06/13/2026
A great summary for other breeders who are as confused as I used to be with all of the different genetic labs and panels! I use embark for my comprehensive testing. I supplement with UC Davis when I need more information about Merle length. I also use GenSol for affordable, quick individual tests when I donโt need a full panel completed. You donโt know what you donโt know, which is why genetic testing is so important!!!! ๐คฉ
๐งฌ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ง๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ & ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ (๐จ๐ฆ๐)
There are many different opinions about which labs and panels are โbest,โ and that is completely expected. This post is not about naming a winner but about giving breeders a clear overview of commonly used options, what they offer, and how they can fit into a thoughtful, ethical testing strategy.
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๐๏ธ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ & ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ (๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด)
๐๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ
โฅ University based, research driven lab with a strong reputation for reliable canine testing.
โฅ Offers individual DNA tests and some breed specific panels for health, coat, and parentage, but does not offer a Dachshund specific panel.
โฅ Offers detailed Merle testing that reports Merle SINE insertion length (allele size), which is extremely valuable for making safe Merle breeding decisions.
โฅ Excellent option when you know exactly which condition or trait you want to investigate.
๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐
โฅ University lab with a long history of developing DNA tests for inherited diseases.
โฅ Commonly used for disease focused testing and referenced in OFA resources for DNA based disease tests.
๐๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ
โฅ Private lab offering DNA tests for dogs and other species, with very fast turnaround.
โฅ States that animal DNA results are typically available within 1โ2 business days after the sample arrives at the lab. (In my recent experience, from the time I ordered to having results in hand was about 8 days total, which is extremely helpful when making time sensitive breeding decisions).
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๐ฆ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐น ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ๐
๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ๐ค
โฅ Comprehensive, all in one panel that is widely used in the breeding community.
โฅ Embarkโs breeder and health pages state that they test for 270+ genetic health risks and conditions.
โฅ Also reports breed ancestry, coefficient of inbreeding, and a wide range of traits.
โฅ Preferred by many breeders as a primary panel.
๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
โฅ Breeder focused panel under the Wisdom Panel / Mars Petcare umbrella.
โฅ Designed specifically for breeders, with health testing, trait testing for coat, size, and other traits, and genetic diversity and COI tools.
โฅ Optimal Selection product information states that it includes 270+ genetic health tests and 50+ traits for breeders.
โฅ Science materials explain that testing is performed in partnership with Neogen Genomics, a lab with human grade accreditations such as CLIA and ISO 17025 and extensive pet DNA experience.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ + ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก
โฅ Offered by the American Kennel Club as a combined identity and health panel.
โฅ AKCโs FAQ states that DNA + Health includes the standard AKC DNA profile plus 283 health markers and 45 trait and color markers.
โฅ Breeders report that it currently includes M locus allele length and PRA5, which may be important to some Dachshund programs.
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๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐/๐ข๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐
These labs are often used more for targeted disease, color, or coat testing than as full โeverything in one boxโ breeder panels.
๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐
โฅ Paw Print Genetics built a strong reputation for breed specific disease panels and extensive canine DNA test options.
โฅ Offers Full Breed Profiles for purebred dogs, screening 260+ breed specific diseases and traits and providing a DNA profile, with the option to add single disease or trait tests when you need something very specific.
โฅ Neogen acquired Genetic Veterinary Sciences, Inc. (Paw Print Genetics), and Paw Print later merged under the Orivet umbrella. Since this transition, some breeders have reported concerns such as missing results or perceived changes in service quality, especially around the merger period. Because of those reports, many breeders choose to use this lab cautiously, keep thorough records, and save copies of all results immediately.
๐๐ง๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ
โฅ Long standing lab offering color testing, inherited disease testing, and relationship and parentage testing for dogs and other species.
โฅ Commonly used for coat color and length testing and specific disease tests rather than as a primary all in one panel.
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๐พ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ
For my Dachshund program, I use a combination approach:
โฅ Comprehensive baseline panel utilizing Wisdom Panel Optimal Selection as my main panel.
- I chose Wisdom Panel Optimal Selection because it is not just a health panel, it is a breeder ecosystem. It combines Dachshund relevant disease testing, including direct testing for key Dachshund genetics like CDDY, genomic diversity, ISAG 2020 SNP parentage, Litter Predict mating forecasts, and Breeder Access sharing tools in one human grade, accredited lab platform, which lets me plan pairings and verify pedigrees at the level of seriousness I expect for my program.
โฅ Targeted and focal testing
If I need to confirm a result or run a test that is not included on my panel, for example Merle allele length or MMVD, I use:
- ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ท๐ช๐ด for research backed, highly respected individual tests.
- ๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐๐ฐ๐ญ for fast, focused testing with excellent turnaround.
This combination allows me to use panels for broad screening and university or private labs for precise follow up where needed.
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๐ ๐ค๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐
OFA accepts genetic and DNA testing from multiple established laboratories for their DNA based disease registries. In practice, that means breeders can use the labs discussed in this post for many breed specific DNA conditions and then submit those results to OFA when the test and lab are approved for that particular disease.
It is always important to check OFAโs current information for your specific condition and breed, because accepted labs and test requirements can vary by disease and may be updated over time.
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๐ง ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ๐น ๐ถ๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐ป๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต
This is the most important takeaway:
Simply running a genetic panel is not enough if you do not understand what the genes actually do or how to apply the results in a breeding program.
A panel is just a tool. To use it responsibly, breeders need to understand:
โฅ whether a mutation is dominant or recessive
โฅ whether it shows incomplete penetrance or variable expression
โฅ whether it needs modifiers to express
โฅ and what one copy vs two copies actually means in that specific gene and breed
Many people stop at the summary page or traffic light style icons, but serious breeding decisions require going deeper than the short explanations some companies provide. You need to understand which results are truly significant for your breed, which ones are carrier only, which ones are low penetrance, and how they fit into the bigger picture of structure, temperament, and overall health.
The goal is not just โI tested.โ The goal is to understand what was tested, what the result truly means, and how it should or should not change your breeding plans.
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๐ Coming up in this series: A closer look at select individual mutations and traits that appear on panels and how to interpret them for responsible breeding.
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