Dog cloning: Should you copy your pup?

Dog cloning. The thought has likely crossed your mind if you’re a dog owner. You are maybe reading articles about celebrities who have cloned their pets and provided you with information about the cloning process.

If you’re a dog owner, you realize that your faithful dog will die someday; unfortunately, it’s inevitable.

And that threat is the fundamental reason for dog cloning because as dogs age, their owners become more likely to think about cloning.

Most people consider their dogs family members. It can be hard to cope with losing a four-legged friend.

But before you decide to clone your dog, evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of dog cloning.

Advantages of dog cloning

Your beloved dog can live on: The main advantage of dog cloning is the chance to give a second (third, fourth, and so on) life to your four-legged friend. With the help of cloning, you can bring a dog that has died back to your home and again walk, feed and enjoy spending time with your beloved pup.

Cloning your dog can ease grief: Losing a dog hurts because you lose not just a dog; you lose your best friend. Having a dog adds structure to your routine, keeps you active, and can even help you overcome specific difficulties in your life. Having a dog gives you a purpose.

Cloning available when you’re ready: You can use cloning any time you want, provided you can pay the fees. If you think you might want to clone your dog in the future, you can freeze your dog’s genetic material, so it’s available to use when you’re ready.

Disadvantages of dog cloning

Costly process: According to Viagen Pets, it isn’t so cheap to produce a genetic twin for your dog. How much does it cost to clone your dog? The minimum cost to clone a dog is $ 50 000.

Differences between the original and the clone: No matter what researchers say, you should know personality cannot be duplicated. Much of personality is shaped during the first months of a puppy’s life. A clone is a twin; in reality, twins can have personalities as different as night and day.

High mortality rate: Unfortunately, the mortality rate of cloned dogs is much higher than those born naturally. Clones are born as newborns, and while no one knows what causes aging in mammals, most scientists think it has to do with a part of the chromosome called a telomere that functions like the cell’s clock. Telomeres tend to be extended when animals are born and shorten as the animal ages. Clones tend to have shorter telomeres than animals born naturally.

Dog cloning offers every dog owner a genetic copy of their beloved four-legged friend. But before making such a big decision, think carefully to determine whether you need to clone your dog.

Linda Mathews is an editor of catspurfection.com. Animals have always been her passion. She enjoys animal science, animal husbandry, training, and market animal research.