Cass Anderson
I wanted to take a moment to share my experience with Embark’s Breed + Health Test and why I think it’s something every dog owner will benefit from. I’m rarely able to broadly declare ‘This is great and you will not regret it for a second’ about a product but that was my takeaway from Embark because it gave us answers, clarity, and peace of mind.
We rescued a mixed-breed dog earlier this year. I’m a dog person, I was raised by dog parents, and I grew up with a dog-obsessed extended family. So after going nearly two years without a dog in the house after our soul dog passed away, something was missing.
We weren’t in a hurry to adopt any dog, and going to a breeder was still on the table until our sweet Winnie girl fell into our laps and won me over at first sight. When we went to the animal rescue, she jumped up on the fence in her enclosure and started trying to lick my face.
Growing up, we always had purebred dogs (Labradors and Irish Terriers) and my first dog with my wife was a Bernese mountain dog. This is my first time rescuing a dog. When we picked up Winnie from the animal rescue, she was about 10 months old and we were told she was a Great Pyrenees x Anatolian Shepherd mix. We didn’t know if it was a 50-50 split, if there was potentially a 3rd breed in there like Italian Maremma, her exact age, or if she was predisposed to any genetic diseases. We had a lot of questions.
Cass Anderson
Our vet suggested dog DNA testing and recommended Embark, which they said is the only DNA brand they use in-house because it is the most trusted. I’d already recently become somewhat addicted to the growing ‘DoggyDNA’ community on Reddit where people share photos of their dogs followed by the genetic breakdown.
Through that community, I learned that Embark is widely believed to be the most accurate doggy DNA test as their database includes 350+ breeds. They also test for 270+ genetic health risks, ancestry, and geographic origin, and can share the predicted adult weight for your dog and a lot more.
How Embark DNA Tests Works For Dogs
Embark tests mixed-breed and purebred dogs. For example, there’s a Breed ID Test, Breed + Health Test, and Purebred Test. Each has a different price point, with the Breed ID Test currently listed at $99 on Embark’s website. We went with the Breed + Health Test.
“Testing your dog for over 270 known genetic health risks is a great way to be proactive in their care. Knowing about these health risks before symptoms develop typically offers more treatment options. Plus, if the testing comes back all clear, it’s great peace of mind for you!” says Embark veterinarian Dr. Jenna Dockweiler.
The test itself is incredibly simple. Anyone could do it at home. It requires taking a swab and gently rubbing the inside of your dog’s cheek for 30-60 seconds, sealing the sample, popping it in the mail to send to Embark, and voila: the results come back in roughly 2-4 weeks.
As promised, we received detailed breed analysis and genetic health results in a few weeks. Turns out the rescue was right! Winnie’s genetic breakdown is 81.5% Great Pyrenees and 18.5% Anatolian Shepherd, which are also known as Kangal Dogs.
Getting information on the ancestral history of the breeds is very cool. Being able to put your canine companion’s needs in historical context (aka, what were the breeds originally bred for?) is crucial in meeting your dog’s needs. Being that mine is a Great Pyrenees x Anatolian Shepherd mix, she has a 100% livestock guardian background.
While I don’t have any chickens or sheep around for her to look after, I am able to let her roam free in the Adirondacks in upstate New York on our property so that she can think she’s keeping everyone safe by roaming the perimeter and barking wildly at geese or chasing deer over the mountain. This is obviously 100% anecdotal to my situation but I was able to put the information from Embark DNA to use immediately by matching her instincts to our living situation.
“Breed identification is certainly the most fun part of canine DNA testing,” Dockweiler says. “However, as Winnie’s owners discovered, the breed can also offer clues on which activities your dog may enjoy most or what their exercise needs may be. Livestock guardian breeds have been selected over many generations to roam large swathes of land and protect the herd, meaning most dogs with this heritage are protective of their families and require space to stretch their legs.”
Now, I have a definitive answer to ‘what dog breed is she?’ Before it was ‘well, I think…’ or ‘we were told…’. I can definitely answer Great Pyrenees x Anatolian Shepherd because let’s be honest, you’ve seen the photos of my dog above and she looks as much like a Raccoon x Polar Bear mix as she does a dog.
More importantly, after having previously lost a dog to a rare genetic disease, we knew we wanted to take a more proactive approach to Winnie’s care. Her health results revealed three notable results we needed to monitor closely, allowing us to make informed adjustments to her routine. This gives us peace of mind, knowing we can stay ahead of any potential issues we wanted to make sure we created a proactive care plan for Winnie in case we want to adjust her routine, if necessary. Her health results showed us three notable results we should be on the lookout for.
That peace of mind alone is the primary reason I would suggest Embark Dog DNA Tests to any dog owner, regardless of whether the dog is a mixed breed or purebred. Because it’s not all about the breed breakdown, though that part is incredibly fun and is what first drew me to Embark after seeing the pictures on Reddit’s DoggyDNA subreddit.
So, for anyone out there who wants to learn more about their dog, which is every ‘dog person’ I’ve ever known or wants to give the dog owner in their life a memorable gift, I’d enthusiastically recommend Embark DNA testing to them. It’s a fun process that leads to illuminating and valuable results.
Embark also offers a Dog Age Test, Gut Health Test, Oral Health Test, and Supplements (bacon flavored!!!) for dog owners! With the Dog Age Test, I’ll finally get to understand Winnie’s estimated age.
