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How a Dog Gets Their Spots

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pointer

Spots and ticking can have a surprising origin in your dog

A dog’s breed is more than coat deep.

Dalmatian? Maybe not. Some dogs have spots on areas of white fur, commonly called “ticking”. While this is a characteristic of Dalmatians, many breeds can be spotted, such as Border Collies and American Staffordshire Terriers. Sometimes these spots can even “hide” in pigmented areas, and are not seen until the next generation. Learn how certain coat patterns appear in different breed mixes with Embark’s Chief Science Officer, Adam Boyko.

Casey Ehrlich Scientist

Casey Ehrlich, MS is a Research Associate at Embark Veterinary, where she facilitates scientific discovery through research initiatives. After getting a bachelor's degree in Biology, she attended Syracuse University where she earned an M.S. in Biomedical Forensic Science. Her training in DNA analysis and pathology has served her well at Embark, and she loves working for a company that has her learning something new every day.

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