Does an "Unresolved" result mean my dog is not purebred?

This is a great question, and while Embark is pleased to offer the most accurate and comprehensive dog DNA test available, it is important to note a genetic ancestry test can neither determine nor negate purebred status. This is because purebred status is not itself a scientific designation. It includes human-defined registration criteria and pedigree records indicating all of a dog's ancestors were of the same breed.

Genetic ancestry testing can typically inform 4-5 generations with confidence. A DNA test can show a dog's overall genomic signature is consistent with that of a purebred, but it may not always be able to exclude the possibility of a small amount of mixture from another breed, especially a closely related breed. Also, it does not examine whether or not a dog has physical characteristics consistent with the breed standard. For example, many puppies born of purebred parents deviate from the breed standard and cannot be registered, even though their whole genome is still consistent with that of a purebred dog. You can read more about this in our blog post on this very topic.

Related Article

• What does a result of "Unresolved" mean in my purebred dog?

Have questions? Your MyEmbark account includes information about your dog's sample status, your dog's results, and many other helpful resources. Log in to your account here!