Understanding DNA Testing
So, you have decided to research before buying a new puppy so that you can find one that is from healthy parents, and one of the topics that is frequently mentioned in your research is DNA testing. What exactly does this mean? Many illnesses and health conditions that affect dogs are linked to their genetics, and some of those conditions are breed-specific, meaning that the condition only affects that breed, and any mixes that include that breed. To understand the statistical likelihood of a puppy inheriting a condition, you have to understand the basic biology of how DNA is contributed from the puppy's parents. Every dog has two of every gene that comprises their genetic makeup. Each parent contributes one gene from each pair of chromosomes to their offspring. Therefore, 100% of the offspring will have a gene from their sire and a gene from their dam for every pair of genes in their DNA makeup. As genes get passed down through multiple generations, the likelihood of which g