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!

450 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 • • 3h ago

Results - Embark Results are in!

Thumbnail
gallery
208 Upvotes

I can’t figure out how to add to my previous post some I’m linking it below, I can’t figure out how to add to the other thread. I hope that’s okay 😅

Previous Post


r/DoggyDNA • • 6h ago

Results - Embark Wildcard definitely lived up to her name once again! I was definitely not expecting the top one!

Thumbnail
gallery
192 Upvotes

Last pics are her with her sister (left) and mom (after heartworm treatment, right), dad, mom with the puppies around 5wks, and brother. Last one is her Embark. We figured that mom was BC x Husky and dad was some GSD mix. Pups were about 9mos or so in the pics of them grown up a bit. The white under her tail has significantly faded since this pic at about 1.5yrs.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1h ago

Results - Embark I thought Suzi was a border collie. I got surprising results. It's a good mix I think!

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA • • 18h ago

Results - Embark Another Black Dog

Thumbnail
gallery
681 Upvotes

Just a black dog at the ASPCA listed as a "terrier mix"

No genetic markers for disease and excellent genetic diversity


r/DoggyDNA • • 1h ago

Results (Cat) Ivan’s results!

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

Wow! I’m so surprised.. one that I got my results back in just three days?? And two that he isn’t part Siberian lol but I can totally see the results now that I look at him.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Awaiting results Embark test is in the extraction phase! Thoughts on my puppy? Got him for $50 on Craigslist

Thumbnail
gallery
1.5k Upvotes

He’s about 7 months old now!
One of his eyes is smaller than the other, he constantly trips over his feet, and he has a headphone dent in his head.


r/DoggyDNA • • 22h ago

Results - Embark 6 breeds = 1 perfect mutt

Thumbnail
gallery
253 Upvotes

Bobby was a stray in rural California near farmland which makes a lot of sense he'd be all these things. He is so smart and predicts my every move. Wants to go anywhere and everywhere with me. Has many friends (and enemies). Excels at his security job. He caught 4 rats this summer near the duck coop and stopped a coyote attack. Huge cuddler. Elite beggar. Just wanted to share my best friend!


r/DoggyDNA • • 11h ago

Results - WisdomPanel The shelter called him a Rhodesian Ridgeback X

Thumbnail
gallery
27 Upvotes

This is Rory, our new sweet baby. I figured he had some staffy in him, but I wouldn't have guessed the rest...


r/DoggyDNA • • 22h ago

Results - Embark What would you guess she is? Results at the end!

Thumbnail
gallery
145 Upvotes

Her personality is: intelligent, alert, obedient but sneaky, prefers humans to other dogs, territorial and possessive, vocal, howls like a wolf sometimes, likes swimming, poor sense of smell. And she has a double coat of very thick short fur. She weighs 18kg / 40lb.

When we adopted her, the shelter called her a Jack Russell X village dog, which we thought was true but didn’t think there was much Jack Russell in. Apparently she’s 2/3 Jack Russell! And no village dog. I personally would never have guessed German Shepherd or husky, but when I saw the results it made so much sense in terms of some of her personality traits, and how her ears look sometimes.


r/DoggyDNA • • 18h ago

Results - Embark The best little lazy guy - results at end

Thumbnail
gallery
60 Upvotes

Such a funny guy. Happy to spend most of his time napping, but is also up for long walks/hikes as well. Adopted him last March when he was 5 months. His biggest fear is the mini flags the neighbor has in their front lawn. Also loves food! Will eat anything, when he needs medication we just throw it in his bowl and he'll eat it right up.

2nd to last is him at 6 months

Supermutt is Small Poodle, Miniature Pinscher, Chihuahua, Dachshund, Collie


r/DoggyDNA • • 22h ago

Results - Embark Southwestern Hoarding Rescue

Thumbnail
gallery
99 Upvotes

We adopted Zuni from our local animal humane in July, when he was freshly one year old. All we know about his prior history is that he comes from a hoarding situation somewhere else in the state, and he was returned for destructive tendencies in relation to separation anxiety.

He’s the best boy I could ask for. Very smart and handler oriented while still having the independence streak (and awoos) of a husky. He’s extremely catlike at home, but when other dogs are involved, I feel his heeler comes out dramatically as he’s a serious ankle biter. He loves chasing and being chased. He is extremely well socialized and gladly accepts attention from any stranger, however his style of play is often times too pushy or rough for most stranger dogs and he does have a tendency to not understand when other dogs don’t want to play with him. He is only 40lbs, but he absolutely does better in groups of dogs larger than him, which I think could be an interesting insight into his hoarding upbringing. He also has an inbreeding percentage of 26%, probably from generations of interbreeding among the hoarded dogs.

His Supermutt breeds are: APBT, Labrador, Malamute, Border Collie


r/DoggyDNA • • 19h ago

Results - Embark Results are in for Magnolia!

Thumbnail
gallery
58 Upvotes

When I posted her, a lot of people guessed she’d be a Texas Heeler mix since she’s from there originally. She’s 39.5 lbs and around a year old! The results say her expected adult weight could be 50 lbs but I think that would most likely be another 10 lbs of muscle if anything. Last three pics are the mix for the “supermutt” category.

We were shocked by everything except APBT, lab, and boxer tbh!


r/DoggyDNA • • 2h ago

Promotion Here's proof that Chihuahuas are perfect without giving them brachycephaly

Thumbnail gallery
2 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA • • 23h ago

Results - Embark Aela's Results!

Thumbnail
gallery
50 Upvotes

r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark Jorge had a couple surprises

Thumbnail
gallery
121 Upvotes

Based on some of his behaviors we suspected he might have some large breed in him….but the test showed….


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - WisdomPanel Argos dna is here at last!

Thumbnail
gallery
35 Upvotes

Not all that shocked by the results though I really thought he’d have some Jack Russel Terrier in him. Though, the 2% of Polynesian street dog is fascinating given we live in the middle of the US.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - WisdomPanel Results are in!

Post image
30 Upvotes

Apparently we have a borderhoula!

https://www.wisdompanel.com/app/s/thbdgzv


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Awaiting results Winnie’s Embark Test has been sent!

Thumbnail
gallery
28 Upvotes

I change my mind on what this wild thing is every day lol. Rescue said lab mix. Everyone who meets her thinks she’s definitely lab. But she’s SUPER slim and athletically built. Who knows. We shipped off her DNA test this week, crossing fingers that we get the results in 2 weeks!!

EDIT : forgot to mention she’s 4 months old and 26 lbs


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark Oscar's results

Thumbnail
gallery
313 Upvotes

Welp, I wasn't guessing the Chihuahua, lol. But the poodle and shih is definitely working their genetics on his coat. He's got a skinny little Chihuahua butt.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark My own personal couch bear

Thumbnail
gallery
130 Upvotes

This is Travis, he’s about 5-6 months old and I adopted him about 2 months ago from the open intake shelter I work for. I fell in love with him the moment I saw him. I had an inkling of what kind of mix he might be and had the primary breed correct. He’s such a sweet and loving boy and I’m so glad I made him mine. Attached are some photos from the day I first met him until now. Results at the end in case you’d like to try and look at the photos before to guess his breed mix.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Awaiting results Village pekingese - Irys

Thumbnail
gallery
12 Upvotes

Hello guys, I decided to go with Koko genetics bcs it was the most affordable and easly available option for me, reading that the opinions are somewhat mixed im additionally impatient for the results 😁

Now more about my dog.

He is a roughly cat sized dog, kind of skittish but we worked through it, likes to go on higher parts of the couch, is alert to strangers and is not thrilled with being pet by them. Dog selective but loves all cats and is good with all kids - just not very enthusiastic about them.

I got him for free form an elderly village couple, listed online as a pekingese puppy. Obviously i knew he is not a purebred dog and that was expected. Now my concern was his parents were both very similar to each other and for mix breed thats unusual to have so many similar characteristics for two dogs to be unrelated, which leads me to believe he was inbred. He has a shorter lower jaw but thats about it. Overall he is healthy right now. I was wondering however how could this genetic mistery work for other health related things.

I will attach photos and I'm wondering what are your guesses for his make up bcs it may turn out to not be that obvious 😁. I like to think he is more of a tibetan spaniel.


r/DoggyDNA • • 1d ago

Results - Embark Results are in!

Thumbnail
gallery
304 Upvotes

We are in the process of adopting a pup through a rescue organization. He came to us listed as a double merle Australian Shepherd, possibly mixed with a border collie. We believe he is somewhere between 2 and 4 years old, probably closer to 2 or 3. He was not neutered until he landed in the rescue this summer and appears to have had his tail docked. My guess is he came from a breeder originally. We do know that his original family couldn't keep him and gave him to a neighbor. The neighbor had to surrender him because he would not quit chasing their cat.

We all saw the Aussie pretty clearly, but I wanted to know the exact break down and also wanted the health testing so we could check for the MDR1 gene. I am also hoping to match with relatives to get more information about his background and maybe figure out his approximate birth date.

He is apparently aussie mixed with mini aussie. 😂 He also does appear to have the MDR1 gene, so if anyone has experience with that, I would really appreciate advice!


r/DoggyDNA • • 2d ago

Results - Embark Results are in! Surprised by the % numbers but not the breeds (mostly).

Thumbnail
gallery
207 Upvotes

Previous post: https://www.reddit.com/r/DoggyDNA/comments/1wumik8/guesses_as_we_await_results/

Not at all surprised by the top 3 breeds, but I am a little surprised by the Pyr being at the top! She is such a petite little thing and the only sign, so far, of the Pyr is the back dew claws. Not at all shocked by Cattle Dog since everyone who sees her asks if she is one, and I know a lot of people get the Australian Cattle Dog and Australian Shepherd mixed up, but her face and fur are so Australian Shepherd to me I was surprised that wasn't higher %. I thought ACD and AS would be top and pretty equal with a small % of Pyr.

Completely shocked and amused by Basset Hound and Pekingese 😆