My Experience with the New Embark Dog DNA Age Test
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Embark recently released a new DNA test for dogs. You might have heard of the breed DNA test that can break down the breed (or breeds!) in your dog, but this is a brand new test. I had the opportunity to try the test before its release. Here's my honest experience:
How Old is My Senior Dog, Really?
When I adopted my dog, Starsky, I wasn't sure how old he was. The rescue organization had him listed as about a year old, but I didn't know how accurate that was. He looked like an adult to me, but how old was he exactly? Over the past few years, he's been aging quickly, so I started thinking he might be older than the rescue and I had guessed. I started to think he was closer to 4 when I adopted him, making him around 12 years old now.
So when the new Embark Dog DNA Age Test came out, I decided to order it so that I could get a better idea of his true age.
How Does the Age Test Work?
The test estimates your dog's age by measuring DNA methylation. I'm not a scientist so I don't know exactly what that means, but I knew it was something I wanted to try!
The process for the Embark Age Test is simple: collect a saliva sample from your dog's mouth using an easy-to-use cheek swab, package it up with included materials and mail back to Embark. The whole thing only took me about 3 minutes and I received the final results after about 5 weeks.
The Results
When I received the results, they were easy to interpret. The test gave me a breakdown of his age along with what it means for his health and behavior. 90% of dogs have a true birthday within 18 months of their birthday as measured by the Embark Age Test — so it’s pretty accurate.
While I thought he was 12 years old, Embark said he was only 9—that was a pleasant surprise! I was a little skeptical of the results at first. Starsky was full grown when I adopted him, so how could 9 be accurate? Wouldn't he have still been growing?
But after going back to his old photos, I realized he might not have been as grown as I remembered him being. His adolescent body combined with what the rescue thought confirmed that the Age Test was pretty accurate!
And the best part? Starsky's estimated birthday is the day before mine. Whether that's completely accurate or not, I'll definitely be celebrating our birthdays together this year!
So do I recommend the Embark Age Test?
Yes, I do! I think the Embark Age Test can be really insightful for rescue dog owners. While ultimately each dog’s aging process is different, it can be helpful to know your dog’s age when figuring out age-appropriate care.
But because each dog is an individual, monitoring your dog’s behavior and health will always be the best indicator for the care to provide them. Starsky might only be 9, but his coordination and motor skills are deteriorating quickly, so it’s something I pay close attention to.
Mostly, I think the new Embark Age Test is fun! Who of us isn’t curious about our rescue dog’s true age? If you have it in your budget, I say it’s totally worth it!
2023 Update: Embark stopped selling the Age Test for a period of time due to concerns about accuracy. The Age Test has since be re-released and is supposed to be more accurate now. My dog died before the new Age Test was released, so I was never able to retest him. Therefore, this is my experience with the first Age Test. I had an overall good experience, so I still recommend the Age Test, and I imagine the new Age Test is even better!
Click here to buy the new Embark Age Test!
