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Science and Research

Welcome to the world’s largest canine genetics database. Founded by scientists dedicated to advancing dog health, our tests help you understand your dog at a genetic level — while fueling discoveries that improve the lives of dogs everywhere.

The science behind the most advanced dog DNA test

From research-grade genotyping to the world's largest canine genetic database to top-tier academic and biotech partnerships, Embark turns deep genetic science into insights that matter for dogs and the people who love them.

Breakthrough microarray tech

Embark uses research-grade genotyping to analyze hundreds of thousands of genetic markers — supporting everything from breed identification to disease risk prevention — to identify 400+ breeds, 55 traits, and 270+ health conditions. 3 in 4 dogs tested discover a carrier or at-risk health result.

Learn more about our DNA microarray technology

The world’s largest dog database

We’ve analyzed data from over 3 million dogs, along with over 1 million survey responses from pet parents. By pairing genetic data with owner-reported health and lifestyle information, our scientists can uncover new variants, validate discoveries, and develop predictive tools — like allergy and cancer risk scores — that didn’t previously exist.

Learn more about our 99% accuracy

Every dog tested strengthens the dataset and accelerates discovery.

Trusted scientific partners

Embark collaborates with leading ISO- and CLIA-certified genomic laboratories, academic institutions, and biotechnology partners to ensure our science is rigorous, transparent, and continually evolving.

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We pioneer discoveries that change dog health

Your dog’s DNA helps power real scientific breakthroughs. By combining large-scale genetic data with detailed health surveys, Embark scientists are expanding what’s known — and what’s possible — in canine genetics. These discoveries don’t stay in a lab. They translate directly into insights that can help dogs live healthier, longer lives.

Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs

Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs

We developed the first genetic risk prediction tool for mast cell tumors (MCT) for purebred and mixed-breed dogs for specific breeds, including Bulldogs, Boxers, and Pit Bulls.

Read more
The Science Behind Allergy Risk Scores

The Science Behind Allergy Risk Scores

Your dog’s DNA influences their risk for allergies. Embark scientists developed a first-of-its-kind genetic risk result for dog allergies, called allergy risk scores.

Read more
Rhodesian Ridgeback Deafness

Rhodesian Ridgeback Deafness

Our scientists discovered a genetic variant associated with early-onset adult deafness (EOAD) in Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

Read more
Genetic basis of roan coat patterns

Genetic basis of roan coat patterns

Roaning, a spotted coat pattern, is a natural camouflage for certain breeds like Pointers, Cattle Dogs, and Cocker Spaniels.

Read more
Why some dogs have blue eyes

Why some dogs have blue eyes

What’s behind those baby blues? Using genetic data from our customer surveys, we conducted a genome-wide association study on eye color, the largest study of its kind in dogs. From this, Embark scientists discovered a new genetic variant, specifically a duplication of DNA sequence near ALX4 (a gene on dog chromosome 18), that explains why some dogs have blue eyes.

Read more
Genes behind red coat intensity

Genes behind red coat intensity

Embark discovered that red pigment intensity is a phenotype controlled by at least five genetic loci across dog breeds. This discovery allows Embark to explain 70% of the variation in hair coat pheomelanin intensity across purebred and mixed-breed dogs. By using phenotype data from owners and breeders on 3,000 dogs, Embark can now predict red coat color intensity with high accuracy.

Read more
How COI affects Golden Retriever litter size

How COI affects Golden Retriever litter size

The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study by the Morris Animal Foundation follows a cohort of over 3,000 Golden Retrievers to understand genetic and environmental factors that affect health and lifespan. Embark genotyped a cohort of study participants and discovered that inbreeding is also a concern: Every 10% increase in COI (coefficient of inbreeding) leads to a decrease in litter size by one puppy on average.

Read more
Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs

Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs

We developed the first genetic risk prediction tool for mast cell tumors (MCT) for purebred and mixed-breed dogs for specific breeds, including Bulldogs, Boxers, and Pit Bulls.

Read more
The Science Behind Allergy Risk Scores

The Science Behind Allergy Risk Scores

Your dog’s DNA influences their risk for allergies. Embark scientists developed a first-of-its-kind genetic risk result for dog allergies, called allergy risk scores.

Read more
Rhodesian Ridgeback Deafness

Rhodesian Ridgeback Deafness

Our scientists discovered a genetic variant associated with early-onset adult deafness (EOAD) in Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

Read more
Genetic basis of roan coat patterns

Genetic basis of roan coat patterns

Roaning, a spotted coat pattern, is a natural camouflage for certain breeds like Pointers, Cattle Dogs, and Cocker Spaniels.

Read more
Why some dogs have blue eyes

Why some dogs have blue eyes

What’s behind those baby blues? Using genetic data from our customer surveys, we conducted a genome-wide association study on eye color, the largest study of its kind in dogs. From this, Embark scientists discovered a new genetic variant, specifically a duplication of DNA sequence near ALX4 (a gene on dog chromosome 18), that explains why some dogs have blue eyes.

Read more
Genes behind red coat intensity

Genes behind red coat intensity

Embark discovered that red pigment intensity is a phenotype controlled by at least five genetic loci across dog breeds. This discovery allows Embark to explain 70% of the variation in hair coat pheomelanin intensity across purebred and mixed-breed dogs. By using phenotype data from owners and breeders on 3,000 dogs, Embark can now predict red coat color intensity with high accuracy.

Read more
How COI affects Golden Retriever litter size

How COI affects Golden Retriever litter size

The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study by the Morris Animal Foundation follows a cohort of over 3,000 Golden Retrievers to understand genetic and environmental factors that affect health and lifespan. Embark genotyped a cohort of study participants and discovered that inbreeding is also a concern: Every 10% increase in COI (coefficient of inbreeding) leads to a decrease in litter size by one puppy on average.

Read more

Meet the experts behind Embark’s science

World-class veterinarians, geneticists, and scientists lead Embark’s research—bringing together expertise in genomics, epidemiology, veterinary medicine, and data science.

Our scientific publications

Embark scientists actively publish research that advances understanding of canine health, ancestry, and disease. We believe in transparency and make our work available to the broader scientific community as well as to pet parents.

Dockweiler J., Rickard V., Leon-Frank D., Premanandan C., Boyko A., & Kawakami T. (2025). Use of a direct-to-consumer genetic screening test for diagnosis of a chromosomal abnormality in a female dog. Clinical Theriogenology, 17.
Kawakami T, Raghavan V, Ruhe AL, Jensen MK, Milano A, Nelson TC, et al. (2022) Early onset adult deafness in the Rhodesian Ridgeback dog is associated with an in-frame deletion in the EPS8L2 gene. PLoS One, 2022 April 06
Slavney AJ, Kawakami T, Jensen MK, Nelson TC, Sams AJ, Boyko AR. Five genetic variants explain over 70% of hair coat pheomelanin intensity variation in purebred and mixed breed domestic dogs. PLoS One, 2021 May 27
Kawakami T, Jensen MK, Slavney A, Deane PE, Milano A, Raghavan V, Ford B, Chu ET, Sams AJ, Boyko AR. R-locus for roaned coat is associated with a tandem duplication in an intronic region of USH2A in dogs and also contributes to Dalmatian spotting. PLoS One, 2021 March 23
AJ Sams, Brett Ford, Adam Gardner, Adam Boyko "Examination of the efficacy of small genetic panels in genomic conservation of companion animal populations" Wiley, 2020 April 26
ET Chu, MJ Simpson, K Diehl, RL Page, AJ Sams, AR Boyko. Inbreeding depression causes reduced fecundity in Golden Retrievers. Mamm Genome, 2019 May 21
AJ Sams and AR Boyko. Fine-Scale Resolution of Runs of Homozygosity Reveal Patterns of Inbreeding and Substantial Overlap with Recessive Disease Genotypes in Domestic Dogs. G3, 2019 January 01
PE Deane-Coe, ET Chu, A Slavney, AR Boyko and AJ Sams. Direct-to-Consumer DNA Testing of 6,000 Dogs Reveals 98.6-kb Duplication Associated with Blue Eyes and Heterochromia in Siberian Huskies. PLOS Genet, 14, e1007648., 2018 October 04
JJ Hayward, MG Castelhano, KC Oliveira, E Corey, C Balkman, TL Baxter, ML Casal, SA Center, M Fang, SJ Garrison, SE Kalla, P Korniliev, MI Kotlikoff, NS Moise, LM Shannon, KW Simpson, NB Sutter, RJ Todhunter and AR Boyko. Complex Disease and Phenotype Mapping in the Domestic Dog. Nat Comm, 7, 10460., 2016 January 22
LM Shannon, RH Boyko, MG Castelhano, E Corey, JJ Hayward, C McLean, ME White, M Abi Said, BA Anita, NB Ikombe, J Calero, A Galov, M Hedimbi, B Imam, R Khalap, D Lally, A Masta, KC Oliveira, J Randall, NM Tam, C Valeriano, FJT Cornejo, L Pérez, NB Sutter, RJ Todhunter, CD Bustamante and AR Boyko. Genetic Structure in Village Asian Domestication Origin of Dogs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 113, E2556–E2557., 2015 November 03
Dockweiler J., Rickard V., Leon-Frank D., Premanandan C., Boyko A., & Kawakami T. (2025). Use of a direct-to-consumer genetic screening test for diagnosis of a chromosomal abnormality in a female dog. Clinical Theriogenology, 17.
Kawakami T, Raghavan V, Ruhe AL, Jensen MK, Milano A, Nelson TC, et al. (2022) Early onset adult deafness in the Rhodesian Ridgeback dog is associated with an in-frame deletion in the EPS8L2 gene. PLoS One, 2022 April 06
Slavney AJ, Kawakami T, Jensen MK, Nelson TC, Sams AJ, Boyko AR. Five genetic variants explain over 70% of hair coat pheomelanin intensity variation in purebred and mixed breed domestic dogs. PLoS One, 2021 May 27
Expand all scientific publications
Kawakami T, Jensen MK, Slavney A, Deane PE, Milano A, Raghavan V, Ford B, Chu ET, Sams AJ, Boyko AR. R-locus for roaned coat is associated with a tandem duplication in an intronic region of USH2A in dogs and also contributes to Dalmatian spotting. PLoS One, 2021 March 23
AJ Sams, Brett Ford, Adam Gardner, Adam Boyko "Examination of the efficacy of small genetic panels in genomic conservation of companion animal populations" Wiley, 2020 April 26
ET Chu, MJ Simpson, K Diehl, RL Page, AJ Sams, AR Boyko. Inbreeding depression causes reduced fecundity in Golden Retrievers. Mamm Genome, 2019 May 21
AJ Sams and AR Boyko. Fine-Scale Resolution of Runs of Homozygosity Reveal Patterns of Inbreeding and Substantial Overlap with Recessive Disease Genotypes in Domestic Dogs. G3, 2019 January 01
PE Deane-Coe, ET Chu, A Slavney, AR Boyko and AJ Sams. Direct-to-Consumer DNA Testing of 6,000 Dogs Reveals 98.6-kb Duplication Associated with Blue Eyes and Heterochromia in Siberian Huskies. PLOS Genet, 14, e1007648., 2018 October 04
JJ Hayward, MG Castelhano, KC Oliveira, E Corey, C Balkman, TL Baxter, ML Casal, SA Center, M Fang, SJ Garrison, SE Kalla, P Korniliev, MI Kotlikoff, NS Moise, LM Shannon, KW Simpson, NB Sutter, RJ Todhunter and AR Boyko. Complex Disease and Phenotype Mapping in the Domestic Dog. Nat Comm, 7, 10460., 2016 January 22
LM Shannon, RH Boyko, MG Castelhano, E Corey, JJ Hayward, C McLean, ME White, M Abi Said, BA Anita, NB Ikombe, J Calero, A Galov, M Hedimbi, B Imam, R Khalap, D Lally, A Masta, KC Oliveira, J Randall, NM Tam, C Valeriano, FJT Cornejo, L Pérez, NB Sutter, RJ Todhunter, CD Bustamante and AR Boyko. Genetic Structure in Village Asian Domestication Origin of Dogs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 113, E2556–E2557., 2015 November 03

Our patents

Embark holds multiple patents covering our DNA testing methods, analytical approaches, and research platform, helping us understand dogs more deeply than anyone else.

Patent Title
Patent Number
Description
Assignee
Methods and Systems for Determining Ancestral Relatedness
US 2023 / 0061512 A1
The present disclosure provides methods of estimating a degree of ancestral relatedness between individuals using genetic marker data that is shared among populations of individuals.
Embark Veterinary, Inc.
Methods and Systems for Determining Pigmentation Phenotypes
US 2023/0106107 A1
The present disclosure provides methods, systems, and media for determining a pigmentation phenotype of a canine subject.
Embark Veterinary, Inc.

Patent Number: US 2023 / 0061512 A1

Patent Number: US 2023/0106107 A1