The Basepaws Dog DNA Test combines a breed breakdown and a genetic health screen from a single cheek swab. CNET's reviewer ran it side by side with Wisdom Panel Premium on her rescue dog: the swab was easier on the dog, but the first sample had to be redone, results took four to six weeks, and the breed breakdown was broader, lumping the smallest share into "scent hound lineage". CNET concluded Wisdom Panel was the more thorough test.
Full review
Sample collection
Basepaws uses one swab that CNET's reviewer likened to an eyeshadow applicator. After swabbing, you unscrew it, flip it and shake it in the liquid underneath. Her dog, Walter, did not fight this swab the way he fought Wisdom Panel's two swabs.
Nearly a month after she mailed the sample, Basepaws emailed that it had arrived, and a follow-up said Walter needed to be retested. A replacement kit came free of charge right away; on the second try she swabbed twice as long and made sure his mouth was free of food.
Breed results compared with Wisdom Panel
Basepaws reported Walter as 60.2% shih tzu, 16.5% Yorkshire terrier, 14.6% bichon frise and 8.7% "scent hound lineage". CNET's reviewer, who was sure he was part beagle, found this breakdown much less robust than Wisdom Panel Premium's and wished Basepaws named the breed rather than a broad group for the smaller shares.
Basepaws also reported Walter as a carrier of a shedding gene variant, while Wisdom Panel said he sheds less; CNET notes he barely sheds. Basepaws gave no behavioral traits.
Health screen and turnaround
Basepaws tested Walter for 211 health markers and flagged one predisposition, chondrodysplasia. CNET's veterinary source stresses that a flagged marker indicates risk rather than a diagnosis and is best discussed with a vet.
Turnaround is the biggest practical drawback: Basepaws typically takes four to six weeks, against about two weeks for Wisdom Panel, and CNET's retest stretched that further. Basepaws, founded in 2017 as a cat DNA company, added dog testing in 2023. CNET's overall verdict was that Wisdom Panel was more thorough.
Strengths
- +Single sponge-style swab that CNET's dog tolerated better than Wisdom Panel's swabs
- +Breed percentages and a genetic health screen in one kit; CNET's report covered 211 health markers
- +Basepaws sent a free replacement kit right away when CNET's first sample failed
Watch-outs
- −Results take four to six weeks, against about two weeks for Wisdom Panel in CNET's test
- −CNET's first sample had to be redone, which it learned nearly a month after mailing it
- −Broader breed calls than Wisdom Panel, such as "scent hound lineage", and no behavioral traits, per CNET
How it compares
Basepaws screens for over 280 genetic health markers, which is more than any other pet DNA test according to the manufacturer, whereas Embark Breed + Health Dog DNA Test analyzes over 200,000 genetic markers. The Wisdom Panel Premium DNA Kit lists a turnaround of about 3 weeks, while Basepaws takes 4 to 6 weeks to process.
Rating sources
“For me and my pup, Wisdom Panel seemed to be the most accurate. I don’t think Basepaws was wrong, but I do think it could improve its breed identification”
Our 3.0 score is the average of the 1 scored review above; 4 more reviewed it without printing a score and are not in the average. Ratings marked * were derived from the reviewer’s written analysis or video transcript — the publisher didn’t print an explicit numeric score, so we inferred one from their own words. Click through to verify. More about methodology.
