Mimi Padmabandu

At Embark, we often hear from dog lovers that their dog’s breed results don’t match their appearance. How do these DNA surprises happen? In short, looks can be deceiving. Dogs have more than 20,000 genes. Less than 1% of those genes affect their appearance. Some traits that are associated with a specific breed—like the yellow...

Meet Dahlia! She is one of over 40 dogs from Furgiven Animal Sanctuary in West Memphis, Arkansas who have tested with Embark. The sanctuary specializes in dogs who need “second, second chances.” For Dahlia, and many dogs like her, that means identifying their underlying disability and providing rehabilitation equipment and lots of love.  With the...

When Haniff arrived at One Tail at a Time in Chicago, he had rapid, involuntary muscle movements in his hind legs (called myoclonus). His neurologist recommended a health screening through Embark—included with every Breed + Health Test—to help inform next steps for his care. Keep reading to find out what Haniff’s Embark results revealed about...

After being found as a stray in Lafayette, Louisiana, Maggie was transported to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, New Jersey. One year later, Murphy was picked up in Lafayette and—by a stroke of luck—also transported to St. Hubert’s. Both dogs tested with Embark to find out they’re not just related; they’re actually parent...

This holiday season, we’re celebrating the many ways dogs bring joy into our lives. Join us for 12 Days of Good Dogs, as we highlight 12 heartwarming stories about Embarked dogs and their humans. Bring on the holiday cheer! Day 1: Sugar Snap Sugar Snap arrived at One Tail at a Time in Chicago in...

Today, we’re decoding Toto, Dorothy’s pet dog and loyal companion in L. Frank Baum’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. If we ran an Embark Dog DNA Test on Toto, what would we find? What breed is Toto from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz? In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book, published in 1900, author...

When Portland, OR dog owner Cierra Steele saw that her dog Margie’s hind legs were failing, she knew exactly why. Cierra adopted Margie in June 2022. Due to Margie’s distinctive coat pattern, Cierra suspected there was some Australian Shepherd in her breed mix. She decided to find out for sure with an Embark Breed +...

Allergies are one of the top reported health concerns for pet owners, affecting about 20% of dogs. Because allergy symptoms vary widely, it can be difficult to pinpoint the cause of a dog’s allergic reaction. Now, Embark offers a new genetic result that tells pet owners about their dog’s genetic risk for allergies as a...

We dug into our database of over 2 million dogs to see where the most active dogs live throughout the United States and which breeds exercise the most. Keep reading to find out how your state stacks up and if your favorite dog breed made it into the top 10. Where do dogs get the...

When Sugar Snap arrived at One Tail at a Time (OTAT) in Chicago, he was near death. At just 19 pounds, Sugar Snap was so emaciated he could barely lift his head. But he quickly won over the entire staff, regained his strength with their help, and was adopted by one of the emergency vet...

Rowan (formerly known as Clarence) arrived at Muddy Paws Rescue in New York as a young puppy in the fall of 2023. Muddy Paws used one of their donated Embark Dog DNA Tests to help match him with the perfect family. They were in for a surprise. This fluffy puppy not only had a shocking...

You may have heard of the traditional idea that to calculate a dog’s age in human years, you multiply their age by seven. You might be surprised to find out that this rule is a myth.  As the American Veterinary Medical Association says, “Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not age at a rate of...