Exploring new frontiers in canine behavioral genetics research

UNCHARTERED TERRITORY

On October 24, 2016, Dognition announced a new research partnership with Embark Vet, a world leading dog DNA testing company based in Austin, TX, to conduct the largest canine behavioral genetics research study of its kind to date. We aim to enroll 5,000 pet dogs so we can better understand:

The origin of behavioral tendencies
The most effective training methods to use with dogs at different ages and stages of their development
The level to which environment and breed affect each dog’s behavior
The rate of cognitive decline based on genes and breed

This non-invasive study is different to anything that has gone before because it will have the biggest, most diverse sample size of pet dogs of many different breeds and ages living in the natural environment of their family home.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

While this research is important, we need your help to make it happen. Participation of citizen scientists like YOU speeds the data collection process and offers a rich, diverse sample of data from which our researchers can draw more robust conclusions that are applicable to dogs around the world.

To participate in this research, sign up your dogs for the Dognition and Embark bundle today. Not only will you receive unprecedented information about your dog’s genetics, breed, health, and cognition in the short term, you will contribute to this amazing research that can help dogs worldwide.

Furthermore, the more we learn about dog health and disease, the more we can help advance the study of human health. Dogs experience many of the same mental and physical diseases that humans do, so studying dogs offers researchers a way to accelerate discoveries in both canine and human disease.

To encourage your participation, Embark Vet and Dognition are offering a special discount bundle until November 24, 2016. The study is open to dogs of any breed, and available worldwide.

Photo Credit: @mydogstink