At Embark, we often receive questions like this one: "How can you differentiate ancestry between closely related breeds?" For example, American Bulldogs and modern English Bulldogs are the descendants of working English Bulldogs that made their way to America with working-class immigrants. So, how can we tell the difference between...
Cuddles with your four-legged friend are extra welcome on cold days, but the winter months also carry some unique challenges for dog health and safety. So, with the coldest weather ahead of us, we’ve put together a few winter care tips to help you keep your dog safe and healthy...
Have you decided to take the plunge and bring a furry companion into your heart and home? Choosing the best dog for your lifestyle is a major decision. Your future pup will require a lot of love and responsibility in addition to time, money, and commitment. With careful consideration and...
Pool parties, festivals, hiking—summer is here. Those of us with dogs know that none of our summer activities would be complete without our four-legged pals. Here are a few scenarios with safety tips to help you and your dog make the most of this fun season. Water safety Dogs love...
If you have Embarked your dog and opted to participate in scientific research, you’re officially a citizen scientist! On behalf of Embark, I want to say thanks for your contribution. In 2017, Embark presented some of the first research to come out of the data that you and others have...
For millenia, dog breeders have intentionally mated relatives as a way to fix traits in a lineage, recognizing that there is a reduction of fitness in offspring of close relatives. However, this certainly wasn’t always intentional as one can see from this post on the Hapsburg lip. A century ago,...
We understand why it’s important for you to know how old your dog is. You want to be prepared and give them the appropriate care for their life stage, anticipate any age-related health conditions, and give them the best life possible. Knowing your dog’s age can inform many of the...
What makes a dog breed a dog breed? Let’s answer that question using one of the most popular breeds today as an example: the Corgi. For starters, the signature bobtail in the Pembroke Welsh Corgis comes from a mutation in the T-box gene. Without it, the Corgi everyone knows and...
Exercise-Induced Collapse (EIC) in dogs is a common neurologic/brain and spinal cord disorder that can cause muscle weakness in dogs, leading to a sudden collapse during otherwise normal puppy play sessions. In a 2008 survey, owners reported that episodes were more likely to occur during times of excitement or, less...
I founded Embark because I love dogs and science. My earliest experiences as a biologist came in the rainforests of Costa Rica and Panama studying all different sorts of tropical biodiversity, and also getting friendly with the free-ranging dogs wandering around the nearby towns (my family even adopted a dog...
