FAQ

How do you collect samples from your dog?

We ship you an easy to use swab to collect saliva samples from your dog. You can see a video of the collection process.

 

How does our breed test work?

Unlike other companies that measure only a small fractions of your dog's DNA, we sequence the entire genome.  This allows us to more accurately assess the breed of your dog by comparing their DNA to that of over 300 reference breeds,  We can also determine your pup's genetic risk for diseases and degree of inbreeding.  We offer the most advanced breed test on the market.

How does our dog age test work?

We have developed a test that measures changes to your dog's DNA that occur as they age. These changes are based on epigenetic modifications. Using a special DNA sequencing technique, we can "read" these modifications and from that infer the biological age and traits of your dog.

How accurate is our age test?

We have found that 90% of the time the predicted age is within 18 months of the actual age of your pup. The science behind our method can be found in our previously published study.

What personality traits do we report?

We have found that using our DNA methylation test we can predict the energy levels, attention and stranger directed fear levels of your pup. The science behind our method can be found in our previously published study. The definitions of those behaviors are: 

Energy: Energetic, “always on the go”, and/or playful.

Attachment and Attention Seeking:  Maintaining close proximity to the owner or other members of the household, soliciting affection or attention, and displaying agitation when the owner gives attention to third parties.

Stranger Directed Fear: Fearful or wary responses when approached by strangers.

Nonsocial Fear: Fearful or wary responses to sudden or loud noises, traffic, and unfamiliar objects and situations.

What does the oral microbiome test reveal?

Our test measures the presence of hundreds of bacteria that are found in a dog's mouth.  We track how the composition of these bacteria changes between young healthy dogs and older dogs that suffer from oral inflammation, such as gingivitis.  We then report a health score of your dog's oral microbiome as well as six specific bacteria that may be contributing to gingivitis and other oral health complications.

Here is more information about the six specific bacteria we report:

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis): A major causative agent in the initiation and progression of severe forms of periodontal disease. Minimizing P. gingivalis is beneficial for your dog’s oral health. (Nomura et. al., 2020)

Campylobacter sp. RM16192: Campylobacter has been associated with the initiation and progression of severe forms of periodontal disease. Minimizing Campylobacter is beneficial for your dog’s oral health. (Nomura et. al., 2020)

Porphyromonas crevioricanis (P. cangingivalis):  P. cangingivalis is the most prevalent canine oral bacterial species in both plaque from healthy gingiva and plaque from dogs with early periodontitis. Minimizing P. cangingivalis is beneficial for your dog’s oral health. (O’Flynn et. al., 2015) 

Conchiformibius steedae (C. steedae): C. steedae was found to be more abundant in dogs with healthier teeth compared to dogs less healthy teeth based on amount of plaque and abundance of oral diseases in dogs. Increasing the amount of C. steedae is beneficial for your dog’s oral health. (Wallis et. al., 2021) 

Moraxella osloensis (M. osloensis): Our database has indicated that M. osloensis is associated with younger dogs and increasing the amount of M. osloensis is beneficial for your dog’s oral health.

Rothia aeria (R. aeria): R. aeria has been shown to protect against, and even fight plaque growth. Our database has also found that the abundance of R. aeria tends to decrease with age. Therefore, increasing the amount of R. aeria is beneficial for your dog’s oral health. (Mazurel et. al., 2023) 

* All bacteria listed above were determined to be associated with age by a recent study by prosperK9. As expected, the 3 bacteria you want to minimize tend to increase with age, and the 3 bacteria you want to have

How will the results be reported?

We will send a pdf of your dog's report by email.  You can find a sample report here.

How long will it take to receive the test results?

We will send your results within 4-6 weeks.