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...
Embark offers the world’s first and only canine relative finder, so you can further explore your dog’s DNA story. Our Relative Finder shows your dog’s relatives based on how much DNA they share. It also gives you the ability to connect with their owners. In fact, it has already led...
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an Embark scientist? When your dog’s Embark swab goes to the lab to be studied, there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. Ausra Milano is a research scientist who makes sure Embark’s DNA swabs are processed...
Dog breeders often ask, why are the risks for some health conditions difficult to detect with genetic testing? The short answer is: genetics can be simple or complex—scientific terms that mainly refer to patterns of inheritance or transmission of a disease-causing mutation. Some health issues currently have a DNA test...
When asked about dog shedding, many people looking to bring home a new pet would say they have a preference for non-shedding dogs. Between allergies and keeping the house clean, shedding dogs get a bit of a bad reputation. But the fact is most dogs shed. According to an Embark...
Every day, we hear from Embark customers who are surprised by their dog’s breed results. This often happens with mixed-breed dogs that don’t quite look like you’d imagine based on their breed breakdown. These expectation-defying differences are possible because of how genetic inheritance works. Just like you, your dog gets...
Merle coat pattern testing is included in the Embark for Breeders DNA Kits by testing for the M Locus. Merle coat pattern is common to several dog breeds, including the Australian Shepherd, Catahoula Leopard Dog, and Shetland Sheepdog, among many others. In Dachshunds, this color pattern is known as “dapple.”...
Have you ever wondered if your dog can truly see all the colors we can? We’re sure you’ve heard it before, the idea that they might only see in black and white? This is merely an oft-repeated myth according to studies done by Dr. Jay Neitz, professor at the University...
Hi everyone! Erin, Embark’s Senior Veterinary Geneticist, here. As more people have been choosing Embark for their genetic testing needs, I’ve been receiving quite a few questions about our technology -- what is “DNA microarray technology?” “Is it proprietary?” “How do you know it’s accurate?” “How is it different from...
Occasionally, we get questions from customers curious about how their dog’s DNA is processed into the genotype data that we analyze to understand breed ancestry and health risks. Once we receive your dog’s cheek swab, the DNA contained in the sample is copied many times in a process called amplification....
“Are these dogs really siblings? They look nothing alike.” This is a common question people have after using our Relative Finder. After you’ve Embarked your pup, there is a chance that you’ll come across dogs who are very closely related to yours, but look very different. We’ve written previously about...
Many dog breeders have reached out to us to ask “What makes Embark’s test better for maintaining diversity and lowering disease risk in my breed?” Specifically, they are often interested in how Embark compares to other diversity management products that use a very small number of genetic markers to make...
