It all started with village dogs.
Most dogs in the world are not descended from modern breeds, but rather from a unique kind of dog called
village dogs.
Village dogs are free-ranging and free-breeding, with ancestors that were indigenous to specific regions. Our founders devoted years to studying these dogs worldwide, uncovering the origins of the domestic dog and the genetic regions involved in their domestication. Embark is proud to be the only dog DNA test that can identify village dogs, boasting the largest village dog reference panel in the industry.
Understanding village dogs is crucial to unraveling the history of domestic dogs and their relationship with humans. While they might not be recognized as breeds by kennel clubs, they are genetically identifiable and hold significant insights into the evolution of modern breeds.
What is a Supermutt? At Embark, we value transparency. If a portion of your dog’s breed mix isn’t identifiable or is too small to be confidently assigned, we’ll inform you. “Supermutt” refers to ancestry that’s significantly distant in your dog’s family tree, making it less identifiable. Our algorithm identifies recent ancestry through long identical stretches of DNA, while shorter segments reflect distant ancestry.
Why breed results can be surprising. Visual breed identification is often unreliable, with studies showing it can be wrong over 80% of the time! Less than 1% of a dog’s genes affect appearance, so it’s crucial to rely on genetic testing for accurate breed identification.
