Embark is still shipping. More on our COVID response, and tips for you and your dog here.

Surprising Looking Dogs

Not all dogs wear their ancestry on their fur. Learn more about what makes dogs look the way they do.

Learn about the genetics behind some dogs' most surprising features

image from a video about village dogs

What's a village dog?

Not all dogs are mixes of purebred breeds.

How a dog got his spots

Spots don't always point to Dalmatian ancestry. Learn more about Tucker and his "ticking".

photo from a video about how this dog looks like a catahoula but is not

Splotchy but not Catahoula

The splotchy coat pattern called "merle" can come from surprising breeds.

photo of a dog that surprisingly has a lot of corgi in him

Short-legged and long-bodied?

Short legs don't always mean there's Corgi or Dachshund in a dog.

a dog that surprisingly has poodle in her

Poodles curls, Lab colors, and body size

Sometimes highly visible traits have surprising genetic breed origins.

a dog that surprisingly has chow chow ancestry

Why is Chow Chow so common in mixes?

Turns out, Chow is one of the most common breeds we see in mixes.

We’re always publishing more content around dog DNA learning. Check out our Learn Genetics at Home center for more topics

Back to more genetics at-home

Discover Your Dogʼs DNA Story

Embark Dog DNA Test for Breed Identification

Breed Identification Kit

Breed ID Kit

Learn about your dogʼs breed, ancestry, and relatives.

$129

Breed + Health Kit

Breed + Health Kit

Learn about your dogʼs breed, health, traits, ancestry, and relatives.

$169