Wisdom Panel adds 13 behavior traits to its Premium dog DNA test

Wisdom Panel added 13 behavior insights to its dog DNA test on October 14th, 2026, bringing the total in its Premium kit to 25. The Mars Science & Diagnostics brand says that is more behavior insights than any other dog DNA test on the market.

"Dogs can't tell us how they feel or why they do what they do, but their DNA can help fill in the gaps," said Becca Chodroff Foran, Wisdom Panel's senior director of R&D.

The new traits lean toward training and care

The 13 additions fall into four groups:

• Social and play styles: plays with toys, plays with dogs, boisterous, bores quickly while playing.
• Instinctual drives: retrieving instinct, focuses on tasks, chases prey.
• Everyday quirks: seeks constant activity, howls to music, licks people.
• Environmental responses: hesitant at the veterinarian, hesitant when groomed, sneaks out open doors.

Wisdom Panel says the models draw on data from more than 5 million pets. They also use clinical data and more than 100,000 responses to a validated canine behavioral questionnaire. Its snapshot of the findings:

• 56.7% of dogs are genetically predisposed to enjoy playing with other dogs.
• 31.4% show genetic tendencies to feel hesitant at the vet.
• 20.1% tend to sneak out open doors.
• 5.1% are more likely to howl along to music.

Vet and grooming hesitance are the traits with a business use

Most of the list is for owners. But a DNA flag for vet or grooming hesitance gives clinics and groomers something to plan around before a first visit, if owners share their reports. Wisdom Panel says more than 7,000 veterinarians have used its tests.

The first version of Behavior Insights launched in 2024. Its models weigh hundreds of genetic variants plus breed ancestry for each trait.

Wisdom Panel and Embark now compete on behavior

The expansion lands five weeks after Embark launched a $39 behavior and training upgrade that pairs 15 genetic behavior markers with a year of Dogo training. Our coverage of that launch noted that the science of predicting an individual dog's behavior from DNA is still unsettled.

Wisdom Panel bundles all 25 behavior insights into Premium, next to its health and breed screens. Its products page lists the kit at $127.99, on sale from $159.99. Embark sells behavior as a paid add-on with training attached.

So the two brands now sell behavior two ways. One puts a bigger trait count in the box, the other adds coaching on top.

Source: Wisdom Panel via Business Wire