DNA tests from archaeological sites show that humans have owned dogs for around 50,000 years. But while the idea of people having animals in their homes is ancient, testing a dog's DNA to find out more about their breed is relatively new for most owners. In fact, DNA tests for dogs only became available about 20 years ago, when American petcare company Wisdom started the canine genomics project in 1999. Since then, it claims to have tested more than 850,000 swabs of dog saliva – giving a typical owner access to the world's largest database.
Other companies have taken a slightly different approach. For example, rather than building a huge database, Embark Vet has focused on collecting dog DNA from around the globe to create its library of 250 breeds. It has genetic information from coyotes, wolves and village dogs (dogs that existed before the modern breeds that we know today), which is especially useful for mixed breeds as, it says, it can even determine exactly where a village dog may have come from.