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...
