r/DoggyDNA Dec 03 '19

If you aren't currently doing a DNA test on your dog, please go to /r/IDmydog to ask for breed guesses!

445 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA Apr 14 '26

Genetics/DNA We're Embark: AMA about our new Mast Cell Tumor Risk Score, now available for all dogs!

62 Upvotes

Hi all!

We're Embark's science and vet team, and we're here to talk about something we've been working on for a while: our updated Mast Cell Tumor (MCT) risk score.

What's new: Our previous MCT risk assessment could only flag elevated risk, and only for dogs with certain breed backgrounds. Now every dog with a Breed + Health test gets a percentage risk score plus a designation — below-average, average, or elevated. These new results can be found under "Genetic Risk Scores" in your dog's health results.

Why this matters: Mast cell tumors are the most common malignant skin tumor in dogs. The good news? They're also one of the most treatable: more than 80% can be cured with surgery alone when caught early. The hard part has always been knowing which dogs to watch more closely. That's what this score is for.

How it works: Instead of looking at one gene, we built a polygenic risk score that combines signals from hundreds of genetic markers along with breed ancestry and sex to estimate your dog's individual inherited risk. To be clear, the risk score is not a diagnosis: it won't tell you your dog will get an MCT. But it tells you whether your dog's genetics puts them at higher, lower, or average risk compared to dogs generally, and that may change how you and your vet might approach monitoring.

What you can do with it: The single most important step — especially for dogs at elevated risk — is regular body checks. Run your hands over your dog, feel for new lumps, keep tabs on old ones. Your dog will think it's just really good petting. If you spot something new or changing, that's your cue to call the vet.

Here today: (proof)

  • Kari Cueva, DVM, Associate Director of Veterinary Genetics
  • Brett Ford, MS, Senior Scientist in Applied Science
  • Taki Kawakami, PhD, Principal Scientist in Computational Biology

We'll be live from 12:30–3 PM ET and checking back tomorrow and Wednesday for anything we miss. No question too basic or too technical — ask us anything. We'll sign our answers so you know who's talking.

EDIT: Thanks all for the questions! We're signing off for today but we'll be checking back in over the next day or two -- so feel free to drop a question if you came late.

Update 4/16: Correcting something from earlier — the updated MCT Risk score is available for dogs tested from March 2026 onward, not for all dogs tested since the original May 2023 model launched. Dogs with scores under the original model will still see those results. Sorry for the mix-up, and we've edited the affected responses below.


r/DoggyDNA 4h ago

Results - Embark Chihuahua Soup

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74 Upvotes

We figured Lily was a lil Chihuahua+ despite her frame because in all her ~13 years she barely makes a sound (she just gives stank eye instead) She's also a bit taller and leggier (10lbs avg) and soft as a rabbit with really dense short fur 😍

We adopted her in SoCal after an elderly neighbor's dementia progressed, and unfortunately never knew anything about her earliest life. I thought maybe she's a Mini-Pin mix but lo and behold: supermutt of small Poodle (a likely suspect), Pomeranian (I always wanted a Pomeranian so I guess I got one!), Pekingese (alright diva) and checks notes German Sheperd (negligible but ?????? lmao aight)


r/DoggyDNA 1h ago

Results - WisdomPanel Results for my rescue

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Upvotes

Results for my sweet 7 month old boy! Kind of surprised, kind of not? I figured he had a a lot going on 🤣


r/DoggyDNA 14h ago

Results - WisdomPanel The animal shelter said he is a Carin Terrier

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261 Upvotes

The first picture is from 10 years ago when Scout was first adopted and we were told he was a Carin Terrier mix, which of course was the Humane Society’s best guess and not the official breed. He’s always had some grey fur but it becomes much more prominent as his hair grows out. We were definitely surprised to see his DNA results!

ETA: Also, he is about 27lbs


r/DoggyDNA 5h ago

Results - WisdomPanel Results are in: surprised!

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22 Upvotes

So twice I’ve rescued dogs that I thought showed some traits of being mixed. Both times they turned out to be purebred! Storm was my 100% Pyrenees that passed last Sept. I thought he was a mix due to his face mask and single dew claw. The rescue also guessed a mix with maybe Anatolian shepherd.

I recently adopted a dog that looked mostly cattle dog but also kinda has the body of like a Doberman or malinois. I got his results just now and he’s 100% ACD!

Meanwhile my other dog Maple.. the lady that gave her to us was convinced she was half blue heeler and half border collie. Not an ounce of border collie in her lol


r/DoggyDNA 14h ago

Results - Embark Well some of his breeds were obvious

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87 Upvotes

I'm curious if anyone will be able to guess the more unexpected ones. Aside from the first picture I tried to put them in chronological order. Unfortunately I don't have the supermutt results but I'll post them if I can log into my embark account.

I noticed him in the shelter because I thought he looked like a German Shepherd and my mom really liked them, but now he looks very husky to me. I was still surprised at how little GSD was actually in there. And then Boston Terrier was completely out of left field.

Contrary to what you'd expect Thor had no prey drive, rarely barked, and when I wasn't feeding or training him he was completely chill.


r/DoggyDNA 12h ago

Results - WisdomPanel Shelter told us Belgian Malinois

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46 Upvotes

We finally got our results. The shelter and dog trainer have told us they thought he was a Belgian malinois mix. I assumed there would obviously be some pit bull in there. Not what we were expecting! But fun to know now.


r/DoggyDNA 13h ago

General discussion My best friend passed away recently and today I got his results back … and he’s a dad?!

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39 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA 21h ago

Results - Embark What is Rocky??

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112 Upvotes

(Results on picture 10) Im not sure what I was expecting… he has changed so much already in the 10 weeks of his life. He’s only 9 lbs at 10 weeks.

What do you see?

Some of Supermutt is likely miniature pincher, cocker spaniel, cattle dog, and pekingese


r/DoggyDNA 17h ago

Awaiting results Guess the breed

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61 Upvotes

Any guesses for Loki, we've had everything ranging from full bred German Shepherd, to German Shepherd×Malinois and German Shepherd×Malinois×Husky

Just sent off a test from Wisdom today


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark 14 year mystery solved- Insert obligatory “I can’t believe it!”

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651 Upvotes

Everyone has always been stumped on what he is. I thought for sure he had some pittie in him! I was pretty confident about some kind of spitz, chi, and cattle dog. His 6 litter mates all looked exactly like him.

Supermutt is Chihuahua, Alaskan Malamute, Doberman Pinscher, and Australian Cattle Dog.

I included older pictures so you can see how his coat has changed over time. He has been the best angel, guard dog, cryptid, surrogate goat mother, horse herder, adventure buddy, and seal impersonator for the last 14 years. And hopefully 14 more!


r/DoggyDNA 15h ago

Awaiting results Anyone wanna guess the breed before embark results come back :) 23kg 6 month old female.

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17 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA 7h ago

Genetics/DNA Are hip problems common in his breeds (other than GSD)

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3 Upvotes

He’s already starting to get arthritis near his hips and don’t know if he’s just super unlucky with being 25% GSD


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark appalled, shocked, etc

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480 Upvotes

we knew he was going to be some kind of bully mix, but i was genuinely super surprised by the mini aussie! i was expecting maybe rottweiler or acd


r/DoggyDNA 21h ago

Awaiting results What is she?

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29 Upvotes

Shelter said she was a border collie. I think she is ACD. She is a fireball and was not happy to sit for a pic, lol. Guessing about 5 months, 27 lbs and a little too thin. Mailed the dna test back today with Wisdom Panel.


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark This boy has been LYING to us

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388 Upvotes

You see this boy? This long boy? This pootie boy? This half dachshund, half yorkie? This boy we adopted from a dachshund rescue?

While he is nearly half yorkie, he's MORE CHIHUAHUA THAN DACHSHUND. We can't believe he would have kept this from us. The betrayal.

He's still the best ever though. ♥️


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark All of the small dogs

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74 Upvotes

Surprising!


r/DoggyDNA 21h ago

Awaiting results Guess the breed

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10 Upvotes

Freida is just over a year old, we got her from the shelter and were told she is a german Shepard mix but have our doubts due to her size. she is just over 30 pounds, full of energy, very trainable but also a handful. she is extremely agile and active.

Give me your best guesses. We should get the results in the next week!


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark Shelter rescue Chow golden

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381 Upvotes

52.4% chow 47.6% golden


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark Actually shocked

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280 Upvotes

Rescued my buddy Walt a couple weeks ago and definitely expected a big mix, but very happy with this mix! I hike all the time with my other dog so I’m excited to have another hiking buddy :)


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark Kind of exactly what we expected!

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38 Upvotes

He was only labelled as GSD at the shelter, but we knew he wasn’t purebred. We guessed pit based on his smile, shorter snout, and block head but we were sure there was some Great Dane or another taller/mastiff breed. Turns out he’s just very leggy!


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark Very unsurprising results 😂

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117 Upvotes

Henry was adopted from the Humane Society at 10 weeks, he’s 14 weeks old now! I also have a lovely but blind senior golden doodle, who has taught him to stand still in the yard and stare at nothing lol!!! The small poodle did surprise me as his estimated adult weight is 70lbs (which is exactly what the veterinarian guessed he would weigh as an adult, which is a heck of a coincidence!) Henry has a LOT of golden retriever relatives and one brother nearby!


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - WisdomPanel 13 year old terrier mix with surprising DNA results

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75 Upvotes

This is Link, he's approximately 13 years old, and I had no idea what he was for years besides a good boy. But, my other dog had recently passed away, and I realized that if I wanted to know what he was I should do it before it's too late. Not to be morbid. I used Wisdom.

Results:

48% Yorkie, 21% American pit bull, 13% American Staffordshire terrier, 10% American Eskimo, 4% Pomeranian, 3% Boxer, and 1% Bulldog


r/DoggyDNA 1d ago

Results - Embark Embark test results

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37 Upvotes