What is a lineage?. A lineage is a group of dog breeds that share common ancestors, common segments of DNA, and similar behavioral traits related to the jobs they were originally bred to do—like herding, hunting, or guarding. Why does a lineage appea

What is a lineage?A lineage is a group of dog breeds that share common ancestors, common segments of DNA, and similar behavioral traits related to the jobs they were originally bred to do&#x2014;like herding, hunting, or guarding.Why does a lineage appear in my results instead of a specific breed?When your dog&apos;s ancestry comes from distant relatives (like great-grandparents or further back), the DNA segments passed down are very small, and only a tiny fraction of that DNA actually differs between closely-related breeds within the same lineage.Rather than making uncertain guesses about individual breeds where the genetic evidence is limited, we report ancestry at the lineage level, which gives you a more scientifically accurate answer based on what the genetics can actually tell us.What do lineages tell me about my dog?Lineage results help you understand the &quot;types&quot; of dogs in your dog&apos;s background and the behavioral tendencies, instincts, and traits they may have inherited. For example, if your dog has herding lineage, they may show traits like high energy, strong focus, and instincts to manage movement; even if we can&apos;t pinpoint the exact herding breed from generations back.Here is a list of example breeds with ancestry from each lineage Pointer-Spaniel Lineage: English Cocker Spaniel, Irish Red Setter, German Shorthaired Pointer Scent Hound Lineage: Basset Hound, English Foxhound, Dachshund Spitz and Sled Dog Lineage:&#xA0;Akita, Chow Chow, Siberian Husky Terrier Lineage: Jack Russell Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier Mastiff and Bull-Type Lineage: French Bulldog, St. Bernard, Bullmastiff Herding Dog Lineage: Border Collie, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, German Shepherd Toy Dog Lineage: Chihuahua, Maltese, Shih Tzu Retriever Lineage: Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retriever Sighthound Lineage: Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, Whippet&#xA0;&#xA0;

What is a lineage? What does it mean to get a lineage result?

We use whole genome sequencing (WGS), which reads your dog's entire genome rather than just examining pre-selected genetic markers like other tests. This comprehensive approach gives us far more data to work with, resulting in more accurate breed det

We use whole genome sequencing (WGS), which reads your dog&apos;s entire genome rather than just examining pre-selected genetic markers like other tests. This comprehensive approach gives us far more data to work with, resulting in more accurate breed detection.We compare your dog&apos;s DNA to hundreds of different breeds and canine populations in our reference database. Based on this analysis, we identify which breeds and/or broader lineages are contributing to your dog&apos;s genetic makeup, and each ancestry source is shown as a percentage of your dog&apos;s genome.Breeds vs. Lineages:<ul data-local-id="1659ae2b-bb9f-4464-af8a-a906cd84fe2e" data-indent-level="1"><li>Breed percentages represent ancestry from recent generations (typically within the last 3 generations) where we can confidently identify a specific breed.</li><li>Lineage percentages represent ancestry from more distant relatives, where DNA is grouped by lineage rather than individual breeds for scientific accuracy.</li></ul>

How are my dog’s breed percentages calculated?

My dog is mixed—what will the results look like?. Your mixed-breed dog's results may show specific breeds, lineages, or a combination of both. When will I see specific breed percentages?. If your dog has breed ancestry within the last 3 generations (

My dog is mixed&#x2014;what will the results look like?Your mixed-breed dog&apos;s results may show specific breeds, lineages, or a combination of both.When will I see specific breed percentages?If your dog has breed ancestry within the last 3 generations (parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents), those breeds will likely show up as distinct breed percentages in your results.When will I see lineage percentages instead?If your dog&apos;s ancestry comes from more distant relatives (beyond great-grandparents), we report that ancestry as a lineage rather than a specific breed. This is because the DNA segments from distant ancestors are very small, and only a tiny fraction differs between closely-related breeds within the same lineage. Reporting by lineage gives you a more scientifically accurate answer rather than guessing at individual breeds.What does this look like in practice?For example, your mixed-breed dog might show:<ul data-local-id="85d67d3d-1094-44ce-b36a-326f5dc638e0" data-indent-level="1"><li>17% Labrador Retriever (recent ancestor)</li><li>15% German Shepherd (recent ancestor)</li><li>10% Beagle (recent ancestor)</li><li>8% Rottweiler (recent ancestor)</li><li>30% Herding Dog Lineage (distant ancestors from herding breeds)</li><li>20% Scent Hound Lineage (distant ancestors from scent hound breeds)</li></ul>Important note: Even though Rottweiler is part of the Herding Dog lineage, it appears as its own 8% because we detected it as a recent ancestor (within the last 3 generations). The 30% Herding Dog Lineage represents other&#xA0;herding breeds from more distant ancestors that don&apos;t meet the threshold to be reported individually.

My dog is mixed, what will the scores look like?

When portions of your dog's genome are too small to be accurately attributed to a specific breed or lineage, we classify this portion of the genome as "polydog." This typically represents very ancient or widely shared ancestry that can't be traced to

When portions of your dog&apos;s genome are too&#xA0;small&#xA0;to be accurately attributed to a specific&#xA0;breed&#xA0;or lineage, we classify this portion of the genome as &quot;polydog.&quot;&#xA0;This typically represents very ancient or widely shared ancestry that can&apos;t be traced to any particular breed group.

What’s a "polydog"?

Despite being distinct in characteristics and origin, some pairs of breeds lack the number of genetic differences required to distinguish these populations from one another, particularly when only a subset of these differences are inherited by a mixe

Despite being distinct in characteristics and origin, some pairs of breeds lack the number of genetic differences required to distinguish these populations from one another, particularly when only a subset of these differences are inherited by a mixed breed dog. As we continue to expand our breed database, we aim to increase the resolution of our ancestry algorithm such that differentiating between increasingly specific ancestral sources becomes possible.

Why are some percentages attributed to more than one breed?

We are currently working on this and will provide updates when we have them. If you have any questions please reach out to our customer success team at hello@basepaws.com.

We are currently working on this and will provide updates when we have them. If you have any questions please reach out to our customer success team at hello@basepaws.com.

I have a report with a similarity score, will I get a report update with a breed percentage?

Our previous test asked, "What kind of dog is your dog most similar to?" For our updated test, we are asking a slightly different question: "What kind of dogs were in your dog’s family history?". By using a new, more powerful algorithm, we can identi

Our previous test asked, &quot;What kind of dog is your dog most similar to?&quot; For our updated test, we are asking a slightly different question: &quot;What kind of dogs were in your dog&#x2019;s family history?&quot;&#xA0;By using a new, more powerful algorithm, we can identify which components of your dog&apos;s ancestry are recently derived from specific breeds (within the last 3 generations) and which come from older, broader ancestral lineages that predate modern breed formation.

Why is Basepaws switching to breed percent from similarity score?

We caution against using our DNA test (or any DNA test) to confirm whether your dog is a purebred. Different canine organizations’ breed standards don’t always have a perfect correlation with genetics. While purebred dogs are likely to have a high br

We caution against using our DNA test (or any DNA test) to confirm whether your dog is a purebred. Different canine organizations&#x2019; breed standards don&#x2019;t always have a perfect correlation with genetics. While purebred dogs are likely to have a high breed percentages to their respective breed, it is sometimes possible that a dog considered to be purebred by a specific canine organization may have a lower breed percentage. This can be explained by the higher genetic diversity of some breeds compared to others, as well as genetic differences between the same breed depending on geography.As our canine genomic reference database continues to grow, we are aiming to get representatives from the same breeds across different geographies and from different breeders to help close that gap.

Will the test identify my dog as purebred?

Why are there other breeds listed in the results if I own a purebred?Some breeds are more related than others and can share various amounts of their selective breeding history. For example, breeds X, Y, and Z could all have been derived from breed A

Why are there other breeds listed in the results if I own a purebred? Some breeds are more related than others and can share various amounts of their selective breeding history. For example, breeds X, Y, and Z could all have been derived from breed A at different points in time, and therefore share a high degree of genomic similarity to breed A, as well as to each other. Having other breeds show up in your dog&#x2019;s report at a low percentage does not mean your dog is not a purebred.Why is my purebred not a &quot;100%&quot;? Purebred dogs typically tend to show up as having high breed percentages to their respective breed in our test. It is sometimes possible that a dog considered to be purebred by a specific canine organization may have a lower breed percentage. This can be explained by the higher genetic diversity of some breeds compared to others, as well as genetic differences between the same breed depending on geography. As our canine genomic reference database continues to grow, we are aiming to get representatives from the same breeds across different geographies and from different breeders to help close that gap.

Why are there other breeds listed in the results if I own a purebred?

A hybrid designer dog, also known as a crossbreed, is a result of breeding two purebred dogs of different breeds. Some common examples of hybrid designer dogs include Labradoodles (Labrador Retriever and Poodle), Goldendoodles (Golden Retriever and P

A hybrid designer dog, also known as a crossbreed, is a result of breeding two purebred dogs of different breeds. Some common examples of hybrid designer dogs include Labradoodles (Labrador Retriever and Poodle), Goldendoodles (Golden Retriever and Poodle), Cockapoos (Cocker Spaniel and Poodle), and so on. If your dog is, say, a Labradoodle, our breed analysis will show the highest amount of genomic similarity to the Labrador Retriever and Poodle breeds. It&apos;s important to note that Basepaws does not test specifically for these hybrid/designer purebred crosses.

Why aren’t there hybrid breeds, like Labradoodle or Cockapoo in the Basepaws report?

Unless your dog has purebred ancestry, it is possible that their looks won’t closely match the looks of their top breed percentage matches. This is because your dog’s top breed percent matches could reflect the fact that your dog and the dogs belongi

Unless your dog has purebred ancestry, it is possible that their looks won&#x2019;t closely match the looks of their top breed percentage matches. This is because your dog&#x2019;s top breed percent matches could reflect the fact that your dog and the dogs belonging to their top match breed may have shared a common ancestor before the breed in question was formed. If that is the case, it is very likely that, as part of the breed selection process, that breed acquired physical characteristics absent from your dog.

My dog doesn’t look like any of the breeds listed, why is that?

There are several possible explanations for this. One possibility is that one relative belonging to a similar breed or with mixed ancestry is several generations removed from your dog but, by chance, passed on a gene with an outsized influence on you

There are several possible explanations for this. One possibility is that one relative belonging to a similar breed or with mixed ancestry is several generations removed from your dog but, by chance, passed on a gene with an outsized influence on your dog&#x2019;s physical appearance (e.g., coat color). While your dog&#x2019;s ancestry overall might be virtually entirely attributable to a single breed, their physical appearance may be heavily skewed by a very small amount of genetic variation or even a single gene making up only a tiny fraction of their genome. This may also occur if one parent inherited a portion of their ancestry from a relative with such significant genetic diversity that no single breed can be identified when tracing back several generations.

My dog looks mixed breed, but I got a 100% breed result. How is this possible?

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Breed Percent Report

Basepaws Breed + Health Dog DNA Test

The Dog Breed Report

Why should I buy a feline Basepaws DNA test?

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What is DNA sequencing?

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How much of a cat's genome can you sequence?

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What happens after DNA sequencing is completed?

Will littermates and siblings have the same DNA results?

DNA Sequencing

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There seems to be food on the swab, is my pet's sample ruined?

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Sample Collection

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