Visions of the Future
Animals inherit their markings. You can breed cats with white paws, dogs with spots (dalmations) or (eventually) horses with splashes of white on their heads or even vertical stripes on their flanks (zebras, anyone?) and so on.
Well, today I was wondering how far this could be taken - through regular selective breeding practices first and later through direct genetic manipulation as our understanding and technology progresses.
It should be possible to create a dog with stripes. Why not a dog with spots and stripes at the same time? Then why not a dog with stripes on one side of its body and spots on the other. Then maybe a coherent pattern. A simple, bilaterally symmetrical row of spots, or a horizontal stripe. Then we go one stage further and make simple but recognisable markings, like the Nike swoosh. You could reach the stage where anything printable could be bred into your animal - depending of course on the resolution of the average dog. Pedigrees could come with their own built-in designer logo, barcode or copyright message. You could have a pet's name or a message to the loved one who is to be the recipient of your little fluffy christmas present.
Mostly I made this post because I liked the phrase, "resolution of the average dog". But still, it'd be wicked.
Well, today I was wondering how far this could be taken - through regular selective breeding practices first and later through direct genetic manipulation as our understanding and technology progresses.
It should be possible to create a dog with stripes. Why not a dog with spots and stripes at the same time? Then why not a dog with stripes on one side of its body and spots on the other. Then maybe a coherent pattern. A simple, bilaterally symmetrical row of spots, or a horizontal stripe. Then we go one stage further and make simple but recognisable markings, like the Nike swoosh. You could reach the stage where anything printable could be bred into your animal - depending of course on the resolution of the average dog. Pedigrees could come with their own built-in designer logo, barcode or copyright message. You could have a pet's name or a message to the loved one who is to be the recipient of your little fluffy christmas present.
Mostly I made this post because I liked the phrase, "resolution of the average dog". But still, it'd be wicked.