Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I chose Wisdom Panel for their large breed database. Of the North American companies, WP is the only to include Australian Cattle Dog in their database. This was very important to me, as I strongly suspected my dog Zoe was of Australian Cattle Dog descent. I also assumed with more breeds in the database, I would increase my odds of uncovering all recent purebred ancestry in my dogs. Furthermore, some other companies will search for and report "the closest match" if a breed detected in your dog is not included in their database. This can result in false breed reporting. If your dog has American Pit Bull Terrier ancestry, for example, other companies may report breeds as distantly related as Boston Terrier. It's my understanding that WP does not make a practice of this, which I appreciate. The test was extremely easy to use. I answered a few basic questions (dog's name, my name, my e-mail address, etc.) and swabbed each of my dogs' cheeks with two separate swabs (Annie then ate one of her swabs--the company promptly sent two replacements at no extra charge). I let the swabs air dry for 5 minutes, packed them up, and sent them on their way. No pictures or hints as to my dogs' appearance were provided. About two weeks later, the results were in. Results are sent via e-mail. The e-mail contains a link to a .pdf file. The reports are informative but they aren't terribly detailed. If you want lots of interesting science and detailed explanations of the results, you won't get that from this or any other company at present. What you will get is a chart showing the breeds detected for your dog and the level at which they are detected. WP also provides a page of information on each breed detected (be warned, however, that their breed trait illustrations are sometimes shown with cropped ears and docked tails, traits which obviously will not be inherited by our beautiful mixed breeds). Zoe (who looks like an obvious Australian Cattle Dog mix)'s results showed Australian Cattle Dog at the intermediate or "grandparent" level. She also showed traces of Siberian Husky. Though the company claims it's unlikely that dogs will resemble breeds detected at the "minor" level, I do see possible hints of Husky ancestry (enough so that I had considered the possibility prior to receiving her results). For example, Zoe has a curled tail, "snow nose," and partial heterochromia (two different colors in the same eye). Though Zoe's results reported only a small portion of her ancestry, I am pleased, much moreso than had I been given a long list of breeds. Her results are extremely believable and indicate a dog who is several generations mixed breed (my favorite kind!) along most lines. Annie looks like an obvious Beagle mix. In fact, people regularly comment on my "pretty Beagle." Though she looks very Beaglish, she is a bit large and muscular for a Beagle and is mostly white with just a few red spots. According to Wisdom Panel, Annie's most recent purebred ancestor was a Beagle, again at the grandparent level. At the great-grandparent level, WP detected Boxer (which I may see in Annie's facial markings, wrinkled forehead, her slight underbite, and her athletic build and demeanor). WP also reported traces of Old English Sheepdog, which I cannot see at all but I'm willing to consider (after all, I look nothing like my great- or great-great-grandparents!), especially since I am aware of at least one OES in the teeny tiny rural town where Annie was found as a stray. Again, WP told me I have a well mixed mutt, which I appreciate much more than a long list of marginally related breeds. I definitely intend to purchase Wisdom Panel Insights again for all of the mystery mutts in my future. :)