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- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Ancestry is a leader in family history and direct-to-consumer human DNA testing, so it makes sense that they would want to expand their offering to our furry companions. Recognizing the importance that pets play in our lives, they rolled out the Know Your Pet DNA test in September 2023.
We put their new pet DNA offering to the test (literally) to see if it would help us learn more about our companions.
Ancestry’s Pricing: Straightforward
Ancestry has one tier of their “Know Your Pet DNA” test, with a regular price of $99. This is cheaper than Embark and Wisdom Panel’s basic DNA tests ($105 and $130 respectively), but is slightly more expensive than Wisdom Panel’s breed-only test ($85).
Ancestry offers fewer features than their competitors, with no health traits evaluated, so it makes sense that their price point would be lower.
Accuracy and Reliability: More Breed Data, Less Health
Ancestry claims to analyze double the amount of genetic information compared to other tests on the market. Their test was created with DNA scientists and animal geneticists, and they claim to have collaborated with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and Massey University.
Currently, none of the dog DNA testing companies on the market offer full transparency into their methodologies, and this is true for Ancestry as well. They do share that they screen for 400+ breeds (more than most options on the market) and 30 physical traits. As with all DNA tests, any breeds reported below 10-20% of your pet’s DNA are likely negligible, since lower levels tend to introduce more uncertainty.
| DNA Kit | Wisdom Panel | Embark | Ancestry |
| Pricing | Breed Discovery: $84.99
Essential: $104.99 Premium: $159.99 |
Breed: $129
Breed + Health: $199 |
$99 |
| Turnaround Time | 3 weeks | 2-4 weeks | 2-4 weeks |
| Breeds Screened | 365+ breeds | 350+ breeds | 400+ breeds |
| Physical Traits Screened | 50+ traits (Essential & Premium) | 35+ traits (Breed + Health Kit) | 30 traits |
| Genetic Health Testing | 25+ genetic health conditions (Essential)
265+ genetic health conditions (Premium) |
250+ genetic health risks (Breed + Health Kit) | N/A |
| Relative Finder/Family Tree | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vet/Expert Review | Vet consultation for “at risk” health findings | Talk with a vet geneticist | None |
| Website | Easy-to-use site
Extensive resources on breed traits, temperament, and care needs |
Easy-to-use site
Extensive resources on breed traits, temperament, and care needs |
Easy-to-use site
Some resources on breed traits, but less detailed than competitors |
| Test Methodology | Uses ~100K markers
Includes breeds that are 1% of your pet’s background |
Uses ~200K markers
Combines breed results that are less than 5% into “supermutt” category |
Unknown number of markers; claims to analyze more than twice as much of a dog’s genetic data compared to other dog DNA tests on the market. |
Enzo’s Testing Experience
My mixed-breed pup Enzo has distinctive physical and behavioral characteristics: he has spotty paws that have led us to suspect cattle dog heritage, and an intense prey drive for any small animal. He’s very cuddly, energetic, and extremely food motivated.
Enzo examines the swab with optimism!
Using the DNA kit & website
The instructions for Ancestry’s Dog DNA test were very easy to follow: swap your pet’s cheek for 30 seconds and place the swab in the tube provided. Make sure you register your test online with the activation code provided before dropping your pet’s sample into the mailbox.
Ancestry quotes 2 to 3 weeks for the DNA results to be turned around, but our results were actually delivered within less than two weeks. I received an email when they’d received the sample and started processing, and then another note when his results were ready to view in the dashboard.
Ancestry’s dashboard and site are generally easy to navigate. There are separate sections for the Breed Report, DNA Matches, and Traits.
The Ancestry Dog DNA test kit is well-packaged and easy to use.
Enzo’s dog DNA kit test results
Our test results arrived very shortly after I’d dropped Enzo’s swab into the mail. According to Ancestry’s testing, Enzo is 59% Australian Cattle Dog, 22% Border Collie, 11% American Bulldog, and 8% Chow Chow. The top two breeds were expected and aligned with other dog DNA tests we’d tried. We’ve also seen Chow Chow show up before, but American Bulldog was a surprise.
It’s worth noting that any breed below ~10% should be met with some healthy skepticism, since the accuracy diminishes at a certain point. In Ancestry’s case, Enzo had larger percentages bucketed into his top two breeds, with fewer individual breeds or “supermutt.”
Ancestry’s dashboard showing Enzo’s breed report and other features
Behavioral markers
Ancestry uses your pet’s DNA to assess 30 behaviors and predict your pet’s likelihood of certain traits. Their report covers behavioral traits, body size and shape, and fur look and feel.
It is worth noting that while many behavioral traits are heritable, breed offers very little predictive value for individual pets. This is especially true for less breed-differentiated traits like how easily a dog is provoked by loud noises.
This makes sense when comparing Enzo’s predicted traits compared to his actual behaviors. While some were accurate—Enzo doesn’t snap at new dogs, isn’t much of a guard dog, and is definitely stressed at the vet—others were pretty far off. Enzo is not calm with loud noises and has some social anxiety with other dogs, and he’s not aggressive with strangers.
Ancestry predicted Enzo’s behavioral traits based on his DNA test.
Relatives and family tree
Once you’ve received your pet’s DNA results, Ancestry allows you to see dogs that either:
1) Share at least 2% of your dog’s DNA or
2) Are close in location and share at least one of your dog’s top two breeds.
It was unclear what Ancestry determined “close in location,” since only country was listed for each dog. That being said, Enzo had 194 DNA matches, four of which shared 10% of his DNA.
Enzo has relatives! Where? In the US…somewhere.
While it was fun to see pictures of the pets that shared Enzo’s DNA, there wasn’t much functionality beyond seeing the list. You can star the dogs to access your “favorites” later, but there is no option to view their full results or contact the pet’s parents.
Ancestry does not currently offer any family tree visuals for understanding Enzo’s parentage.
Identifying genetic health risks
Ancestry does not currently perform any testing to identify genetic risks. Ancestry’s dog DNA test is a relatively new offering, so it’s possible this will change over time.
Final Review: Is the Ancestry Dog DNA Test Worth It?
If you’re looking purely for a breakdown of breeds and are able to get the Ancestry test at a discount, we think it’s worth exploring as an option. Their test has a quick turnaround, and their Breed breakdown is easy to digest. That being said, the other dog DNA tests on the market are more comprehensive in their offerings, with more detailed family tree visuals, behavioral trait descriptions, and breed educational resources.
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