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Embark helps adopted dogs stay adopted by supporting owners through the hardest week
Case study
Most pet adoption tools focus on matchmaking. But that’s not when things fall apart. Over 40% of adopted dogs are returned usually within the first week, because new owners feel overwhelmed, underprepared, or emotionally isolated. Embark is designed for that critical window. By combining behavioral tracking, adaptive training, and local community support, it helps new owners build confidence before doubts turn into returns.
Every year, 3.3 million dogs enter U.S. shelters.
While many are adopted, few stay in their new homes. Over 40% are returned, most within just one week.
The leading reason is behavioral issues, compounded by mismatched expectations and emotional overwhelm on both sides.
Shelters and adopters both lose in that moment. But what if a tool could intervene, not before the adoption, but right after?
The adoption system is designed to get dogs out of shelters, not to keep them out.
Once the paperwork is signed, structured support disappears. But as shelter workers repeatedly told us, that’s when things fall apart.
If adopted dogs return to shelters, the system loops back to square one: trauma, costs, and overcrowding.
These aren’t isolated cases, they’re a symptom of a system focused on placement over permanence.
Instead of building yet another pet adoption platform, we want to focus on what comes after adoption: supporting the transition into ownership before panic sets in and people give up.
Where the system breaks down.
phase
what's happening
pain points
Pre-adoption
Adopters are excited and focused on finding the “right” dog |
Decisions based on appearance, not behavior or lifestyle fit
Little emotional prep
Adoption Day
Dependent on coworkers, context switching
Minimal guidance on first steps
Staff stretched thin, can’t offer deep support
Post Adoption
Slow, inconsistent
|
We've observed that many challenges arise post-adoption, often when new pet owners bring their pets home hastily, sometimes within just a week, without considering the profound impact on their lifestyle.
The immediate and sometimes overwhelming changes in their daily lives can lead to frustration and regret. Market research shows that the post-adoption stage is yet to be saturated by digital products, with mostly training wikis and beeper apps taking up the space.
However, this early timeframe immediately after adoption is crucial to stop pet returns – so, we decided to come in to the market here.
Recognizing the significance of this crucial post-adoption period, we've chosen to focus our efforts on improving the transition experience for new pet owners during this early phase.
Designing for the Critical Window
We've observed that many challenges arise post-adoption, often when new pet owners bring their pets home hastily, sometimes within just a week, without considering the profound impact on their lifestyle.
The immediate and sometimes overwhelming changes in their daily lives can lead to frustration and regret. Market research shows that the post-adoption stage is yet to be saturated by digital products, with mostly training wikis and beeper apps taking up the space.
However, this early timeframe immediately after adoption is crucial to stop pet returns – so, we decided to come in to the market here.
Recognizing the significance of this crucial post-adoption period, we've chosen to focus our efforts on improving the transition experience for new pet owners during this early phase.
Support, not overwhelm
Reduce cognitive load. Prioritize clarity, not completeness
Personalized, not generic
Adapt to the dog’s needs and the owner’s journey, foster a sense of ownership, no “one size fits all” content.
Grounded in community
Make it normal to struggle. Connect users to local events, real stories, and peers.
From Principles to Product
Embark is a post-adoption companion app that helps first-time dog owners build routine, confidence, and connection during the hardest week.
In a crowded market of dog training apps, we focused on what others overlook: the chaotic first week after adoption. By combining personalized training, behavior tracking, and local community support, Embark offers targeted help when owners need it most.
Daily Journals
Track walks, routines, behaviors, and moods, all in one place. Subtle prompts help owners reflect without overwhelm. Weekly themes and streaks gamify consistency.
Our intention is not a journal just for logging, it's a tool that helps owners notice patterns, catch issues early, and feel progress even when it’s hard to see.
Adaptive Training
Modules adjust to your dog’s behavior, age, and journal inputs, only showing what’s relevant each day.
Prioritizes timely, actionable steps so owners don’t waste time scrolling through irrelevant advice.
Community Feed
Ask questions, get advice, or browse nearby events. Local tags and certified responders create a low-pressure way to connect.
Gives users a fast way to get context-specific help without needing to write long posts or sift through forums.
Personalized Avatar
Owners earn streaks and are able to customize their avatar that reflects their dog’s quirks and progress.
Reinforces ongoing engagement through lightweight rewards, especially useful when visible training progress is slow.
Takeaways
Designing for crisis means reducing decisions. We cut steps, minimized branching paths, and surfaced only what was needed to help users stay focused in high-stress moments.
Progress needs to be visible, even when outcomes aren’t. Small UI signals like streaks, saved logs, and completed modules gave users feedback loops when behavior change was slow.
Feature restraint is a design skill. We scoped intentionally: every feature had to serve a specific, observed pain point. If it wasn’t useful in the first week, it didn’t make it in.
Visual structure makes users feel safer. Clear hierarchy, minimal options, and familiar patterns made the product feel usable even when emotions were high.
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