"It's a bubble waiting to burst," is the way Stephen Zawistowski, ASPCA executive vice president and science advisor, said about the new Canine Heritage Breed Test, a $65 cheek-swab that can determine up to five mixes of 38 popular dog breeds.

Thanks to identification of the canine genome - or DNA sequence of domestic dogs - the first of which was published in 2003, genetic information can be used by researchers to forge new ground.

For instance, Zawistowski said DNA testing can potentially help in the developing field of veterinary forensics and prosecuting animal cruelty cases.

The Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association reports that development of genetic tests allows dog breeders to reduce the incidence of disease prone to certain breeds, such as hip dysplasia in German shepherds. The first such test was developed in 1995 for progressive renal atrophy in Irish setters.

The identification of canine genes is not only improving the health of dogs, but is lending a paw to identifying human diseases, too. The top 10 diseases that affect purebred dogs are also of concern to humans, including cancer, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases, heart disease and diseases causing cataracts.

And scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute believe canine genome research could be particularly useful in studying cancer.

"This type of work will be exciting," Zawistowski said.

When it comes to dog owners, knowing a dog's mix can give insight into its personality and behavior, which in turn can affect training.

Manhattan-based dog trainer Holly Santana hopes the test will help reveal the mix of her mutt, Indiana, who was rescued from the South and whose coloring and behavior leads her to believe he could be part golden retriever, part pointer, some type of hound or even a Labrador mix.

"I've been curious to know what he is since I got him," said Santana, who runs Good Doggie LLC (www.gooddoggienyc.com) and teaches classes at Petco on 92nd St. and Broadway in Manhattan.

"If a boxer mix turns out to be a Rottweiler mix, you start to understand the guarding behavior," Santana said. "If you have a herding dog, it makes a difference how you train them."

Among the list of breeds available for testing are dachshunds, Yorkies, poodles, Labs, Chihuahuas and Shih tzus. Still, missing from the list are breeds such as a Maltese and the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire, also identified as pit bulls.

Dennis Fantin of MetaMorphix, Inc., the Maryland-based genetics research company behind the test, said the next round of tests will include up to 100 breeds, but will also come with a higher price tag.

The test will also help owners of designer dogs determine if their Schnoodle or Cockapoo really is part poodle, and can also shed light on breeders selling bogus Labradoodles, said Stephanie Shain, director of companion animal outreach for the Humane Society of the United States. It will also help the purebred community ensure their pup isn't a mutt, or a Shih tzu isn't really a Havanese.

Determining a dog's mix can also help veterinarians better manage health care and diagnosis.

And what about cats, you ask? While reasonable guesses can be made on dogs, the same doesn't apply to cats, although a cat genome isn't far behind.

"A cat thing will be cool - nobody knows what cats are," Zawistowski said. "There are 18 combinations that will give you a calico shorthair."

Test kits can be purchased at MMI Genomics Canine Customer Support (800-DNA-DOGG), or by e-mail: canineheritage@mmigenomics.com.