[BREEDS][DISCUSSION] Dog genetics! Analysis of 100 DNA results posted to Reddit (x-post r/DoggyDNA)

[onochie]

@doppelgank It's cool that they can distinguish mini poodle from standard poodle.

I wish Wisdom Panel had some validation statistics. I guess finding mutts with known ancestry back 2-3 generations is pretty difficult though.

 

[doppelgank]

@onochie They have published statistics about how accurately the test can determine breed in purebreds in blind tests - it's 99% (Dr. Ostrander is the one who patented the Wisdom Panel, so the one she discusses in this article is the same as that test). They've also reported that extensive testing of their mixed-breed analysis has determined it to be "about 90% accurate" (that figure does not include results with asterisks, where the probability is lower), but yeah, I haven't been able to find information and data available to the public about the specifics and exactly how they run those tests, and I agree it would be cool to see that.

 

[aaron_boydstun]

@doppelgank I am so fascinated by wisdom panel since my dabble in it. Haha. Thanks for gathering tland sharing this info!

 

[zumbachick]

@doppelgank That's really fun. Makes me want to get a DNA test on my dogs.

 

[aaron_boydstun]

@zumbachick Do it! The waiting/anticipation is half the fun. Plus you can get some crazy things that either make you laugh or think. I think I have a code for 15% off from when I got my dogs results back if you decide to go for it.

 

[zumbachick]

@aaron_boydstun My black dog Jo Jo is the only one I really wonder about. She's got healer/lab/shepherd type features. I'll let you know after I check about about it.

 

[aaron_boydstun]

@zumbachick Oh yea she looks pretty mixed you never know what would or would not come up. I thought for sure my dog was dachshund mix. Test said nope.

 

[coconut6373]

@zumbachick My partner's dog looks very similar to Jo Jo, but I think a little smaller. They said heeler/dachshund at the shelter, she's about 24lbs. I've always wanted to get her tested as a present to him but I keep putting it off.

 

[zumbachick]

@coconut6373 Just because it makes me happy, Here is her putting her brother in his place. He is a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix

 

[coconut6373]

@zumbachick I like her style! This makes me laugh, here's Dossie eating a carrot, while our foster dog looks on jealously...

 

[zumbachick]

@coconut6373 They do have the same face. And kudos for fostering. I can't do it anymore because of location, but whenever someone finds a dog, it ends up here. It's more babysitting than foster.

 

[phillnb25]

@doppelgank Are there any competitors left on the market? I don't think Wisdom Panel has any real competition.

 

[doppelgank]

@phillnb25 I think Mars bought out a company called BioPet (and maybe others?) a few years ago. The only other one I think is still around is DNA My Dog, but their breed database is tiny compared to Wisdom Panel's - which they try to make a selling point:

As the cost and time of performing the Breed ID test goes up as you add more breeds, we decided to include just the most common breeds to keep the price down to meet your needs. Why pay more, when for most people the breeds that make up their dog are the common ones?

At $60 it's really not much less than WP, though, otherwise I'd run it on Tess just for comparison's sake. It's the same as with 23andme - they've got the corner on the market!

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@doppelgank I got my Wisdom Panel for $65 so it's REALLY not much less! Sometimes it gets cheap on Amazon.

 

[godsgal41]

@doppelgank So I just spent 30 min looking at results from your sub. Some I can totally see being accurate. Even ones with multiple breeds in the mix. There's a few others that I question. Long narrow heads and muzzles with blocky headed breeds in the mix, for example. I still wonder how accurate it really is. But certainly interesting to look at, and shows how off we can be with breed guessing.

 

[doppelgank]

@godsgal41 Yeah, according to Wisdom Panel's own data, we should expect for about 10% of the mixed-breed results to be incorrect. And that's not including the results with asterisks, where that number would be a bit higher. Additionally, there are probably some where the sample was bad - it's easy to contaminate the cheek swabs if you're not super careful and collect it exactly in the right way.

But I trust that the company is reliable - it's patented and validated by a canine genetics lab at NHGRI that has published papers on it and using it. They seem genuinely interested in educating the public about genetic science, and don't hold back about the shortfalls of the test. All indications are if they find a breed 1-2 generations back, you can be quite confident that it's accurate. Not 100%, but pretty close. It gets a little iffier at 3-4 generations, but I think those results should still be taken seriously even if they don't seem intuitive - Wisdom Panel explains that at that level (6.25-12.5% of DNA), it's pretty rare for any distinctive breed traits to be visible.

 

[hazelnutoc]

@doppelgank I've been dying to test my dog since I got her. I was told her mom is a Great Dane - Lab mix and that they didn't know what the dad was. She is awesome so I don't really care what she is. I'm just so curious because everybody that sees her always has completely different opinions.
Maggie! I wish I had more recent pictures to show how long her fur has gotten. It's very similar to a Golden Retriever in length and feathering.

https://imgur.com/a/6KRUA

 

[jerome1120]

@hazelnutoc You should do it! Seeing her, I'm curious too. She's very pretty!

 

[hazelnutoc]

@jerome1120 Thank you! I think she was the prettiest pup out of the litter. When I can afford to get her tested I will. I'll have to come post the results.

 

[coconut6373]

@hazelnutoc She reminds me of my friend's dog Simon. He's an Anatolian shepherd (mix?). You can't see his feathering in this picture, but it is similar. How big is she? Simon is huge!