I found this artical today and thought it was pretty cool... What do you think.. good or bad?
DNA test gives 'pedigree proof' By Pet Shed editor Nick Buchan
24 April 2007 BELTSVILLE, Maryland: Afraid your Beagle may be a Bulldog? Suspect your guard dog is more Golden Retriever than German Shepherd?
A breakthrough [link
http://www.metamorphixinc.com/products2a.html]DNA test[/link] means dog owners will never have to face an Anna-Nicole Smith-style situation and be left questioning the pedigree of their family pooch. The claims and counter-claims surrounding the Anna-Nicole Smith paternity case showed just how easily the issues of parentage can become muddied and distorted. And despite breed registration papers 'proving' the authenticity of purebred hounds, potential dog owners paying thousands of dollars for their pedigree puppies could never be completely sure that they were getting what they paid for, always being at risk of being defrauded by unscrupulous breeders.
However life-sciences company [link
http://www.metamorphixinc.com/]MMI Genomics[/link] says its new DNA-based '[link
http://www.metamorphixinc.com/products2a.html]Canine Heritage[/link]' diagnostic test can definitively tell owners the exact breed mix of their purebred (or otherwise) family pooch. The company says it is the first commercially-available DNA process to determine doggy pedigree, and is capable of certifying parentage for [link
http://www.metamorphixinc.com/products2adetails.html]38 major breeds[/link]. The test requires only a swab taken from the dog's cheek, which is then mailed to MMI for analysis. The company said results should take about six weeks to come back. Owners of mixed-breeds, as well as dogs without breed registration papers can use this test to directly determine pedigree. “The first question always asked of mixed breed dog owners is, ‘What kind of dog is that?#%92 Now, owners need not guess and can say with certainty,”said Dr. Ed Quattlebaum, co-chairman and CEO of MMI Genomics parent company MetaMorphix. “The Canine Heritage test showed that my dog is a mix of Labrador Retriever, English Setter and Border Collie. In addition to better understanding your pet#%92s behavior, your dog#%92s breed analysis can enable you to work more closely with your veterinarian to develop a lifetime health and wellness program.” However MMI doesn't have the field all to itself. Rival company [link
http://marsveterinary.com/]Mars Veterinary[/link] says its '[link
http://marsveterinary.com/about.aspx]Wisdom Panel MX[/link]' mixed-breed test will be able to identify more than 100 types of canines. The test is designed to analyze distinct genetic markers in a small sample of of blood drawn during a routine visit to the vet, according to the AnimalPharm industry newsletter. The product is reportedly in the final stages of testing and is planned to launch in the US this summer.
Identifiable Breeds Afghan Hound
Akita
Basenji
Basset Hound
Beagle
Golden Retriever
Belgian Tervuren
Bernese Mountain Dog
Border Collie
Borzoi
Boxer
Bulldog
Labrador Retriever
Chihuahua
Chinese Shar-Pei
Mastiff
Chow Chow
Cocker Spaniel
Collie
Dachshund
Poodle
Doberman Pinscher
English Setter
Pug
German Shepherd
German Shorthaired Pointer
Greyhounds
Italian Greyhound
Miniature Schnauzer
Rottweiler
Saluki
Samoyed
Shetland Sheepdog
Shih-Tzu
Siberian Husky
St. Bernard
Whippet
Yorkshire Terrier