What does dna profile tell you. I have just seen on a persons web site that they dna profile all there dogs. What does this mean? and why do you do it?

I *think* it tells you whether the dogs parents are who you think they are, and whether they have any genetically inherited diseases.

I'm not sure about it either, hopefully someone else will be..

A DNA profile will establish that a dog is the offspring of a certain mother or father, and will therefor establish it's own identity. So, if, for instance a profiled dog is stolen, re-testing would prove who the dog was or was not, if it was found again.

DNA profiling is used on those occasions that a bitch was found tied with more than one dog. Profiling each of the males, and each of the puppies, would establish which dog sired which puppies.

Dawn R.

As far as I understand it only identifies the dog, the only way it would help with paternity is if the parents (one or both of whom could be dead or unavailable for testing) were also tested and the results compared.

S the fact that a breeeder has DNA tested theri bitch and used a DNA tested dog does not prove the parentage of the pups (who ciuyld have ben sired by the dog down the road).  It would only prove useful if the puppy bguyer was in some doubt and had their pup DNA tested and had the results compared with the parents.  Is there any requirement for the breeder and stud owner to provide the parental DNA?

So frankly I can't see it guarantees anything.  How many pups new owners would wish to check the paternity???

The first half is right (it identifies the dog and its parents) but sadly not the second half - it can't (yet) tell whether the individual is subject to hereditary conditions.

And here, we have to take the very important "yet" into consideration. It is hoped that as developments are made in the research of hereditary diseases the fact that a database already exists will mean that identifying at risk dogs will be done more quickly.