What breed is my dog? DNA test for pets aims to reveal genetic secrets – animal experts in Hong Kong weigh in on the pros and cons

Golden retriever? German shepherd? Just how much of a breed’s DNA does your dog have? A DNA test for pets aims to find out – but what then?

While a Post writer discovers something surprising about her rescue puppy, there are some things you should consider before subjecting your pet to such tests

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Post writer Lisa Cam’s pet dog Sootie. Cam tried a DNA test for cats and dogs to find out what breeds her dog comes from. She was in for a surprise. Photo: Douglas Parkes

Published: 7:15am, 29 Nov 2023

Sootie is a mixed-breed rescue puppy. She was only eight weeks old when I adopted her and she has grown to be a strong girl in the last two years. Born in a kennel, she is supposed to be part terrier – but there are aspects to her that just do not add up.

For one, Sootie’s hair can grow very long, and she has an underbite that gives her an endearingly dopey expression. She is very excitable yet territorial, and she has a weird sneeze.

When biotechnology company Prenetics released CirclePaw, a test that examines cat and dog DNA, I thought that there was no harm in learning more about her origins.

The procedure was simple enough; its app provides step-by-step instructions on swabbing, storing and organising the delivery of samples. The process was smooth and I got my in-app results in a few weeks.

CirclePaw is a DNA test kit for pets. Photo: CirclePaw

They were a big surprise: Sootie was not part terrier at all.