Ancestry reveals DNA kit for dogs
On Wednesday, Ancestry released a new product: the Know Your Pet DNA kit.
This at-home DNA kit can be used to help you get to know your dog a little better. In a press release sent to the Deseret News, Ancestry said the kit gives you a breakdown of your dog’s breed, can match your dog to relatives in the area and offers insights into your dog’s DNA and behavioral traits.
It’s like Ancestry’s DNA Kit or “23 and Me,” but for man’s best friend.
Using the kit is similar to how human DNA kits work. You gently swab the inside of your dog’s cheek and then return the swab using the box sent to you in the kit. Using microarray technology, scientists identify and analyze the genetic blueprint of your dog.
The kit came together after consumer testing and research that showed that “50% consider their pet part of the family,” Ancestry’s chief commercial officer and creator of Know Your Pet DNA Brian Donnelly told the Deseret News. “Exploring pet DNA felt like a natural extension of Ancestry core function and there was clear consumer interest in the category.”
The product can be used to help understand your dog’s behavior better, but also help you to know how to better care for your dog. “The Know Your Pet DNA kit offers detailed insights into your dog’s behavioral qualities and traits — like their likelihood to have separation anxiety, stress at the vet, willingness to share, fear of loud noises and more,” Donnelly said to the Deseret News. Knowing this information can help you make decisions about the care and wellbeing of your dog.
The Know Your Pet DNA kit “is the most scientifically advanced dog DNA test on the market, analyzing more than twice as much of a dog’s genetic data compared to other dog DNA tests,” Donnelly told the Deseret News.
