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- Embark’s dog DNA test determines your dog’s breed and checks for genetic health conditions.
- Veterinarians and customer service representatives are also available to answer questions about your pet’s results.
- We used this test to learn more about our rescue dog, Nellie.
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Even if you picked your pup up from the pound with no clue — and have been guessing or making up breeds to satisfy the curiosity of strangers ever since — there’s a way to truly know the exact origins of your furry best friend.
Enter the Embark Breed and Health dog DNA test. This test uses 200,000 genetic markers and 100 times more genetic information than its competitors. It examines more than 350 different breeds and 200 genetic diseases—and has partnered with Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (the nation’s leading veterinary school) and consumer genetics pioneer Spencer Wells—to incorporate cutting-edge science. And their pet care folks are happy to tell you they recently figured out why some dogs have blue eyes.
Knowing your dog’s genetic history is great for shallow curiosity and small talk at the dog park, but it can also help you check for potential health risks, avoid medications they may be sensitive to, and even Help you decide how much house you have. You will need it in the future
Order the test online, activate it, swab your dog’s cheek, and send the sample to Embark Labs in a pre-paid return envelope. Within two to four weeks, you will receive the results. If you’re not sure how to properly swab your dog’s cheek, there are video tutorials on the site.
I tried the Embark dog DNA test on our rescue dog, Nellie, to see how it works in real life. If you keep scrolling to the bottom of this article, you can see the exact steps we went through in more detail. But what I liked most was how digestible the information was for non-scientists and how many resources were provided if you wanted to do more research. I also loved how passionate the Embark team was about dogs.
On the site, you can get involved as little or as much as you want. It was as brief as “he’s more of a German Shepherd” and “he’s clear of all the health risks we check for” and as many links to learn how to do the process and break down each of the genetic conditions as well as the breeds. . Even in some sections where the research is mentioned, there are relevant quotes.
Embark dog DNA testing isn’t cheap, but it’s information that can improve or extend your dog’s life—and for most owners, that’s not a bad price.
All in all, it’s a great tool—and something most dog owners will likely be excited to learn about. Pets are strong, warm and loving creatures that sometimes care more about you than themselves. Finding out a little more about how to responsibly return that love and care is an exciting new opportunity.
If you have multiple dogs and are getting them tested, you can add a dog to the My Dogs section of your account so your family is all in one place.
