Ancestry Know Your Pet DNA Review 2025: Decoding Your Furry Friend’s Genetics

It’s no secret that DNA tests are extremely popular among humans. From building a family tree to uncovering hidden traits, you can learn a lot about yourself from a simple swab. But what about your pet? Between breed information and health risks, there’s a lot you can discover about your furry friend too, and one of the biggest names in consumer DNA tests for humans offers tests for animal companions as well.

Ancestry is a global leader in family history and home DNA testing, and their Know Your Pet DNA kits are specifically designed to help you bond with your four-legged friend through their genes. By learning more about your pet’s breed composition, health risks, behavioral traits, and relatives, you’ll gain valuable insights into your pet’s world and learn about how their inherited traits make them the quirky, fun-loving companion they are.

Overview

Our Experience

When I got my dog, Micah, I was fortunate to know his breed breakdown because I knew who his parents were. His mom, Scarlett, was a poodle, and his dad, Jake, was a golden retriever, which made it easy to know Micah was a Goldendoodle. No questions asked. No genetic test needed. Little did I know, many pet DNA kits test for a lot more than just breeds.

While I never thought of having a genetic test done on Micah for breed identification, when I saw Ancestry’s Know Your Pet DNA kit for Breeds & Health, I thought, why not? This could be interesting (and fun!), especially since it tests for things like health risks and physical and behavioral traits. As Micah gets older, I do what I can to stay ahead of his health and take preventative measures whenever possible, so the Breeds & Health kit seemed like a valuable tool to help me give him the best care possible.

Overall, the kit is straightforward. Ancestry outlines exactly what you need to do in the instruction card. They also have a video you can watch in your account, which I found extremely helpful. The hardest part for me was swabbing Micah since he wasn’t a fan of getting his cheek swabbed, but other than that, the test was really simple to complete.

After getting the sample from Micah and mailing it back, I checked the progress of the test in my Ancestry account. Once the results were ready, I clicked on the link to view them in the dashboard.

The first report I looked at was the Breeds & Matches Report, and the results were exactly what I expected them to be—Micah is 51% golden retriever and 49% poodle. This makes perfect sense given who his parents are. It also makes sense given his physical characteristics and personality—Micah has a slim poodle build with a golden retriever personality. This is also where I saw his canine relatives. I had fun looking at his DNA matches, and it was cool to see who he’s related to.

Next, I checked out the Traits Report. The behavioral traits tested for things like fear of loud noises, stress at the vet, and social anxiety, while the physical traits tested for things like floppy ears, hair length, and patterned coat. Overall, the results were spot on. Micah is a pretty chill dog, and this was reflected in his results–he’s not afraid of loud noises, he loves the vet, and he’s super social. The same went for physical traits. Micah’s ears are floppy, he has long hair, and he has a solid coat.

Finally, I looked at the Health Report. This was fascinating to see since it tests for so many genetic markers. I was happy to see Micah only has two markers where he’s a carrier for the gene, but unlikely to be affected. This gives me peace of mind and helps me know what to look for just in case.

Pros & Cons

Key Features  

How it Works

This is a super simple test that only has three steps to complete–register, swab, and return. For the first step, you’ll register the kit through Ancestry. This links your unique activation code to your pet’s sample (and your account), so it’s really important to register the kit when you receive it.

Next, you’ll swab your dog’s inner cheek for 30 seconds using the swab sponge provided in the kit. You’ll need to wait at least 30 minutes after your dog has food or water to swab them, so be sure to keep an eye on them when you want to do the test. After you get the sample, unscrew the sponge tip and flip it over into the solution. Screw it back on and shake the tube 10 times.

Once you get the sample, the hardest part is over, and you’re all set! Put the tube in the collection bag and place the collection bag in the box with the prepaid shipping label. Seal the box and mail it back to Ancestry. You can track the progress of the sample in your Ancestry account, and you’ll receive an email from Ancestry when your results are ready.

Comprehensive Assessment

Ancestry has two test kits for pets, a Breed Kit and a Breeds & Health Kit. Between the two, the Breed and Health Kit provides a more in-depth genetic analysis of your pet by looking into their heritage and their well-being.

This is the kit I received, and it’s a great option if you want to discover your dog’s unique breed mix and be proactive about Fido’s health by learning about their potential health risks.

When you order the Breeds & Health Kit, you’ll receive the following:

Easy-to-Read Results

Ancestry will email you when your results are ready, and you can view them on your dashboard in your account. The dashboard is easy to navigate and has everything you need on the same page. The first thing you’ll see is a pie chart of your pet’s breed breakdown, and underneath the chart, you’ll see a list of their DNA relatives. If you scroll down, you’ll see the Traits Report and Health Report.

Micah’s Traits Report had 11 behavioral traits and 18 physical traits. The behavioral traits included markers like how willing your pet is to share, if they’re possessive, and whether they have adaptations to high altitudes. The physical traits included markers like whether your pet has floppy ears, furry facial features, or a short snout. The Health Report analyzed 201 genetic markers and categorized them by clear results, notable results, and increased results.

If you want to learn more about a specific trait, you can click on the marker to get an overview of the trait and see which region of your pet’s DNA was tested. Overall, the results were spot on for Micah, and I appreciated how easy they were to read and understand.

About Ancestry

Is the Know Your Pet DNA Test a Good Value?

If you’ve been eager to find out what breeds make up your pup or want to stay ahead of your dog’s health, this test is a great value. It’s on the lower end of the price range when looking at similar tests on the market, and it gives you valuable data that you wouldn’t otherwise know.

Even though I knew Micah’s breed prior to testing, it was still neat to see his DNA relatives and learn about his traits and potential health risks.

How We Tested

After unboxing the contents of the test kit, I used the QR code to register the kit. Since I’ve never used Ancestry before, I had to make an account before registering the kit. Once I had an account, I linked the kit to my account using the kit’s activation code and created a profile for Micah.

In Micah’s profile, there was a link to a video with instructions on how to swab your dog. Even though I read the instructions provided in the kit, I watched the video as well to make sure I knew what to do.

Next, I swabbed Micah and followed the instructions to close up the kit and send it back. The kit comes with a prepaid shipping label, so that made returning it super easy. After it was shipped off, I followed the progress of the test in Micah’s profile, and once the results were ready, I logged into my Ancestry account to check them out.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can the test be used for cats?

No. Ancestry’s Know Your Pet DNA test is specifically designed for dogs.

How many breeds does the kit test for?

Ancestry has a growing database of over 400 breeds.

How many health conditions does the kit test for?

You’ll get a health report with over 200 DNA markers for health conditions.

What is the Televet Membership?

Ancestry has partnered with Dutch, an online veterinarian service, to bring you and your pup the best care. If you’re in the United States and purchase the Breeds & Health Kit, you’ll receive a complimentary voucher for a free month of online vet consultations with a veterinarian from Dutch. During your appointments, you can ask questions about your dog’s health results or review any concerns you might have about your pup.

How do breed matches work?

Breed matches show you who your dog’s relatives are by pairing your pup with other dogs they’re genetically related to. This is a cool feature that lets you connect with owners of genetic matches and chat with them about experiences and advice.

Conclusion

Whether you’re curious about your dog’s breed or you want insight into potential health conditions, Ancestry’s Know Your Pet DNA test is a great one to get. The test is a great value, and the world’s largest genealogy site offers it. Not only that, but the test is simple to do, and in a few short weeks, you’ll have a detailed rundown of your pup’s breed percentages and health risks.