Dog Cloning: Pros And Cons

Dog cloning is a process of giving birth to a genetically same dog with the help of human intervention.

What Is Dog Cloning?

As the name suggests, this process creates a dog like its parent. Such dogs are called clone dogs. A cloned dog will have key characteristics of your dog. These include appearance, intelligence, and temperament.

Dog cloning is the process through which there are no significant changes made to the genes of the dog. It is entirely a scientific process and requires technology and human intervention to do so.

Also Read: 10 Dog Behavior Problems and How to Solve them

How Long Does A Cloned Dog Live?

Cloned dogs live a full, healthy life, like any other dog. The only difference is preserved parent genes.

To create a cloned dog, parent genes are preserved. This process is called genetic preservation. It is a minor procedure and does not harm the dog. Tissue samples then go to a lab. New cells are cultured there. They will resemble the parent dog genetically. 

These cells are then frozen until you decide when you want a dog to be cloned. It is a very simple procedure and does not affect the life or health of the dogs.

Also read: 3 Reasons why you need a Dog Sitter

Is The Process Of Dog Cloning Legal?

In the US, there is no law as of now that bars the cloning of dogs.

Dog Cloning: Pros And Cons

Just like anything else in the world, this process, too, has its list of pros and cons. A few of these are discussed below:

Pros

You can get the desirable traits.

As the name suggests, this process clones an existing dog. You may want specific traits in a new dog. This is why you might use this process.

You can preserve memories.

We know how people get easily and deeply attached to their dogs. They are also treated as a member of the family by the majority of the population who own a dog. However, unfortunately, dogs do not have a large life span. Therefore, cloning the dog is a process through which you can have the same dog for a larger duration.

Also read: Dog Euthanasia – Is it necessary or not?

Cons

It is expensive.

As you might have deciphered by now, this process is highly technology-driven. Thus, it requires a lot of money to clone a dog or any other animal, for that matter. For a dog, it is approximately $50,000, which might vary from place to place. This price is for each attempt the lab makes at cloning the dog.

Also Read: How to Manage Separation Anxiety in Dogs?

The process might be unsuccessful.

Even with advanced technology, results are not guaranteed. Only approximately 6-7% of attempts are successful. Unsuccessful cloned animals need heavy medical intervention. You would not want your dog to endure this. This process can also increase sensory impairment. Other birth defects may also occur.

Final Thoughts

One cannot rely on science so much. As enticing as this process might sound, there is always a risk associated with such procedures. Cloning dogs is a chance to get a similar dog.