Suits Dog Names

When we usually think of dogs and technology, most probably think about better collars, leashes, food, and toys, but military science seems to be on a much higher plane. 

While it sounds more like something that would come straight out of a science fiction novel, the military and police have actually begun experimenting with cloned dogs for the purposes of tactical use, including sniffing out explosives and other harmful chemicals. In fact, they’re already several generations in, including Specter, a mix who was cloned from the DNA of a top military dog, who as of 2016, was already receiving full training. 

Specter is the third dog to be produced, raised and trained this way, as the two dogs who came before him are already employed by federal SWAT units. As it stands, the process is actually quite a bit more efficient in producing the right types of dogs for this type of work. Normally, prime male and female candidates would produce a litter of around eight or so, only four of which may actually be well-suited to be trained for service. This way, the results are much more direct, and so far, they have proven to live up to expectations by producing highly-intelligent dogs with excellent noses, great temperaments, and a desire to learn and please. 

The cloning has been done by a South Korean lab called Sooam and although the work is still considered highly controversial, that hasn’t seemed to stop the military or police from testing the technology thoroughly. In fact, it’s the same technology that was used to produce Dolly the cloned sheep in the mid 1990s: nuclear transfer. 

But the US military aren’t the only ones getting in on the action either. Since they first started up back in 2006, Sooam has cloned hundreds of dogs, most of which were done so for private parties who pay $100,000 to have a clone made of their dog. Of course, the cloned dog is not the same as their old dog, as they are merely genetically identical and are without the experiences that truly define a dog’s personality — some even show variations in spots and coat patterns, so few are perfect replicas. But in essence, they may still carry at least a few of the traits inherent to the dog’s bloodline, enough so that a healthy number of people have gone the distance in trying to keep their pet alive as long as possible. 

Controversy or not, there could certainly be worse things to do than helping people have their beloved pets live on, even if it does cost an arm and a leg, which most dedicated owners might give up anyway, just to have a little more time with their faithful and furry friends.