Super Puppy Dog

Trackr is the name of a German Shepherd that gained attention for his “heroic” deeds during the 9-11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. Trackr is also the father of five puppies that were genetically cloned from him.

Within the last seven months, scientists have produced five puppies who are genetic, in theory, exact copies of Trackr, the dog that searched for survivors in the WTC’s rubble. The puppies’ names are Trustt, Valor, Prodigy, Solace and Deja Vu.

The 16-year old Trackr died in April. But before he died his owner entered a contest where the winner could have their “clone-worthy” pet dog cloned for free. Cloning is otherwise a very expensive proposition, costing around $100,000.

‘Once in a lifetime, a dog comes along that not only captures the hearts of all he touches but also plays a private role in history,’ Trackr’s owner, a police officer, wrote in his nomination letter to the contest. According to at least one news report, he intends to put the five cloned dogs to work in search and-rescue teams.

Ethical cloning issues aside, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has concerns about the health of cloned pups and dogs: “Our current knowledge of animal cloning indicates that there are important welfare concerns at issue. Reports on the health and condition of mammalian animals produced by cloning have indicated a variety of anatomical and physiological problems.”

Looking at the ethical issue of cloning dogs, it appears this could become a mixed bag. Trackr’s owner appears to be motivated for purposes of searching and rescuing when human tragedies occur. Trackr’s DNA and rescue qualities being passed on to new search-and-rescue dogs is a noble, unselfish thing, on the part of the pet’s owner, imho.

If making exact copies of a dog presents an ethical problem, only time will reveal how much of a problem. A pet world of cross-breeding and cloning may one day produce perfect puppies, which may or may not be a good thing. One thing we do know is that individuals and companies, when motivated by greed, will view cloning dogs as their next opportunity to profiteer, while ignoring the real needs of pets and their owners.

We would probably all agree that when it comes to any business there are those who are responsible and those who are irresponsible. In other words, it’s not reasonable to generalize about commercial puppy breeders. Breeders are not all good, neither are they all bad. As a result, the moniker “Puppy Mill” can sometimes be generally used and sometimes misused by the very people who love dogs and have the best of intentions. This puppy lover has been mistaken more than once, making snap judgments about commercial pet breeders and/or retailers.

Consider Petland.

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“Puppy Mills” - That two-word phrase conjures up a bad feeling in most of us, and a few questions. Is it possible, there are good puppy mills or breeders, as well as bad ones we often see on TV or read about? Should you buy from a large-scale, commercial dog breeder or an independent breeder? Should you avoid buying? Should you adopt a new puppy or dog, instead? In this new five-part series, we’ll consider some of the answers to those questions and offer a few helpful tips.

Let’s look at adopting first. When you’re ready for your new puppy or dog, where do you go to adopt?

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Tug-of-war with a new pup is just plain fun, right? Nope, dog experts say that’s not the case for puppies. You see, early on, a young dog’s behavior is being shaped mostly by its natural, animal instincts. And it’s very important for you to be aware of that fact, especially if you have young children who want to play tug-of-war with their new puppy

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What will you name your new puppy? He or she may be brown with long ears, short with a coat like a snowball, or tall and muscular. Choosing a name is a big decision. It will belong to your puppy for the rest of its life.

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While the news media and America wait to see what kind of dog the next First Family will bring with them to the White House, the next vice-president and his wife have already made their choice.

I didn’t know the next Second Family was considering a new dog until today, when I read this report from CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt:

“While the country is fixated on what kind of dog President-elect Barack Obama’s family will get when they move into the White House, his Vice President-elect Joe Biden quietly picked out a puppy of his own last week.

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So, you’ve decided that you want a pet. That pet will be a dog - a puppy to be more exact. Now it’s time for the bigger decision that needs to be made. What breed of dog should your puppy be?

The “breed” decision comes with many considerations. First of all, a new dog owner needs to think about their own personality as well as the personality of their new best friend. Puppies and their owners should be compatible.

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Puppies need to go to school just like children. Good quality training is important if you want your puppy to grow up to be an obedient mature dog. Here are some tips to find a trainer that will care about your puppy as much as you do.

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Part of caring for your dog involves his health. All dogs get sick at some point in their lives. But, there are preventive measures that you can take to protect his health from the time he is a puppy. Here are a few of the more common dog conditions and how to prevent or combat them.

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Veterinarians are doctors for animals. When puppy joins the family he needs to find a doctor, too. A vet will care for your pet throughout his life. He will be the second line of defense against disease and illness. In an effort to find the right vet, ask questions. Learn how to find the veterinarian that will care for your new puppy the best.

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