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Cowboy inherited both copies of the variant we tested
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Genetic Age
Please note that genetic age is different from calendar age. We can now estimate your dog's calendar age with the Embark Age Test.
The genetic age in this report is an estimation of where your dog is in his or her healthspan. Dogs age at very different rates due to a number of genetic and environmental factors. Body size is a strong genetic influence: for example, a seven year old Great Dane is at the start of his golden years, but a seven year old Pomeranian is just learning what "slow down" means. Just within this example, you can see that the old "one doggie year = seven human years" adage isn’t going to work. And yet, knowing your dog’s age is important: it informs what your dog needs as far as food, frequency of veterinary checkups, and exercise. So how do you best determine how old your dog is?
Embark's genetic age feature calculates how old your dog would be if he or she were aging at an average human rate (using humans in the USA as the baseline). So going back to our Dane/Pom example, we'd estimate a seven year old Great Dane at about 80 years old (senior citizen), but a seven year old Pom would be about 42 (adult). Makes way more sense, right?
Personalized genetic age table for Cowboy
| Calendar age | Genetic age |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 18 human years |
| 2 years | 25 human years |
| 3 years | 30 human years |
| 4 years | 35 human years |
| 5 years | 40 human years |
| 6 years | 45 human years |
| 7 years | 50 human years |
| 8 years | 55 human years |
| 9 years | 60 human years |
| 10 years | 65 human years |
All we need from you is a calendar age. It's okay if this is an estimation: it is just a starting point. We then factor in your dog's breed composition, information at certain genes that affect size, and their inbreeding coefficient to calculate genetic age. Like in humans, in dogs females tend to live longer than males (so an “80 year old” female dog = 80 year old woman). Exercise and diet also play a role in how long your dog will live. Nevertheless, genetic age is the primary risk factor for numerous diseases in dogs, including cancer, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, cataracts, cardiac disease and cognitive decline. It can help you and your vet know what you should feed your dog, what screenings to get, and other aspects of your dog’s care.
Wolfiness score
How wolfy is my dog?
Most dogs have wolfiness scores of 1% or less. We find populations and breeds with higher scores of 2-4% occasionally, and unique dogs with scores of 5% or above more rarely.
What it means for my dog
Your dog’s Wolfiness Score is not a measure of recent dog-wolf hybridization and does not necessarily indicate that your dog has some recent wolf ancestors. (If your dog has recent wolf ancestors, you will see that in the breed mix report.) Instead, the Wolfiness Score is based on the number of ancient genetic variants your dog has in our unique Wolfiness marker panel. Wolfiness scores up to 10% are almost always due to ancient wolf genes that survived many generations, rather than any recent wolf ancestors. These ancient genes may be a few thousand years old, or may even date back to the original domestication event 15,000 years ago. They are bits of a wild past that survive in your dog!
The science
Your dog’s Wolfiness Score is based on hundreds of markers across the genome where dogs (or almost all of them) are the same, but wolves tend to be different. These markers are thought to be related to "domestication gene sweeps" where early dogs were selected for some trait. Scientists have known about “domestication gene sweeps” for years, but do not yet know why each sweep occurred. By finding rare dogs carrying an ancient variant at a certain marker, we can make associations with behavior, size, metabolism, and development that likely caused these unique signatures of “doggyness” in the genome.
Predicted Adult Weight
How does weight matter?
For people with puppies, you probably want to know how big of a crate to buy or just how big to expect your dog to become. But genetic weight is also useful for people with fully grown dogs. Just like with people, overweight and obese dogs suffer reduced length and quality of life. They can develop chronic health conditions and suffer from limited mobility and other issues. While over half of American dogs are overweight or obese, fewer than 15% of their owners realize it. By comparing your dog’s weight to their genetic predicted weight you have one more piece of information about their ideal weight. With this and other pieces of information like weight history and body condition, you and your veterinarian may want to discuss your dog’s diet, exercise, and weight control plan to give your pup the longest, healthiest life possible.
How do we predict weight?
Our test is the only dog DNA test that provides true genetic size not based just on breed ancestry but based on over a dozen genes known to influence a dog’s weight. It uses the most advanced science to determine your dog’s expected weight based on their sex, the combination of these genes, and breed-specific modifiers.
How accurate is the predicted weight?
Unlike in people, healthy weight in dogs is controlled largely by only a few genes. Our algorithm explains over 85% of the variance in healthy adult weight. However, due to a few as-yet-undiscovered genes and genetic interactions that affect size, this algorithm sometimes misses. Occasionally it misses by a fairly large amount especially when a dog has a breed with an unknown size-influencing gene. If we have missed your dog’s weight, your dog may be a scientific discovery waiting to happen! Please be sure to go to the Research tab and complete the Getting to know your dog survey, where you can answer questions about your dog’s current weight and body shape. This information will inform our ongoing research into the genetics of size and weight in dogs.
Haplotypes
Revealing your dog’s ancient heritage
Haplotypes are particular DNA sequences that are inherited entirely from a dog’s mom (maternal) or dad (paternal).
Because they are inherited whole, your dog and his or her mom share the exact same maternal haplotype. If you have a male dog, your dog and his dad share the exact same paternal haplotype (female dogs don’t inherit paternal haplotypes).
Because most breeds were started with only a few individual dogs, many breeds are dominated by only one or a few haplotypes.
Haplogroups
Revealing your dog’s ancient heritage
Haplogroups are groups of similar DNA sequences (called haplotypes) that are inherited entirely from the mother (maternal) or father (paternal) and don’t get shuffled up like other parts of your dog’s genome.
These groups all originally descend from one male or female wolf, usually one that lived tens of thousands of years ago. Because they are inherited whole and not shuffled like other DNA, they can be used to trace the ancestral routes that dogs took around the globe en route to your home.
Only male dogs have paternal haplogroups because they are determined by the Y chromosome, which only male dogs have. Both males and females have maternal haplogroups, which come from a part of DNA called the mitochondrial DNA.
Breed analysis
Breed analysis is based on comparing your dog’s DNA with the DNA of dogs from over 350 breeds, types and varieties.How are Cowboy's ancestors represented in his DNA?
All dogs are related and share some DNA. Siblings share lots of their DNA (half of it in fact), cousins share a bit less (an eighth), and so on. Because dog breeds are made up of a closed group of dogs, all dogs in that breed share a lot of their DNA, typically about as much as second cousins, though it varies by breed. Different breeds that are closely related share somewhat less DNA, and dogs from very different breeds share even less DNA (but still much more DNA than either dog shares with a cat).
DNA is inherited in pieces, called chromosomes, that are passed along from parent to offspring. Each generation, these chromosomes are broken up and shuffled a bit in a process known as recombination. So, the length of the segments your dog shares with his ancestors decreases with each generation above him: he shares longer segments with his mom than his grandma, longer segments with his grandma than his great-grandma, and so on.
How does Embark know which breeds are in Cowboy?
We can use the length of segments Cowboy shares with our reference dogs to see how many generations it has been since they last shared an ancestor. Long segments of DNA that are identical to known purebred dogs tell Embark's scientists that Cowboy has, without a doubt, a relative from that breed. By testing thousands of genetic markers, we build up his genes one DNA segment at a time, to learn the ancestry with great certainty.
What does this mean for Cowboy's looks and behavior?
Look closely and you'll probably find Cowboy has some physical and/or behavioral resemblance with his ancestor's breeds. The exact similarity depends on which parts of DNA Cowboy shares with each breed. Some traits associated with each breed are listed in the Breed & Ancestry section of our website. Embark will tell you even more about Cowboy's traits soon!
P.S. In a small proportion of cases, we find dogs that don’t share segments with other dogs we have tested, indicating the presence of a rare breed that is not part of our reference panel or possibly a true "village dog" without any purebred relatives at all. In these rare cases we contact the owner to find out more and let them know about their unique dog before they get their results. With this in-depth detective work, we are pushing science forward by identifying genetically unique groups of dogs.
Still have questions?
Let us know with our contact form.
What are “Dogs Like Cowboy?”
“Dogs Like Cowboy” are based on the percentage of breeds the two dogs have in common. For example, two dogs that are both 27% Golden Retriever and 73% Poodle will have a score of 100%. Sometimes dogs with high scores look alike, and sometimes they don’t — either way the comparison is based on each dog’s unique DNA.
“Arya and Elijah”
This dog has been viewed and been given 0 wags
Registration
American Kennel Club
(AKC):
TS59431104
Microchip: 985141005960420
Genetic Breed Result
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Papillon
The Papillon, also called the Continental Toy Spaniel, is a breed of dog of the Spaniel type.
Learn More
Start a conversation! Message this dog’s owner.
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Changes to this dog’s profile
- On 8/29/2023 changed name from "Cowboy" to "Deragon's Khafre He Sphinx He's The Best"
Our policy is that each dog’s profile should accurately portray the dog to which the genetic reports belong.
To help ensure adherence to this policy, we show here any changes that have been made to the name or handle (web address) of this dog.
If you believe that this profile is in violation of this policy, you may contact us to report it.
Health Summary
Cowboy is at increased risk for one genetic health condition.
And inherited two variants that you should learn more about.
Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I)
What does this result mean?
Follow-up by our experts indicates that this genetic variant is associated with an increase to Cowboy’s risk for developing Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I).
Scientific Basis
Research studies for this variant have been based on dogs of other breeds. While dogs with similar breeds to Cowboy have not yet been the focus of research studies, our data indicates that Cowboy is likely to be at increased risk.
Impact on Breeding
While further investigation is warranted to determine the clinical presentation and penetrance in Cowboy’s breed, we recommend taking this genetic result into account when making breeding decisions.
What is Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I)?
Type I Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is a back/spine issue that refers to a health condition affecting the discs that act as cushions between vertebrae. With Type I IVDD, affected dogs can have a disc event where it ruptures or herniates towards the spinal cord. This pressure on the spinal cord causes neurologic signs which can range from a wobbly gait to impairment of movement. Chondrodystrophy (CDDY) refers to the relative proportion between a dog’s legs and body, wherein the legs are shorter and the body longer. There are multiple different variants that can cause a markedly chondrodystrophic appearance as observed in Dachshunds and Corgis. However, this particular variant is the only one known to also increase the risk for IVDD.
Proportionate Dwarfism
Cowboy inherited one copy of the variant we tested
What does this result mean?
This variant should not impact Cowboy’s health. This variant is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning that a dog needs two copies of the variant to show signs of this condition. Cowboy is unlikely to develop this condition due to this variant because he only has one copy of the variant.
Impact on Breeding
Your dog carries this variant and will pass it on to ~50% of his offspring. You can email breeders@embarkvet.com to discuss with a genetic counselor how the genotype results should be applied to a breeding program.
What is Proportionate Dwarfism?
Embark’s data suggests that this variant in the GH1 gene may contribute to a smaller body size. The original publication predicts this is due to a growth hormone (GH) deficiency. However, adult body size is influenced by several different genetic variants. Other changes noted by the publication, including retained baby teeth, persistent puppy-like coats, and low blood sugar have been occasionally reported by owners of dogs with two copies of this variant. These changes may or may not be associated with this variant.
ALT Activity
Cowboy inherited one copy of the variant we tested
Why is this important to your vet?
Cowboy has one copy of a variant associated with reduced ALT activity as measured on veterinary blood chemistry panels. Please inform your veterinarian that Cowboy has this genotype, as ALT is often used as an indicator of liver health and Cowboy is likely to have a lower than average resting ALT activity. As such, an increase in Cowboy’s ALT activity could be evidence of liver damage, even if it is within normal limits by standard ALT reference ranges.
What is ALT Activity?
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a clinical tool that can be used by veterinarians to better monitor liver health. This result is not associated with liver disease. ALT is one of several values veterinarians measure on routine blood work to evaluate the liver. It is a naturally occurring enzyme located in liver cells that helps break down protein. When the liver is damaged or inflamed, ALT is released into the bloodstream.
Breed-Relevant Genetic Conditions
4 variants not detected
Factor VII Deficiency (F7 Exon 5)
Identified in Papillons
Variant not detected
Von Willebrand Disease Type I, Type I vWD (VWF)
Identified in Papillons
Variant not detected
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, PRA1 (CNGB1)
Identified in Papillons
Variant not detected
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, crd4/cord1 (RPGRIP1)
Identified in Papillons
Variant not detected
Additional Genetic Conditions
248 variants not detected
Explore
Through Cowboy’s mitochondrial DNA we can trace his mother’s ancestry back to where dogs and people first became friends. This map helps you visualize the routes that his ancestors took to your home. Their story is described below the map.
Haplogroup
A1d
Haplotype
A426
A1d
Deragon's Khafre He Sphinx He's The Best’s Haplogroup
This female lineage can be traced back about 15,000 years to some of the original Central Asian wolves that were domesticated into modern dogs. The early females that represent this lineage were likely taken into Eurasia, where they spread rapidly. As a result, many modern breed and village dogs from the Americas, Africa, through Asia and down into Oceania belong to this group! This widespread lineage is not limited to a select few breeds, but the majority of Rottweilers, Afghan Hounds and Wirehaired Pointing Griffons belong to it. It is also the most common female lineage among Papillons, Samoyeds and Jack Russell Terriers. Considering its occurrence in breeds as diverse as Afghan Hounds and Samoyeds, some of this is likely ancient variation. But because of its presence in many modern European breeds, much of its diversity likely can be attributed to much more recent breeding.
A426
Deragon's Khafre He Sphinx He's The Best’s Haplotype
Part of the A1d haplogroup, this haplotype occurs most frequently in mixed-breed dogs.
The vast majority of Rottweilers have the A1d haplogroup.
Explore
Through Cowboy’s Y-chromosome we can trace his father’s ancestry back to where dogs and people first became friends. This map helps you visualize the routes that his ancestors took to your home. Their story is described below the map.
Haplogroup
A1b
Haplotype
Ha.2
A1b
Deragon's Khafre He Sphinx He's The Best’s Haplogroup
For most of dog history, this haplogroup was probably quite rare. However, a couple hundred years ago it seems to have found its way into a prized male guard dog in Europe who had many offspring, including the ancestors of many European guard breeds such as Doberman Pinchers, St. Bernards, and Great Danes. Despite being rare, many of the most imposing dogs on Earth have it; strangely, so do many Pomeranians! Perhaps this explains why some Poms are so tough, acting like they're ten times their actual size! This lineage is most commonly found in working dogs, in particular guard dogs. With origins in Europe, it spread widely across other regions as Europeans took their dogs across the world.
Ha.2
Deragon's Khafre He Sphinx He's The Best’s Haplotype
Part of the A1b haplogroup, this haplotype is found in Papillons and village dogs in Central America, Africa, and Eurasia.
Great Danes and Pomeranians have this in common!