Basepaws built its reputation on cat DNA testing and is now backed by Zoetis, the world’s largest animal health company. The Basepaws dog DNA test costs $149 at full price and frequently drops below $90 on sale. It covers 330+ breeds and 280+ health markers.
Below, we break down what the kit includes, where it stands against Embark and Wisdom Panel, and who gets the most value from it.
Key Takeaways
- 330+ breeds and breed populations in the reference database, plus lineage groupings that trace shared ancestry
- 280+ health markers across 12 disease categories, including MDR1 drug sensitivity, degenerative myelopathy, and von Willebrand disease
- 30+ trait markers covering coat type, coat color, body morphology, and tail shape
- $149 list price, often under $90 on sale. Multi-test bundles drop the per-kit cost to around $75.
- Results in 4 to 6 weeks via email, with lifetime report updates as new research is added
- Uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) instead of the microarray chips used by Embark and Wisdom Panel
Our Verdict
The Basepaws dog DNA test covers more health markers (280+) than Wisdom Panel (210+) and comes close to Embark’s 250+ conditions. Its 330+ breed database is competitive with both established players. The use of next-generation sequencing is a genuine technical differentiator — NGS reads DNA directly rather than checking predetermined positions on a chip.
The tradeoff is maturity. Embark has years of validation data, published breed-detection accuracy benchmarks, and a relative-finder network built from millions of tested dogs. Basepaws is newer to the dog space and has not yet published comparable validation studies. If you want the most battle-tested option, Embark remains the safest pick. If you want strong specs at a lower price point from a company with deep genetics credentials, Basepaws deserves serious consideration.
What You Get
The kit arrives in 1 to 2 business days with free U.S. shipping. Collection takes about 10 seconds with a cheek swab that touches gums and teeth. You mail it back with the prepaid label and receive results by email in 4 to 6 weeks.
Breed Report
The breed report compares your dog’s DNA against 330+ breeds and unique canine populations. Results include percentage breakdowns and a lineage view that groups breeds by shared ancestors — herding dogs, scent hounds, and similar clusters that predate modern breed standards.
Some entries combine closely related breeds. Akita results, for example, merge Japanese and American varieties into one category. That is standard practice in canine genomics, but it means you may see fewer distinct breed names than a platform that splits every variety.
Health Screening
The health panel covers 280+ markers across 12 disease categories:
- Neurologic (28+ conditions): degenerative myelopathy, epilepsy variants, cerebellar ataxia, narcolepsy
- Musculoskeletal (25+ conditions): exercise-induced collapse, malignant hyperthermia, muscular dystrophy variants
- Metabolic (20+ conditions): glycogen storage diseases, gangliosidosis, mucopolysaccharidosis
- Hematologic (16+ conditions): von Willebrand disease (Types I, II, III), hemophilia A and B, Factor VII deficiency
- Ophthalmologic (16+ conditions): progressive retinal atrophy variants, glaucoma, lens luxation
- Dermatologic (14+ conditions): ichthyosis, hyperkeratosis, epidermolysis bullosa
- Other categories: cardiac, endocrine, gastrointestinal, immune, renal, and respiratory conditions
- MDR1 drug sensitivity is included — one of the most actionable markers for mixed-breed owners
Results flag carrier status and at-risk status separately. A flagged result is not a diagnosis. Share it with your vet as screening context.
Trait Markers
The kit tests 30+ trait markers, including coat color and pattern, coat texture and shedding propensity, body size, muzzle length, tail type (bobtail, screw tail), and polydactyly.
Lifetime Updates
Reports update automatically as Basepaws adds new research findings. You do not need to retest or pay extra.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- 280+ health markers — more than Wisdom Panel’s 210+ and close to Embark’s 250+
- Next-generation sequencing — reads DNA directly, with capacity to add markers over time without hardware changes
- Frequently discounted below $90 — the best effective price in the category when on sale
- Zoetis ownership — backed by the world’s largest animal health company
- Lifetime report updates included at no extra cost
- Also offers cat DNA testing — the only platform covering both species with full breed and health reports
Cons
- Newer to dog DNA testing — less published validation data than Embark
- No relative-finder tool — Embark’s database matching is not available here
- No genetic diversity score — Embark offers this, Basepaws does not
- 4 to 6 week turnaround — slower than Embark (2 to 4 weeks) and Wisdom Panel (2 to 3 weeks)
- No CLIA or CAP lab certifications mentioned on the site
- No peer-reviewed breed-accuracy publications yet
Who It Is Best For
If you already use Basepaws for a cat and want both pets on the same platform, this is the obvious pick. No other company offers full breed-and-health DNA testing for both cats and dogs.
If you want breed and health screening under $100, the Basepaws dog test on sale (frequently under $90) is the lowest price for a kit that covers 280+ health markers. At full price ($149), it still undercuts Embark’s $159 Breed+Health kit.
If you are a breeder or rescue organization testing multiple dogs, the multi-test bundles bring the per-kit cost to around $75 — significantly cheaper than buying Embark kits in bulk.
Skip it if you need the most validated breed results available today. Embark has the longest track record, the largest tested population, and published accuracy benchmarks. If you want the cheapest breed-only test without health screening, Wisdom Panel Essential at $99 covers 350+ breeds. For the full comparison, see our best dog DNA tests roundup.
Pricing and Privacy
| Option | List Price | Sale Price | Per Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 dog kit | $149 | ~$88 | $88 |
| 2 dog kits | $298 | $149 | $75 |
| 3 dog kits | $447 | $224 | $75 |
| Cat + dog bundle | Varies | ~50% off each | Varies |
Payment plans are available for orders over $50 (4 interest-free installments). Shipping is free both ways within the U.S.
On privacy: Basepaws is owned by Zoetis, a publicly traded animal health company. The site does not detail a data-deletion policy as explicitly as some competitors. If data handling matters to you, contact Basepaws support before ordering to ask about sample retention and data sharing policies.
The Bottom Line
The Basepaws dog DNA test offers strong specs — 330+ breeds, 280+ health markers, NGS technology — at a competitive price. The Zoetis backing adds credibility. The main limitation is that this is a newer dog product without the years of public validation data that Embark has built.
Buy it if you want breed and health screening at the best effective price in the category, especially on sale. Consider Embark instead if you want the most proven results. Consider Wisdom Panel if you only need breed identification at $99.
