Those damned Koreans are at it again;
Like Dolly and other predecessors, Snuppy was created using a method called somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SCNT.
Scientists transfer genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg whose nucleus – with its genetic material – has been removed. The reconstructed egg holding the DNA from the donor cell is treated with chemicals or electric current to stimulate cell division.
Once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is transferred to the uterus of a surrogate where it continues to develop until birth.
Dog eggs are problematic because they are released from the ovary earlier than in other mammals. This time, the researchers waited and collected more mature unfertilized eggs from the donors’ fallopian tubes.
They used DNA from skin cells taken from the ear of a 3-year-old male Afghan hound to replace the nucleus of the eggs. Of the three pregnancies that resulted, there was one miscarried fetus and one puppy that died of pneumonia 22 days after birth.
That left Snuppy as the sole survivor. He was delivered by Caesarean section from his surrogate mother, a yellow Labrador retriever.
Researchers determined that both of the puppies that initially survived were genetically identical to the donor dog.
Schatten said the Afghan hound’s genetic profile is relatively pure and easy to distinguish compared to dogs with more muddled backgrounds. But dog experts said the researchers’ choice of breed choice was disquieting.
“The Afghan hound is not a particularly intelligent dog, but it is beautiful,” said psychologist Stanley Coren, author of the best-selling manual “The Intelligence of Dogs.” He ranked the Afghan hound last among 119 breeds in temperament and trainability.
“Many people who opt for the cloning technique are more interested in fashionable looks,” he said. “Whenever we breed dogs for looks and ignore behavior, we have suffered.”
(Dog breeder’s aside; Why does the reporter inject this meaningless prattle from faux-expert Stanley Coren (who is to the world of canine science what Oprah Winfrey is to the study of subatomic particles) into this story? His ignorance is underscored by the very quotes they provide.)
I had a neighbor with an Afghan hound and I’m inclined to agree with him – that dog was dumb as a post and wholely untrainable. They should have cloned the Yellow Lab – much better dog!!!
For as important as Snuppy and his littermates were, it seems to me that poor managemnt surrounded the litter – miscarried fetus…. in a a lab?, and pneumonia. Yikes!
Good point. One wonders if they’d have been better off in a nice comfy whelping box with a breeder….
Given the relative intelligeance of the average Liberal- have they started cloneing them yet?
(Or are they some kind of birth defect?)
So what is you interest in this Kate? I know you have champion dogs( I think)? Cloning and being able to interject certain looks and temperment seems to be something that would concern you if you even agree with what they are doing.
I know enough about the complexity of genes and the economics of breeding show dogs to be fairly confident that “injecting genes” artifically is going to be a long way off – in both practical application and affordability – especially when desirable traits can be introduced the old fashioned way – by breeding them into the next generation.
Thirty-five years ago, I saw some fairly smart behaviour and co-operation between two
Afghan hounds in Ville-de-Lery, not far from Beauharnois Quebec. [rural]
The Afghans were first seen quietly stalking a fourteen year old target as he walked back from the corner store down to Marine drive.
As if on cue, the hounds broke into a dead run and thus corralled the *target* on someone’s balcony.
After a time, the hounds casually wandered back up the road towards the store.
The young fellow came down the steps and walked on quickly, but suddenly one hound popped out from between houses and the race was on again.
Suddenly the second hound ran out from behind a house in front of our young victim and he was sandwiched between the two Afghans.
Once more he was pinned to a protective balcony.
One hound must have gone down the alley. Planning? Who knows?
Forty-five minutes later the kid made it home without being bitten.
Is this a true story? You bet. The kid was me and if those hounds were just having fun, they should not have bared their teeth so much.
Hindsight makes me think the Afghans did not like my bossy and mouthy spaniel. Even though my dog was at home, the hounds knew what dog I was related to.
Maybe Afghan hounds should always be kept in groups of two or more to keep them sharp. Lone dogs may become depressed and
dim over time. 73s TG
I agree that breeding as is done now is part of the fun and risk involved and to do it just right as evidenced in championships won, brings it all home. What a better feeling!
Scientists in some countries seem to be at a breakneck pace to come up with trophies of their own. I doubt that dog breeding is on their short list, I believe animal husbandry and humans are, there is big money in both. Just that a side effect will be the ability to boiler-plate any animal depending, of course on laws.
Crap, The U.N., might get involved. There goes any sanity.
Perhaps the North Koreans will want to clone their glorious leader….but the Korean dog cloning adds a tad of delightful irony to that concept.
Stanley who? I am no “expert” but I have raised, shown and loved many an Afghan Hound. Anyone who thinks the breed is not highly intelligent is lacking intelligence themselves. And, although a female puppy from my first litter of Afghans went on to win her Obedience title and was ranked #1 in the early 80’s, I will agree that they are difficult to train. Not because they lack intelligence though. They just don’t depend on humans for direction as do so many other breeds that get called “intelligent”. Afghans are WAY more “street smart” than most other breeds. What does beauty have to do with it? Before we started brushing out their long hair, it matted terribly and kept them safe from the teeth and claws of leopards and the like (their prey). If there were a “Survivor” series for dogs, the Afghan would be right up there. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover in this case. If one is looking for a dog that brings back that stick you threw 20 feet over and over and over…. you don’t want an Afghan.