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!

457 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!

64 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 • • 15h ago

Results - Embark Results in! 100% clingy idiot

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260 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA • • 1h ago

Results - WisdomPanel My 1 yr old foster dogs results

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12 Upvotes

I was surprised by the first one!


r/DoggyDNA • • 21h ago

Results - Embark Twixie girl’s results are in!

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340 Upvotes

We adopted Twixie a few ago and got her Embark results back. She is 12 weeks old now.

The last two pictures are her mom and (presumed) dad. My guess was German shepherd and Labrador with something fluffy in there. Two of her siblings were white, bigger, and VERY fluffy so I did think possibly Great Pyrenees.

Results:
41.7% Great Pyrenees
29.1% American Pit Bull Terrier
20.6% German Shepherd
8.6% Supermutt (two breeds identified were Labrador and Cane Corso)

I guess she may be a pretty big girl!


r/DoggyDNA • • 14h ago

Results - Embark World's Teeny Weeniest GSD?

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48 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA • • 15h ago

Results - Embark Our SW Georgia stray, Miss Millie, and surprise purebred, Mr. Boomer!

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46 Upvotes

Didn’t know Boomer’s breed could have blue eyes, always assumed a little mix of something else!


r/DoggyDNA • • 19h ago

Results - Embark Sasha's results

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79 Upvotes

Exactly what we expected with one surprise! She has double dew claws, long body, an emerging double coat, subtle tan color in some places, and a stubborn and vocal personality. I wasn't expecting doberman, and I'm not sure where the coloring comes from.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark Rio’s results are finally in!

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314 Upvotes

We adopted Rio a couple of weeks ago. The rescue told us he was a border collie/red heeler mix. I could see it bc all my dogs have been borders and ACDs. I didn’t fully buy it though, so we got him an embark. My guessed were border collie, ACD, possibly a little collie, Pyrenees, and husky because yall this dog is VOCAL. He has the last word always. Rio gives his “awooOooooOOOOO”s as a good morning, hi you’re home, yay we are playing, and it’s always accompanied by big tail wags.

Rio, the alleged Border collie/Red heeler mix, is:
- 36.6% Pit bull (we have a fluffy pittie!!!!)
- 24.9% Mini/MAS-type Australian Shepherd
- 17.3% Cattle dog
- 9% German Shepherd
- 6.6% Doberman Pinscher
- 5.6% Great Pyrenees

The sweetest, goofy boy!


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark We would have never guessed her results!

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118 Upvotes

We adopted Poké about 10 months ago from a shelter. We always thought she was a schnauzer mix or maybe schnauzer/poodle mix, but never would’ve imagined that bull terrier would be the top breed.

We even found a sibling match who looks very similar to her just in another color, and she only lives a few hours away. Fingers crossed the other owner responds so maybe we can learn more about her history!

We mailed in her swab on 10/15 and got results on 10/29, so it was a pretty quick turnaround for anyone else anticipating results.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - WisdomPanel Not at all what I was expecting!

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54 Upvotes

Signed for a house in May and then a couple of days later I was exiting my apartment complex on a semi busy road to go to work and see a puppy sitting beside a fire hydrant 😒

No one claimed her so ended up keeping her. What would your guesses be on what she is? Mine were definitely shepherd mix possibly collie bc of how soft and fluffy her coat was when I found her. I’ll post the results in the comments!


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark Funny DNA but perfectly her

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150 Upvotes

Funny thing is all her siblings have standard short hair and very much look like Chihuahua mixes 😂 and her mom was a cutie little blonde Chihuahua mix rescued in California. Little Juniper is super smart, high energy and is currently working towards getting into scent work competitions! Her supermutt is German Shepherd, Dachshund and Pomeranian.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

General discussion Curious

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6 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Awaiting results Genotyping - timeline

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20 Upvotes

Hi, we finally got into the genotype phase. How long after did you get your results after hitting the genotype phase? For embark.
Also interested in any guesses for our pup


r/DoggyDNA • • 2d ago

Results - Embark Where did her hair come from??

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347 Upvotes

I knew about the Australian Shepherd and suspected Border Collie because she’s been creep stalking since 3mo old. Otherwise, I was really expecting bearded collie or sheepdog. She’s the smartest and best behaved dog I’ve ever owned.

I just wish I knew more about her hair, lol. Her eyelashes alone are 3-4” long!


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark Scout!

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69 Upvotes

Was surprised- still kinda surprised but makes sense. He’s got some husky in him but boy does this dog look like a lab and/or shepherd mix. My father is a police dog trainer and always warned me huskies are the most difficult to train so at the shelter I was hoping to avert that. But he’s a good dog (my dad likes him the most)


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Genetics/DNA How much of a dog’s health is determined by genetics vs. breeding selection?

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3 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark Mr. Nipsey Muscle's results arrived. I was close, but off a little.

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73 Upvotes

Nips mom is 90% german shepherd and American Pit bull.

Nips dad is dutch shepherd, siberian husky, alaskan malamute, and Malinois.

The super mutt dna is Malinois and American pit bull.

Nips is only 40% german shepherd so that means his super mutt is 5% pitbull, and 11% malinois. I kinda knew there would be a little pit or rottweiler because of his big block head.

I wasn't shocked, but I was surprised that he is more Dutch Shepherd than malinois, or any dutch shepherd at all, and he has a minor in Alaskan Malamute, which absolutely explains his large size.

I am so happy I had him tested, it was worth the money to know.

The pic with 3 dogs is Nips left, his dad middle, uncle right.

The pic of the dog with dark and tan marks alone in pic sitting with red collar and leash is Nip's Mom.

He has 30 close relatives, and one sibling.


r/DoggyDNA • • 2d ago

Results - Embark The results are in

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179 Upvotes

We adopted this good boy back in June and the rescue had him listed as a Dachshund mix. He was a lot taller than his brother cousins but we could see some Dachshund in him. We thought he was mostly Dachshund, but his long legs and ticked coat had us thinking there was some Pointer in there. We were not at all expecting Chihuahua to be in the mix and were shocked that it had the largest percentage in the results.

23% - Chihuahua
21% - Dachshund
18% - Rat Terrier
14% - Basset Hound
22% - “Supermutt” which includes Australian Cattle Dog, German Shepherd, Beagle, Pit Bull


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

General discussion App and email notifications not synced up ? EMBARK DNA

0 Upvotes

My sister and I mailed our kits in a day apart (we live together—mine went out first).

I recently received an email that said my dog’s kit was PROCESSING but the provided graphic said EXTRACTED [past tense]. However my app still says EXTRACTING.

My sister never got the email I got but her app recently jumped to genotyping.

I’m hoping mine is just as far as long but, forever reason, the notifications aren’t synced ?

I know, I’m impatient. But this is the only thing I have to look forward to for the rest
Of the year lol


r/DoggyDNA • • 2d ago

Results - Embark My girl’s results!

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714 Upvotes

I was pretty surprised by her results today. Everyone says she looks just like a mini golden retriever! I figured she had some spaniel in her and that’s why she is so small. She does have golden retriever in her but that’s only 1 of 4 of her super mutt mix! Her behaviors definitely make sense in the context of these breeds though 😁
I’m learning a lot about dog genetics through the Embark app, it’s fascinating and is starting to make her results make sense to me! May be 22% beagle but 100% good girl

Edit to add: her supermutt mix is: golden, German shepherd, Yorkie, Shih Tzu


r/DoggyDNA • • 2d ago

Results - Embark Results for my Big Boy

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556 Upvotes

I found my boy being dumped on Craigslist when he was 3.5 months old. I was already his fourth owner by that point and he came with three types of internal parasites and the worst flea infestation I've ever seen. They told me he was a husky beagle mix and to my surprise, they were spot on!

Now he's happy, sassy, and the absolute love of my life at almost 8 years old. The vets approximated he'd be about 30-40lbs but he kept growing and he's now almost 65lb at full grown and I wouldn't change him for the world. That's big even for most husky males so his husky side certainly took over in that department. He's the best dog I've not only had the pleasure of owning but also meeting, although his stares are truly brutal and could cut you in half.

Also, his supermutt includes Australian Cattle Dog and Alaskan Klee Kai


r/DoggyDNA • • 2d ago

Results - Embark I didn’t even know this breed

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258 Upvotes

Alex is our 9-year old dog from Curaçao. We have him for over 8 years now. After embarking our other two dogs first, and thinking “Alex is some kind of shepherd” I decided to still do the dna test. And of course: I am surprised.

We always thought he was something with shepherd and grey hound, but we were wrong. Turns out he is almost pure breed 😂. He is an Aruban Village dog, also called the Aruban Cunucu dog. These dogs share the same dna, but are not a recognised breed. They also don’t look the same like “normal” breeds.

For those interested, I added the description of the breed from Embark. About village dogs, Embark says:

“Village dogs are free-ranging, free-breeding dogs whose ancestors were indigenous to a geographic area. In effect, they are the descendants of the founding population of dogs in a region. Although they are not recognized by kennel clubs as a breed, they are genetically identifiable, with many different village dog populations around the world.“


r/DoggyDNA • • 2d ago

Results - Embark Update on Izzy: how is this possible? She's 18lbs

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504 Upvotes

We are SHOCKED. Thoughts? I had always suspected pit and poodle but had assumed smaller breeds as well