This startup can tell you almost everything you want to know about your dog

Just like their caretakers, every dog has a story all its own. A newly launched startup calledEmbarkaims to tell that tale to dog owners so they better understand the origin of their pet.

The company’s first product is a canine DNA test that goes a step beyond the typical breed-matching and vague origin stories of other pet heritage exams and delves deep into the health and lifestyle implications of each dog’s unique history.

“We will definitely be providing ancestry-related results that will help you tell the story of your dog,“Spencer Wells, co-founder and chief product officer of Embark, told the Daily Dot, but that simple explanation belies the complex aims of the project.

Prior to launching Embark, Wells created and ran the Genographic Project at National Geographic. The multiyear research initiative analyzed historical patterns in DNA to better understand the genetic roots of humans. Wells said the project “helped to launch the consumer genomics industry,” and was in part responsible for the consumer-targeted tests like 23andMe that provide ancestry and health information.

Beyond DNA collection, Embark is also hoping to include any information that a pet owner is willing to share about their canine companion. The company plans to send out follow-up surveys that will provide insight into animal behavior, and it will eventually open the process up to including health records from visits to the vet.

Lest people worry about the privacy of their pooch, Embark says it will treat the data with the same sort of care that would be applied to human health records.

“The scientific aspect of this will be done with anonymized data,” Boyko said. The ongoing research aspect of Embark is optional, and users can get the results of the DNA test and cut loose from the rest of the project. But Boyko believes most people will be more than happy to lend their pup’s information.

“I think most owners that we talk to, is actually one of the big, exciting things. Not only are they getting a comprehensive picture of their own dog’s genetic profile, but they’re also using this to advance dog science,” he said.

For humans and dogs alike, the journey of discovery will start later in the spring when Embark begins sales of its DNA test. The details are sparse stillsomewhat ironic for a company that will be all about the detailsas Embark finalizes testing. The price is expected to be in line with most consumer genetic tests, which generally range between $99 to $199.

Photo viaMartin Astley/Flickr (CC BY 2.0) | Remix by Max Fleishman

Read more: http://www.dailydot.com/technology/embark-dog-dna-test-launch/

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