Mackenzie Pearson

You’ve tested and verified your dog’s genetic health with Embark for Breeders’ DNA testing: now set them apart with new “Tested by Embark” logos. Health testing for genetic risk factors and managing diversity are two of the many important steps breeders take to manage and improve the overall health and vitality of their breeding programs....

It is well-established that genetic diversity has been declining in many dog breeds over the past two centuries, as a result of strong selection on a number of specific traits, combined in some cases with reductions in breed population sizes at certain points in history as well as popular sire effects. This is not only...

You’re committed to being a responsible breeder: Your dog’s health and vitality are your highest priorities. But how do you assure potential puppy buyers that they can have complete confidence in their purchase?  According to the AKC’s “Tips for Finding and Working With a Responsible Breeder” transparency, genetic insight and documentation are the keys to...

DNA Testing is rapidly growing among breeders, giving them increasingly detailed information to manage and improve the genetic health, diversity, and physical traits of their breeding lines. Given the importance of these test results to the health of not only each dog but also that of future generations of dogs, we believe it’s critical to...

Every Embark test screens ALT activity (via a GPT genetic variant) —one of several values your veterinarian measures on routine blood work to gauge your dog’s liver health. To best leverage your dog’s GPT result in his or her health care, it’s important to understand how your vet can use this clinical tool to establish...

As a responsible breeder, you’re already invested in the health of your dogs: You’ve DNA-tested your breeding stock, received expert consultations on results, made adjustments. So when your next litter arrives, you may wonder, why test all the puppies?  At Embark, we understand the cost of testing an entire litter may seem challenging, especially when...

Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia (TVD) is a congenital heart defect that accounts for up to 7% of the heart defects in Labrador Retrievers. Sadly, the condition often goes undiagnosed until a dog starts showing exercise intolerance, exhibits signs of congestive heart failure or produces puppies that have the disease.  That’s why you may be interested to...

More and more registries and breed organizations require it with your dog’s DNA results submission: Veterinary verification of identity. Of course, Embark’s DNA Test already includes multiple verification checks: We confirm that the genetic sex matches the owner-reported sex for a dog. We conduct a review of genetic breed ancestry. If needed, we even compare...

April 25th is National DNA Day—the day that marks the discovery of DNA’s double helix by James Watson, Francis Crick and Rosalind Franklin in 1953, as well as the completion of the Human Genome Project—nature’s first genetic blueprint—just 50 years later. It’s a watershed day in the field of molecular science. And as the world’s...

On a 200-acre family farm in Hickory, Pennsylvania, Judy Descutner has bred, raised, and shown quality purebred dogs and horses for more than 40 years. She is an AKC Breeder of Merit, a title given by the American Kennel Club to “responsible breeders who have gone above and beyond on health issues, temperament, and genetic...

You’ve Embark-tested your dog and received the most informative DNA results available. Now, how do you use those results to help find potential mates to complement your breeding goals? Enter Matchmaker, Embark’s advanced, custom breeding tool that makes it easy to assess inherited disease mutations in potential mates and view predicted average litter COI. In...

As the world’s leading dog DNA testing service we’re committed to ending preventable diseases in dogs. But that doesn’t happen in isolation: It takes a village. So when you partner with Embark, you become part of a dynamic, intricately linked ecosystem of  breeders, researchers, veterinarians, breed clubs, and global health organizations, all building upon each...