Mimi Padmabandu

Presidential dogs have played an important role in history. The dogs in the White House offer a glimpse into the lives of the First Family of the United States. They have also been instrumental in shaping the presidential image and making presidents more relatable to the public. Many US presidents since George Washington were animal...

What would you do if you found out your beloved pup would eventually become blind? When Jane Flanders Salazar did an Embark dog DNA test for her dog Diego, she learned that he had two copies of a genetic variant that meant he would eventually lose his eyesight. As reported in Newsweek, Jane rescued a...

Dogs need regular exercise, whether that’s a daily walk or playing with friends at the dog park. But when the weather is too hot or too cold for long walks, it can be challenging to find ways to keep your dog entertained indoors. A mix of activities your dog can do on their own and...

Why do we love dogs so much? Science may have some clues about that. The human–animal bond In the early 1930s, an Austrian scientist named Konrad Lorenz kept a collection of goose eggs and waited until they hatched. When they emerged, the newly hatched goslings followed the first moving object they saw—in this case, Lorenz...

2021 was a great year for dog lovers and dog scientists alike. In our 2021 year in review, we dive into some of the big moments that happened in dog genetics this year.  Scientists made lots of discoveries about dog DNA, like the first Basenji dog genome, how puppies are wired to respond to humans,...

Adoption and fostering are great ways to help dogs in need of forever homes. But there are many other ways to give back, even if you can’t adopt a pet right now. Here are 10 ways to spread the love and help dogs in need this holiday season—or any time of year. 1. Donate to...

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s National Dog Show is a beloved tradition for many families across America. About 25 million people tuned in this year. Children and their parents, Americans cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and families waiting for football to start all tune in to watch the National Dog Show together on Thanksgiving Day. This year,...

There are many misconceptions about purebred dog DNA tests. Did you know that DNA testing can help breeders, owners, and veterinarians make proactive choices that address breed-specific health conditions and traits? Breeders know that genetic testing is an important part of producing healthy purebred puppies, and thousands of breeders have trusted Embark to help manage...

Almost everyone knows Clifford, the Big Red Dog. He’s the huge, lovable pup from children’s literature and the star of a new movie. If we ran an Embark DNA test on Clifford, what would we find? A gene that gives him his red coat? Maybe a new mutation that causes supersized dogs? Of course, Clifford...

The Pilgrims weren’t the only ones who arrived at Plymouth in 1620. They brought dogs on the Mayflower with them. These Pilgrim pups might have been present at the first Thanksgiving. How do we know there were dogs on the Mayflower? Thanks to journals the Pilgrims kept, we know that there were at least two...

Fanny (@fannyasfresh) is a Bernese Mountain Dog who tells a unique story about vitiligo in dogs. Fanny might have a rare condition called vitiligo. Her owner shared on Instagram that Fanny’s black fur started changing color when she was 3 or 4 years old. The color change started on her head, gradually at first, and...

Did you know that we can trace dogs and Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, all the way back to ancient civilizations? Day of the Dead has roots in Aztec and Maya traditions. Today, it’s an important part of Mexican culture. Modern Día de los Muertos takes place on November 1–2. It...