Dog DNA Testing

[username3939291]

I've recently bought a puppy but conversations with the vet indicate that she carries a physical problem not seen in her breed: labradoodle. Mum was a labradoodle and dad was a KC registered standard poodle.

I'm thinking about DNA testing her to find out whether she in fact has other breeds in her. I'm thinking this may help with any future health problems. Are these tests reliable?

Also, do I have a leg to stand on when it comes to the breeder? The advert clearly stated labradoodle puppies.

Thank you

I'm not sure how reliable they are. We had them done on two of our rescues but as a fun thing really.

As your pup's mum was already a crossbreed, it seems feasible to me that she could have other breeds in her dna.

What are you hoping the breeder will do?

There may be small amounts of other breeds, especially in those which are not KC registered, and it seems as if the dam was not. But you would have seen the mother when you saw the puppies, and so knew she looked the part. But she is an unregistered cross breed so could have heaven-knows-what in her family tree.

Even if a health condition is rare in a breed, that doesn't mean it's impossible. I doubt very much you have any comeback against the breeder - puppies are essentially sold 'as seen' with little in the way of lifelong health guarantees.

A good breeder should however always take a puppy back, so that might be an avenue to explore

DNA testing for dogs isn't definitive and probably wouldn't be something you could present to the breeder to claim the dog isn't a pure bred.

Given that a labradoodle isn't an actual breed but a cross breed, as pp said, there could be anything in the dams background.

What sort of physical problem would you not get in a Labrador or poodle?

I mean, there are things that aren’t particularly common so aren’t usually tested for, but that doesn’t mean they must have a different breed in them...

Embark & wisdom both offer a DNA test that checks for some health issue markers along with giving breed breakdown. Friend & I used more basic wisdom with our mutts and seemed pretty accurate breed info. www.wisdompanel.com/en-gb/

What condition does the vet think it is? can get specific DNA tests for to rule in/out some conditions.

Labradoodle isn’t a breed.

Did you see mum’s pedigree? Does she only have kc registered poodles and labradors in her heritage? If not like I say, labradoodle isn’t a breed so could be anything.

And no, you don’t have a leg to stand on. Doodles don’t breed “true”, and could have any combination of breed traits. That and they aren’t a breed so you bought a cross breed.

I've seen a couple of articles where known crosses and mixes have been DNA tested, and the tests are not reliable. They seem to be okay on a straight cross most of the time, but once you get to 25% and below the accuracy plummets.