Who am I? Dog DNA Testing with Embark Veterinary

What better birthday gift could there be than the gift of knowing who you are? Not that I think Mr. N spends much (or any) of his time pondering his identity but the humans always want to know. Mr. N knows he is a terrier and would like some tasty rodents to chase please for his eighth birthday today.

A company new to the market, Embark Veterinary sent us a dog DNA test to try out. At the time of his adoption, we were told that Mr. N was a Yorkie/Maltese mix. And from his mannerisms and looks that seemed plausible although I always thought that his Yorkie side is predominant.

The test itself is pretty simple. You swab your dog's cheek with the provided swab and send it off in a pre-paid mailer and register online. Then you wait 6-8 weeks and voila!

The results came back as: 50 percent Yorkshire Terrier, 17 percent Pomeranian, 17 percent Shih Tzu, 11 percent Maltese and 5 percent Supermutt. No big surprises except for the Pomeranian part. I definitely don't see any Pom in him. His paternal side is all Yorkie. All the breed mixing happens on the maternal side. Embark makes the results shareable and you can view Mr. N's results here.

His weight prediction came in at 17 pounds which seemed a little high. They advise you to email if you feel like the weight results are off which I did. We'll see what they say.

They also test for 160+ genetic diseases including Multidrug Sensitivity (MDR1), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), exercise-induced collapse (DNM1) and more. Mr. N's results came back as negative for everything thankfully.

The test can also look for coyote, wolf or village dog ancestry. Not that Mr. N has any of those. He is a very domesticated wee beastie with test results to prove it (his wolfiness score came back as 0).

Embark partners with Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and tests over 200,000 genetic markers to build your dog's breed profile. You can opt in to have your dog's DNA results included in studies in canine health and science (which I did).

The test does take longer than its competitors (6-8 weeks compared to 2-3 weeks) so if you're in a rush, this is not the test for you. The big stickler is the price ($199). Embark is the most expensive test out there on the market. It's also the most comprehensive test on the market providing the most data (you also have access to the raw data if you're curious) and health testing and free updates (new info is added to your panel when new research is done).

I found their customer service to be helpful and responsive. I accidentally touched the swab while putting it in the tube and they reassured me that they could most likely sort out the human DNA from the dog DNA and if not, they would send me a new kit.

It's worth the splurge to try it if you are curious about your dog's health or breed identity. Also Christmas is coming up and this would make a nice addition to a wishlist.

Embark has also generously offered to give one of our readers a dog DNA test. Enter below!

This post was sponsored by Embark. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

In the Lap of Luxury

Mr. N thinks the best bed is on top of a pile of 65 inch Smart TVs. Little dog knows luxury when he sees it.

I Am Art

Our photographer friend included this photo of Mr. N in her art display at Northwest Neighborhood Veterinary Hospital in Portland. Photo by Kolu Photography. 

Indoor Activities and Games for Dogs

When the weather outside is frightful and you (or your dog) don't want to venture outdoors but they're still looking at you expectantly, what do you do? It's going to be a long winter if you leave them to their own devices. And shorter days mean fewer good walking hours. Luckily, there's plenty of ways to stimulate their brains and bodies indoors.

• Nosework games. You can scatter food around the house for your dog to find or work on finding various odors. There are nosework kits for sale online or you could work with scents you have at home like essential oils (preferably ones you don't use often as to not confuse the dog). 
• Impulse control. Work on a good leave it around food. Train your dog to run to a mat or their crate when guests come over. Have them do a sit stay and wait for a release before throwing a toy.
• Tricks. Tricks are a great way to exercise your dog's brain. If you want to get fancy, you could work on behavior chains where your dog learns how to string together a series of cues into one big trick (cleaning up toys for example). 
• Refine old tricks. Work on duration, distance or distractions. Can your dog perform roll over while bacon is frying? 
• Indoor fetch. This works best if you have small or gentle dogs who won't go running into furniture and knocking things over. I recommend using soft toys or balls for this purpose.
• Help with the chores. They can turn on/off light switches, close doors, put laundry in the machine or throw trash away in the trash can. And if your dog is brave in the face of temptation, you can have them fetch you a beer after your house is sparkling clean.
• Work on a behavioral issue. Practice loose leash walking in the house or staying out of the kitchen or staying calm while you leave (for dogs with separation anxiety). 
• Puzzle Games. There are now a score of different puzzle games on the market. Or you can make simple puzzles at home using a plastic bottle and putting food in it or using a muffin tin and tennis balls. 
• Compete for a title. These days, you can earn a virtual title in almost every dog sport (rally, obedience, parkour, agility, freestyle, disc etc). 
• Relax and Settle. Games are all good and fun but at the end of the day, your dog has to know how to settle. You can't play with them 24/7! Dr. Karen Overall has a good protocol for teaching relaxation to dogs. 

Which indoor games and activities do you enjoy with your dog?

Brother from Another Mother

Ballet Dreams