Dog Decoded

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...

This holiday season, we’re decoding Max, the beloved fictional dog from How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Max joins Clifford and Scooby-Doo in our Embark Decoded series. If we ran an Embark dog DNA test on Max, what would we find? What type of dog is Max from The Grinch? Max is a true mystery mutt—no...

Uncover the mystery of your dog with an Embark Breed + Health Kit! Use code MUSTLOVEDOGS for $50 off Meet Duke 🐾 He was adopted in the summer of 2019 from Potter League. Duke now lives with his forever family in Milton, MA. Duke’s favorite things include taking long walks along the beach, exploring the...

You loved when we decoded Clifford, the Big Red Dog. So today, we’re decoding Scooby-Doo, the famous super-sleuthing, mystery-solving cartoon dog. Scooby-Doo is the iconic titular dog from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? He rides around in the Mystery Machine van with his friends Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy as they look for...

Looking for fun activities to do with your dog that range from ordinary to extraordinary? Maybe your dog is an adventurous mountain climber, like Mason Mason. Or maybe they are more of a homebody, and you’re looking for ideas about how to entertain your dog indoors. No matter what kind of dog you have, writer...

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...

We only need to watch our dogs while they sleep, to see their little, running paws or hear their muffled barks to recognize when they are dreaming. Scientists studying dogs and dog dreams have recently confirmed floating theories on a dog’s sleeping reveries. Dr. Stanley Coren, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at the...

100% of online guesses got this wrong! As his Instagram handle suggests, Bernyk looks like a Yellow Labrador or Golden Retriever. Are you surprised to find out that, genetically, he is 50% Poodle? So are we! Bernyk’s dominant breed is 50.0% Poodle, followed by 39.6% Labrador Retriever and 10.4% Golden Retriever. That means that one...

This adorable cookies and cream puppy mystery sparked many guesses across our social media. The guesses were as mixed as Delilah’s coat and now the wait is over!  Embark Breed ID Results Another puppy mystery solved. Delilah’s dominant breed is 38.9% American Pit Bull Terrier followed by 17.3% Pomeranian, 16.2% Australian Cattle Dog and 10.5%...

Do you know what your dog is? The truth is, most people don’t! Just looking at your dog won’t tell you their genetic make-up. DNA can be tricky. Every day, we get messages from pet parents who were shocked to discover what their dog’s breed mix really was. So we’re highlighting one of those surprising breed...

Did you know dogs have 39 pairs of chromosomes in each cell? Chromosomes are made up of thousands of genes that carry traits inscribed in DNA. Just like you, your dog gets one set of genes from its mom and another from its dad. Since traits are inherited, all sorts of mix and matching can...

The work of a trained avalanche rescue dog in winter backcountry and ski resort rescue missions can be life-saving. For the dogs, though, it’s all about it being a fun and rewarding experience. Wondering why dogs have been trained to be involved in avalanche search and rescue work? It’s all about their noses. Their sense...