Last Updated: June 2025
Embark has been a leading provider of canine genomics tests since 2015. With research-grade testing capabilities that look for over 200,000 genetic markers, Embark’s Dog DNA Test Kits will help you answer any questions you might have about your dog, from their personality to ancestry. Importantly, Embark also screens for over 190 common health risks so you can be as proactive as possible in designing a wellness plan that suits your pet’s genetic predispositions towards certain health conditions. You should also share your pet’s health report with your veterinarian so they can help you interpret your results.
Embark is a research partner of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and actively works with universities, breed clubs and other organizations to advance veterinary research.
Visit SiteIn your test kit, you will receive a sample swab in a tube of stabilizing liquid, instructions about activating your kit online as well as how to take the sample, and a pre-paid return envelope into which you place the tube containing the sample before mailing it off to the lab.
In their results, Embark provides a flow chart of a dog's ancestry. The chart shows the different pure and/or mixed breed dogs that make up a dog's family tree reaching back to its great grandparents.
If you choose the Breed + Health Kit, Embark will test for over 200,000 genetic markers and your dog's DNA will be screened for over 190 genetic diseases, mutations and traits. One specific mutation the test screens for is MDR1 — aka multiple drug sensitivity. Knowing your dog has MDR1 will help your vet determine which medications may not be safe for your dog.
In the test results, you'll find which of the 190+ genetic diseases or mutations your dog is a carrier, and of which your dog is clear. It's important to note that just because your dog is a possible carrier of a certain genetic disease, that doesn't mean they will actually have that disease. However, knowing which genetic diseases your dog is predisposed to will help you make informed decisions about your dog's short and long-term exercise, training and healthcare plans to ensure their highest quality of care and life.
If you choose the Breed + Health kit, your dog's DNA will be tested for more than 20 physical traits. You can learn about your dog's coat color, length, and texture, as well as their likelihood of shedding. Additional physical traits include your dog's eye color, or their muzzle and tail length.
Learning more about a dog's physical traits can be as useful as it is interesting. If you're thinking about adopting a mixed breed dog from a shelter, it might be worth testing their DNA so that you can know how big they are likely to get. It might not be a great idea to adopt a dog likely to grow up to be Great Dane sized when you live in a one-bedroom apartment.
Embark's testing kit features a Canine Relative Finder, which will include information about other dogs in the Embark database who share DNA with your dog. You will be told the percentage of DNA the dogs share, and you'll have the opportunity to reach out to the owners of your dog's relatives. On top of that, you will be notified whenever new dogs who share DNA with your dog are added to the database.
Getting a sample of your dog's DNA is incredibly easy. You simply swirl the swab around in the space between your dog's gums and their cheek for 30 seconds, then pop it back into the tube with the stabilizing liquid. Put the tube into the provided pre-paid return envelope and send it off.
The typical wait time before receiving your results is 3-5 weeks.
You will receive email updates every step of the way from the moment your test kit arrives at the lab.
Embark states that they offer the most accurate and highest rated test on the market. There are various factors that can impact the accuracy of a dog DNA test. Two of the biggest factors are the size of the database (i.e., how many breeds and genetic diseases the lab is comparing your dog's DNA to), and the number of genetic markers they look at in your dog's DNA. Embark states that theirs is the most accurate test on the market. They have impressive databases of over 350 breeds and over 190 genetic diseases and health conditions. What truly sets them apart is their genotyping array, which looks at over 200,000 genetic markers in a dog's DNA. This is more than twice the number of markers looked at by their competition.
There are currently three different Embark dog DNA test kits available:
Breed Identification Kit ($129)
Breed + Health Kit ($199)
Embark Dog DNA Test for Breeders ($179)
*Note: You can often find great discounts for various kits when shopping at their online store.
The easiest way to get your hands on an Embark test kit is by ordering one online. You can often find some great discounts on the Embark website, so it might be worth heading over there to buy your kit directly from them.
The founding team of Embark is on a mission to bring the insights from scientific research to dog owners and unlock the potential for Big Data to improve the lives of dogs and humans throughout the world. Embark was cofounded by an associate professor in Biomedical Sciences at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine who focuses on the genomic investigation of dogs. Other founding members of the Embark team have traveled the world collecting dog samples and contributing to numerous scientific studies and hold degrees from Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University and the University of Cambridge. The Embark team is driven by a deep love for dogs, informed by scientific research and cutting-edge technology.
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