could be sensitive to, and even help you decide how big of a home you're going to need in the future.
Order the test online, activate it, swab the cheek of your dog, and mail the sample back to the Embark lab in a pre-paid return envelope. In two to four weeks, you'll receive the results. If you're unsure how to swab your dog's cheek correctly, there are video tutorials on the site.
I tried the Embark dog DNA test on our rescue dog, Nellie, to see how it worked in real life. If you keep scrolling down to the bottom of this article, you can see the exact steps we went through in greater detail. But what I liked best was how digestible the information was for non-scientists, and how many resources were provided if you'd like to do further research. I also loved how obviously passionate about dogs the Embark team seemed to be.
InstagramOn the site, you can engage as little or as much as you want. It was as succinct as "she's mostly a German Shepherd" and "she's clear of all the health risks we check for" and as granular as links to learn how the process is done and breakdowns of what each genetic condition is as well as which breeds it's commonly found in. There are even linked citations in some sections where research was referred to.
The Embark dog DNA test is not cheap, but it's information that could improve or extend the life of your dog — and for most owners, that's not a bad price to pay.
All in all, it's a great tool — and something most dog owners will probably be excited to learn about. Pets are the slobbery, warm-bodied, loving beings that occasionally care more for you than they do for themselves. Figuring out a bit more about how to responsibly return that love and care is an exciting new opportunity.
If you have multiple dogs and get tests for them, you can "add a dog" to your "my dogs" section in your account to keep your family all in one place.
Keep reading to see our experience and our dog's results below.The Best Dog DNA Kits Of 2025
These are the best dog DNA kits of 2025. (Photos by R A Kearton via Getty Images)
Finding out your dog's breed can be a fun experience, but there are also plenty of reasons to get a dog DNA kit that will have an impact on your furry friend's wellbeing. Identifying genetic health markers and having a better understanding of breed characteristics can ensure you're as prepared as possible to care for your dog in the way she needs.
Quick Overview
The best dog DNA kit Embark
Best kit for breed identification Dog DNA Test by Ancestry
Best for dog inherited traits Wisdom Panel Premium Dog DNA Kit
Basepaws Dog DNA Testing Kit
Our pets bring so much joy and goodness into the world, and they deserve the very best from us. Knowledge is power for any pet parent, and a DNA test is the perfect place to start. Not every kit is the same, though. Along with my pup Daisy, I tested four of the most popular dog DNA kits: Embark, Basepaws, Ancestry, and Wisdom Panel. Here's what we discovered.
The best dog DNA kitsEmbark
Whatever it is you want to learn about your dog, Embark has it covered. Yes, it will tell you all you need to know about your pup's breed and origins, but it also will find you dog relatives, help identify allergens to avoid (a $29 upgrade), estimate your pup's age, and even identify physical and psychological traits likely to be present.
The swab itself is much like a large cotton swab, and our test pup handled it as well as we could hope. She didn't like it, but it didn't seem to be uncomfortable. Embark recommends swabbing for 30-60 seconds, but I can say with certainty that our swabbing session was 15 seconds, max. Daisy is 70 pounds, and my husband and I could only get her to cooperate for so long.
Despite the short swab time, we got great information about Daisy. We knew going in that she had one parent who was a full German shepherd and one who was a shepherd/lab mix. Embark's results showed us that the parent that was a mix had more than the two breeds we knew of, because she also has some bulldog in her DNA. Wisdom Panel drilled down even further than these three breeds, and we'll get to that next,
Embark gave me a list of 30 of Daisy's relatives (they shared DNA ranging from 28-34%). I can see information about the relatives' location, place and date of adoption, and I even have the option to contact the owners.
The section on physical traits gave accurate results, and I did not submit a photo or any breed information with her DNA sample, so the trait results are authentic. For each trait, you can see what gene was detected and even read more about it via the citation under each listed trait.
Overall, Embark provides a wealth of helpful information (which Embark can email directly to your vet) in an intuitive format. The site is pleasant to navigate, and all of the results are easy to understand.
ProsAncestryDNA
We all know Ancestry for its expansive database of human DNA, but it's also great for collecting and testing canine DNA. Ancestry can test your pup's saliva — the most of any of the dog DNA kits we tried.
Daisy's results from Ancestry Know Your Pet DNA came back with a mix of the expected German shepherd (66%) and Labrador retriever (26%), but also 8% Native American Indian Dog. I'd never heard of this breed, but it looks like a mix between a husky and a GSD, so it's honestly more believable than the claims of bulldog heritage we got from Embark and Wisdom Panel.
We found the traits section to be pretty accurate, though many of the traits are common in German shepherds. For example, she tested positive for guard dog behavior. But some are certainly specific to her, such as her lack of aggression toward strangers while also having mild social anxiety. The physical traits present were mostly accurate, except she tested to be "mostly white" fur, which is a far cry from her stereotypical black-and-tan German shepherd coloring.
If you think your dog might have some exotic breeds in the mix, go with Ancestry.
ProsWisdom Health
I chose Wisdom Panel when we first adopted Daisy as a puppy. That was back in 2020, so I was interested to see if this second test would yield the same results. I submitted the new DNA sample under the name Pumpkin, and I gave no further information or photo.
We struggled to swab for the recommended amount of time with all of these kits, but the Wisdom Panel swab seemed to be especially unpleasant for her. While the other swabs resembled giant Q-tips, this one was more like a pipe cleaner. Despite another short swabbing session, Wisdom Panel successfully identified "Pumpkin" as being Daisy's twin or the same dog. It identified seven different breeds (German shepherd, Australian cattle dog, white Swiss shepherd, chinook, Labrador retriever, Alaskan malamute, Siberian husky, bulldog, and American pit bull terrier).
Wisdom Panel showed what her family tree may have looked like and reported that "Pumpkin's" DNA showed an average level of breed diversity. I found one of her sisters and many extended family members and once again found that she has one copy of the gene variant for exercise-induced collapse syndrome.
Wisdom Panel offered some behavioral traits I didn't see in other dog DNA kits, like pointing instinct, reverse sneezing, motion sickness, and many others.
Pros
Basepaws
Basepaws offers a more basic set of tests, so you're unlikely to get a bunch of results you don't care about. Daisy's breed mix came back as 83.8% German shepherd and 16.2% Labrador retriever. The German shepherd result, however, was further broken down into three distinct shepherd types: German shepherd, white Swiss shepherd dog, and East-European shepherd. For all four breeds found, there was information on health predispositions, personality, fun facts, and breed facts.
Her DNA was scanned for 210 health markers, and as we saw in other tests, she carries one copy of the gene related to exercise-induced collapse syndrome. You need two copies to be at risk, but I learned that from Embark. Basepaws didn't tell me how many copies were present or if it mattered.
The test also scanned for physical traits, like body size and coat color, but not personality traits like the others did.
Where Basepaws shines, though, is its wealth of educational content. Before you view your results, you get access to a page full of links to articles like "Your dog's genes and alleles," "What is a Polydog?", "Understanding genotype and phenotype," and "Mutations and genetic diseases." Reading through these articles can help you understand the implications of the results you get from Basepaws.
However, when it comes to which kit is worth your money, I'd skip Basepaws in favor of one of the other kits that breaks down your dog's ancestry and relatives.
ProsMy unsuspecting German shepherd mix, Daisy, helped me test out four different dog DNA kits to find the best one.
All instructions were followed closely, with the exception of required swabbing times. Daisy was not a fan of the swab, and there's only so much you can force a 70-pound dog to endure. However, there was enough saliva collected to get accurate results.
The samples were mailed off promptly, and within a few weeks the results were in.
Dog DNA kits can unlock lots of interesting information about your dog's breed and health. (AOL / Sarah Kovac)
Different types of DNA kitsThese DNA kits for dogs give you way more information than your dog's breed composition. Many of the kits can be upgraded to include more health and trait testing or allergy and age tests. Some specialized kits focus just on specific pets or tests.
Purebred tests – Some dog DNA kits (like Embark) will present results differently if you buy a purebreed kit as opposed to a mixed breed one
Breed only – Often, you can save money by purchasing a breed-only kit and skip the health and physical traits
Health – Several kits will test only for health issues like age estimation, gut health, and oral health
Dog DNA kits can help you uncover your dog's lost relatives (just like human DNA kits). (AOL / Sarah Kovac)
What to look for in a dog DNA kitBefore purchasing a dog DNA kit, ask yourself what information you're looking for. Are you hoping to track down your dog's litter mates? Do you want verification that your dog is purebred? Do you want health insights you can forward to your vet? Knowing what you want is the only way to make sure you get the best dog DNA kit for your situation. Features that come in some kits but not others are:
Your results will vary by test. Embark and AncestryDNA said Daisy had three breeds, though they couldn't agree on the third. Wisdom Panel identified seven breeds in her DNA, while Basepaws only identified two. (AOL / Sarah Kovac)
FAQs When should you do a DNA test on your dog?If you're unsure of your pup's lineage, it's a good idea to do a DNA test. Certain breeds have higher chances of specific health problems, so it's good to know what to keep an eye out for.
Even if you do know about your dog's parents, there could be genetic variables that put your dog at higher risk for medical issues. Knowing these risks can give you the opportunity to prevent problems before they arise, and it can also help you decide whether or not your dog is fit for breeding.
If your dog is already showing some signs of health problems and you want to provide more information to your vet about their heritage, a kit could be helpful.
How do dog DNA kits work?Logistically, all four of these kits were exactly the same. I received a box in the mail. It contained a swab and clear instructions on how to perform the swab, seal it up, and ship it back in the same box. Then, it was just a few weeks of waiting before the results arrived by email.
How are human and dog DNA tests different?The process is actually remarkably similar. With a human DNA kit, like those from Ancestry, you receive a box, spit into the collection tube, and then return the tube in the postage-paid box. Since we can't ask a dog to spit into a tube, we swab the inside of their cheek to collect the saliva instead.
How do you read dog DNA results?All of the kits we tested provided easy-to-read results. There will be a results dashboard, and from there you can click links to breed results, health findings, and relatives (if available).
Some services can send these results to your vet for you, and others make it easy to share the findings on social media.
What are the flaws of dog DNA kits?Some dogs are more tolerant than others, and some tests require more swabbing than others. Our test dog is very good-natured and puts up with a lot, but she would not allow for the full swabbing time with any of the kits. This is a common experience, so doing some prep work before the kit arrives can be helpful. For example, some gentle tooth brushing can get your dog used to the sensation of having something rubbed against their gums. There's also generally an amount of time you have to wait since your dog's last bite of food – up to two hours.
Article edited by Kate Ellsworth
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