As you may know, the FIRST step in breeding any animal is to create a genetic benchmark associated with the individual animal so that one can move forward with as much insight into the animal's genetic contribution to the gene pool as possible. I believe this is the moral obligation of anyone who undertakes to breed animals, regardless of species. If there is science out there to avail a better awareness of our dogs genetic state, I want it! To date, I have employed Embark, NeoGen/Pawprint & lately, Animal Genetics to test our beasts...I thought I'd provide you with my intel on these 3 labs.

Before I do that though, I would like to state that it is incredibly EASY to breed out the genetic maladies which affect lots of Collies. CEA, MDR1, DM & PRA-Rod Cone Dysplasia 2 are all autosomal recessive. This means that a puppy MUST inherit one positive gene from each parent to test positive for the actual condition such a pup is known as "affected" (aka:..."+/+"..."mutant/mutant" "C"). If the puppy inherits one positive gene from a parent, they are a "carrier" (aka: "+/-" ..."mutant/clear"..."B")...if a puppy does not inherit positive genes from either parent he is either lucky or, clear by parentage! This pup is known as "clear" (aka: "-/-" "clear/clear"..."A"). A "carrier" does not & will not ever express or possess the genetic diseases listed above because he/she must have copies of the mutant gene from BOTH parents...& said puppy does not.

Breeding clear dogs to clear dogs is cool! Or, one can proceed with breeding affected or carrier Collies judiciously...because there are some absolutely grand Collies who are affected &/or carriers  who should be breeding. This requires a knowledgeable breeder.

It's that unsimple.

Embark: I disembarked from Embark more than a year ago. The lab is profoundly slow, as is the intake of the samples themselves. Often, the samples sit in purgatory for days & days before ever being scanned in. Turn-around time is 4-5 weeks. Not great when one is testing a litter & needs to provide intel to prospective homes. They've tested 30 dogs/puppies for us & lost 1 test...

Pricing is moderate at $150.00

Embark does not test for PRA Rodcone Dysplasia 2, nor DMS, nor anything else Collie-related. You'll get results for: CEA, MDR1 & DM as well as a color assay.

It is tantalizing to receive the huge pdf file listing all of the diseases one's dog was tested for (however it is paramount that we must admit that our dogs would never would have acquired said diseases because they are breed exclusive). Marketing tactics & algorithms...

​Embark DOES offer breed purity testing in it's inclusive, attractive, well-marketed test. I used this credibility factor last year when substantiating our wildly marked pinto Anatolian lady-dog's heritage.

Their website is slightly confusing to this old bird...but, perhaps it would not be to other folks of a more patient bent.

Mechanism: sterile swab to be immersed in provided sterile liquid medium/tube. Return pre-paid mailer provided.

NeoGen/Pawprint: I've loved this lab for a few years now! They are a tad more expensive, yet the turnaround time WAS grrreat. They recently relocated the lab from Spokane to NeoGen's main offices in NE & my, things have changed. The contact form is never responded to, the phones are rarely answered, there is an error in the phone system itself, which just disconnects the caller after they've been on hold for 30 minutes (this has occurred repeatedly with me). Unfortunately also is their "hold" music which defies Geneva Convention protocols...but, then perhaps this is an intended deterrent. Pawprint has tested approximately 35 dogs/puppies for us.

Though Pawprint's website promises a 7 day turnaround, plan on 4-5 weeks...

Pricing is higher than moderate...but, they do have DMS testing on ab & c loci...
The DMS test alone is $170.00 with results in a month.

Pawprint also tests for the ever-important PRA Rodcone Dysplasia 2 & various other tests, such as CN & HUU...

The Pawprint website is not particularly user-friendly unless one is familiar with it. It feels akin to an eccentric car of which one must be familiar with all known nuances in order to arrive at one's destination.

Mechanism: sterile swab to be immersed in provided sterile liquid medium/tube. Return mailer provided. Purchaser selects paid shipping options at time of purchase.

Animal Genetics: Fatigued by 4-5 week waits, phone calls, inquiries & hassles...I decided to test 6 dogs with Animal Genetics. I love the fact that the sterile swabs are dry (just swabs in a sealed packet), that you can order as many swabs as you like, free-of-charge...that if you somehow need to test immediately & don't have a swab, they advise that one use a dental pic brush (& they explain the how-to process thoroughly). They also have dew claw testing options & all sorts of other eclectic alternatives.

At Animal Genetics, each test is basically $45.00...the purchaser orders whatever tests they desire, they pay & then print out the requisition form themselves then & there. If one has swabs on hand, great! I did & thus, buccal swabbed & placed the swabs right back into their envelopes. No mailer is provided, so....there's that...but, I have all sorts of mailers around & I love the grass roots meets CSI feeling of this whole thing. They are located in FL.  Turnaround time is 3-5 days! And, it has been consistently 3-5 days. Animal Genetics has tested 5 dogs for us.

DMS testing is limited to the a & b loci only. $45.00...not really helpful to me though, because the c locus matters greatly.

Their website is easy, user-friendly & informative as all get out. Your swabs are updated upon arrival in a very swift manner & your dogs are easy edited & accessed . I love that.

For immediate results on litters for DM...MDR1...CEA...whatever...I will likely be utilising Animal Genetics. Having swabs on-hand & printing out one's own material saves at least 7 days...probably 10. That's huge...

animalgenetics.com
pawprintgenetics.com
​embark vet.com

We sure love receiving fotos & video of our puppies living their destinies out in an idyll. Meko is from our Oct. 2022 litter...(Posse x Bleu). He found his perfect folks & lives in ID! THANK YOU FOR THE FOOTAGE!!!