When my husband and I adopted Boone from our local humane society in December 2018, we were handed a charming bandana and the description “nine-month-old mixed breed.” Two years later, after losing my beloved cat Finn, we brought home Belle from the same shelter. She’d been transferred from a remote county and suspected of coming from a puppy mill, with a skin condition so severe it had wrecked her coat. We knew almost nothing about either dog’s background.
It didn’t take long for them to settle into their roles. Belle became my shadow; Boone became my husband’s. She clears fences in a single bound. He struggles to hop on the couch. She eats to live. He lives to eat. She snuggles under a mountain of blankets, and he sprawls on the cool floor.
A Second Look at Their DNA
We’d tested both dogs years ago with different companies, and those results gave us basic breed percentages but nothing more. No health screenings, no trait analyses, no way to trace their families. So when we tried the Embark Breed + Health Test, we figured we’d learn a few new breed percentages and some related health tips, a simple upgrade from our previous profiles.
We were wrong. Developed by veterinarians, with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine as a research partner, the test packs a lot more into a single cheek swab:
Screening for 270+ genetic health risks
Breed identification across 400+ breeds, types, and varieties
55 physical traits analyzed
Relative Finder to locate genetic family in Embark’s database
Ancestry chart that can trace back to great-grandparents
The testing process was almost suspiciously easy. I swabbed the inside of each dog’s cheek, sealed the sample, and dropped it in the prepaid return envelope. I re-read the instructions twice just to make sure I wasn’t skipping something. And voila! Results appeared in the app within a few weeks.
The Breed Results That Rewrote Our Assumptions
Our previous test broke Boone’s DNA into five categories: mostly Border Collie (37.5%), with some Beagle, Labrador Retriever, and English Foxhound (another 50% combined), and the remainder lumped under “Breed Groups.” The Embark Breed + Health Test flipped that. Beagle came in at 36.4%, with Border Collie at 34.8%, American Pit Bull Terrier at 13.7%, Labrador Retriever at 10.1%, and Llewellin Setter at 5%. The previous test missed the Pit Bull and the Llewellin Setter.
Belle’s old test identified her as 59% American Staffordshire Terrier, with the rest split across nine other breeds, none above 13%. Her Embark report broke it down with far more precision: American Pit Bull Terrier (46.2%), American Staffordshire Terrier (24.5%), Beagle (19.2%), Boxer (4.8%), and Supermutt (5.3%). Her past test had flagged only 3% Beagle. For two rescue pups with zero paper trails, seeing a detailed ancestry chart going back three generations felt like the key to unlocking so many of their personality traits and tendencies.
Health Findings We Could Bring to the Vet
The Embark Breed + Health Test screened both dogs across 270+ genetic health risks, and several things stopped us mid-scroll.
Boone came back with an increased risk for Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD Type I), a spinal condition common in breeds with Beagle ancestry. He’s always struggled with jumping, and now we had a possible reason. The test also revealed that Boone carries two copies of a variant tied to lower baseline ALT activity, a liver enzyme vets monitor on routine bloodwork. Without that genetic context, a reading that looks “normal” on standard charts could mask an emerging liver issue.
Belle’s results flagged an elevated MCT risk score. That means her breed ancestry and specific markers are associated with a higher inherited predisposition to developing mast cell tumors, something we’d seen in many other terriers and wanted to stay ahead of. Embark provides the only consumer dog DNA test that offers this kind of individualized screening. It’s not a diagnosis, but it’s a heads-up that has already changed our routine. Regular body checks for lumps or skin changes are now non-negotiable.
A Closer Look at Their Behavior
For the longest time, we pinned Boone’s nervous streak and Belle’s restlessness on their rough starts. They’re two rescues with unknown histories, so of course there’d be baggage, right?
After our Breed + Health Test results came in, we added on Embark’s Behavior Insights*. It scores each dog on traits like reactivity, anxiety, and hyperactivity compared to the average Embark-tested dog. Reading them felt like someone finally handed us the subtitles.
Boone’s profile leaned exactly where we’d struggled:
2.1x more likely to feel anxious when confined
1.5x more likely to be anxious around loud noises
1.4x more likely to react to an unfamiliar dog entering the house
1.4x more likely to feel anxious around unfamiliar dogs
Belle’s read differently, matching her bouncy, velcro-dog energy:
1.6x more likely to be anxious in unfamiliar places
1.3x more likely to be hyperactive
1.3x more likely to experience separation anxiety
None of this is a diagnosis. But once we had those scores in hand, we explored the year of personalized training that accompanied them, and for the first time, it felt like we had real tools to work with.
For Boone, the insights helped shape a personalized training plan: crate desensitization exercises tied to his confinement anxiety, gradual sound conditioning for his noise sensitivity, and controlled parallel walks to ease his reactivity around unfamiliar dogs. Knowing where his stress points are genetically rooted gave us a clearer starting point than years of guessing ever did.
The Traits That Filled in the Gaps
The insights weren’t limited to behavior. Boone’s hair coats every surface we own: couch cushions, car seats, black clothing. Belle barely sheds at all. We always chalked that up to how much time he spends lounging versus her constant motion. Turns out, it’s also genetic.
Embark’s trait analysis showed that Boone carries a genotype associated with heavy, seasonal shedding, while Belle carries one tied to light shedding. Same household, two completely different lint roller situations. The test also confirmed Boone’s saddle tan coat pattern, a hallmark of his Beagle heritage, traced right back through his lineage.
The Family We Didn’t Expect to Find
Embark’s Relative Finder matched Boone with what it believes to be his brother and Belle with what it believes to be her mother. For dogs who came to us with no history, no backstory, and no ties to where they’d been before the shelter, that insight opened up possibilities we hadn’t imagined.
According to Embark, 94% of dogs in their database have found at least one genetically close match, equivalent to a human first cousin. Both of ours cleared that bar and then some.
My mom lives about 45 minutes away and has a pit bull mix with markings and mannerisms strikingly similar to Belle’s. And she’s from the same remote county. We’re planning to test her dog next with the Embark Breed + Health Test to see if there’s a connection. If Relative Finder can confirm what we suspect, the family reunion practically plans itself.
What $199 Really Gets You
The Embark Breed + Health Test retails at $199 (though Embark runs periodic sales), and there’s no sugarcoating that price tag. For pup parents weighing the investment, here’s what tipped the scale for us: breed breakdowns that corrected years of assumptions, health screenings that reshaped how our vet monitors both dogs, trait insights that explained everyday quirks, and a relative connection we hadn’t anticipated.
The test also includes free U.S. shipping and a prepaid return envelope for samples, so the listed cost is everything you pay. If a sample fails to process, they’ll rerun it at no extra cost. And if even one of those health findings helps catch something early or guides a smarter conversation with your vet, the test pays for itself in peace of mind.
*Behavior Insights is a new Embark feature, available as an add-on to the Breed ID and Breed + Health Test. Terms apply.
Prices and product details were verified at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice. This content is not a substitute for professional advice. Consult your veterinarian for guidance specific to your pet.
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