Dog DNA test kit 'could uncover ancestry of mixed-breed mutts' and help explain why particular dogs like digging, herding, chasing or barking...
Dog owners can now check their beloved pet's family tree with a home DNA test.
The high-tech product can tell what breeds your pooch is descended from with a simple DIY cheek swab. And it can help explain why particular dogs like digging, herding, chasing or barking.
Dr Neale Fretwell, director of research at Mars Veterinary, makers of the £59.99 Insights test, said: ‘We're excited to give dog owners easy and affordable access to the best-in-class canine genetic analysis to help them understand what breeds make their dog so special.
‘But it's not just about curiosity. The smarter you are about your dog's past, the smarter you can be about his future.'
The test scans more than 170 breeds to break down a dog's lineage. Mars Veterinary says owners can create tailored training, exercise and nutrition programs to fit a dog's needs when they know its heritage.
Susan Kazlauskas, of Georgia in the US, used the test to discover her dog Lilly came from five different breeds - bassett hound, boxer, brittany spaniel, collie and schipperke.
‘The results included checklists of each detected breed's behavioural traits,' she said. ‘They pointed out brittany spaniels are reward-motivated and collies and schipperkes are wary.'
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