The Fredericton SPCA is selling dog DNA kits to help owners determine their pet's breed.

The test can help an owner find out if their Rottweiler actually has some Chihuahua in its genes, or if their family's pureblood Labrador is really a mutt.

"This is CSI-type technology that is now available in your home," said LeeAnn Haggerty, the education and outreach co-ordinator for the Fredericton SPCA.

The dog DNA is matched to a genetic database of more than 190 different breeds to help identify the specific breed.

Within three weeks of administering the test, owners receive an eight-page report detailing their dog's ancestry.

Haggerty said the mixed-breed identification kits, which cost $70, have been popular in Fredericton so far.

Identifying a dog's breed can help owners understand what kind of dog they are dealing with, said Amy Schneider, a veterinarian at the Valley Veterinary Hospital in Fredericton.

"If you're talking about a mixed breed dog then you're talking about different breeds mixed together and then who knows what the resulting behaviours of that dog will be," she said.

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Dog DNA kits track mutt makeup