The best dog DNA test depends on what you want to learn and who's asking. Some kits are pet-owner reports on breed mix, relatives and traits, kept in an app, and some are lab panels written for breeders, with parentage and coat colour. Check what each maker lists, read any health section as that maker's own words, and talk to your vet about health.
Swab your dog's cheek, post the kit back, and you'll get a report on what your dog's made of. That's the idea, but the companies selling dog DNA tests aren't all writing for the same reader.
This list covers eight test makers, using only what each one's own website says, read on 1 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order. It's not veterinary advice, and nothing here says a test will find or prevent anything: where a maker talks about health, I've quoted it as theirs.
Dog DNA kits at a glance
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Genetics | Genetic testing lab for dogs, cats, horses and birds | Disease, coat colour and parentage panels |
| Basepaws | DNA tests for cats and dogs | One maker for a cat and a dog |
| EasyDNA | UK DNA testing company with a dog test menu | A breed test listing 430+ breeds |
| Embark | Dog DNA test for breed, health and behavior | Results in an app you can share with a vet |
| HomeDNA | Home DNA testing site with a pets section | A mixed-breed dog identification test |
| MyDogDNA | Dog DNA tests for owners and breeders | Health, trait and diversity reports |
| Orivet | Genetic tests for breeders, pet owners and vets | Kit tracking and breeding records in an app |
| Wisdom Panel | Dog DNA tests for breed mix, relatives and traits | Meet your dog's relatives |
Eight dog DNA test makers and what they list
Animal Genetics
Best for: Breeders and owners ordering dog tests the lab lists as disease, coat color and parentage panels, from a company that also tests horses, cats and pigeons.
Basepaws
Best for: Testing a dog and a cat with the same maker, which says all it needs is an oral swab from your pet.
EasyDNA
Best for: Picking from a dog menu on its UK site that lists a Dog Breed Test (+430 Breeds) and a Dog Genetic Diversity Test, beside its human DNA tests.
Embark
Best for: Keeping every result in one app, where the maker says you can share the whole report with your vet in one tap, with behavior insights offered as an add-on.
HomeDNA
Best for: Looking at a pets section on a home DNA site, which lists a Mixed-Breed Dog Identification DNA Test and Life Plan and a Dog DNA Health Screen and Life Plan.
MyDogDNA
Best for: Health, trait and genetic diversity reports, with the maker saying it screens for 280+ genetic disorder risks and has veterinary geneticists to help interpret results.
Orivet
Best for: Tracking your kit and sample on its website or mobile app, then reading results and managing breeding records in the same app, by the maker's account.
Wisdom Panel
Best for: Reading breed mix, traits and behaviour, and meeting your dog's relatives, with a health section the maker says draws on data from 5+ million pets.
Owner reports or breeder panels?
Here's the split that's easy to miss: some kits are written for a curious owner, and some are lab panels for people who breed dogs. On the owner side, Embark keeps everything in an app where you can 'share the whole report with your vet in one tap', and Wisdom Panel lets you 'meet your dog's relatives, compare DNA results, view photos'.
On the breeder side, Animal Genetics lists 'disease, coat color and parentage panels for breeders and owners', and Orivet's app lets you 'manage your breeding records'. Both name owners too.
- Owner reports: breed mix, relatives and traits, with results in an app on the pages here.
- Breeder panels: disease, coat colour and parentage panels, with tools for breeding records.
- General DNA sites: companies that test people too and list dog tests in a pets section.
Health sections, in the makers' own words
Several makers include a health section, and it's worth reading exactly how each one puts it. MyDogDNA says 'we screen for 280+ genetic disorder risks'. Basepaws says a pet's breed mix 'contributes to their temperament, personality traits, and genetic health predispositions'. Those are the makers' own claims, not mine.
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Treat any report as something to take to your vet, not a diagnosis. If a health line worries you, your vet is the person to ask what it means for your dog, and whether anything needs doing at all.
Dog tests on general DNA sites
Two companies here test people as well as pets. EasyDNA's UK menu has a 'Dog Breed Test (+430 Breeds)' beside its paternity tests, and HomeDNA lists a mixed-breed dog identification test in its pets section. If you'd rather buy from a company that only works with animals, the other six are where to look.
Questions to ask before you swab
- Do I want breed mix and relatives, or breeder panels such as parentage?
- Is the kit for a dog, a cat or both?
- Where do the results live: an app, a website or a report?
- Can I share the results with my vet easily?
- Does the health section say what it screens for, in the maker's own words?
- Does the maker send kits to my country?
Do you make a dog DNA test? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice before you buy a dog DNA kit
Decide what you want to know first. If you're curious about a rescue dog's mix or want to find relatives, an owner report with an app is the natural start. If you breed dogs, look at the labs that list parentage and breeder panels. Whichever you choose, read the health wording as the maker's own, and talk anything that worries you through with your vet.
If you've just brought a dog home, my new puppy checklist covers the rest of the kit. And if your new dog's a wriggler on walks, here's how to put on a dog harness without a battle.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What does a dog DNA test tell you?
It depends on the maker. Pages on this list name breed mix, relatives, traits and behaviour, and some include a health section in their own words. Breeder-facing labs list disease, coat colour and parentage panels.
Can a dog DNA test find my dog's relatives?
One maker on this list says you can meet your dog's relatives, compare DNA results and view photos. Check whether a kit includes relatives before you order.
Is a dog DNA test a substitute for a vet?
No. One maker says you can share your dog's whole report with your vet, and that's the right way round: your vet decides what any result means for your dog.
Can I test a cat as well as a dog?
Some makers here test both. One sells DNA tests for cats and dogs, one lab lists cat tests beside its dog tests, and a home DNA site lists a cat DNA health screen in its pets section.
Which dog DNA tests are made for breeders?
Several makers here have breeder pages. One lab lists disease, coat colour and parentage panels for breeders and owners, one offers an app to manage your breeding records, and another lists parentage reports and veterinary geneticists to help interpret results. Two more have breeder links in their menus.
How do I take a sample for a dog DNA test?
Several kits here use a swab. One maker says all it needs is an oral swab from your pet, and another has its own instructions on how to swab. Follow the steps that come with your kit.
