Why fluffy isn't fido
The Dog Genome Project is powering ahead, hoping to divine the secrets contained within doggie DNA. This is actually pretty interesting - dogs are unique critters in so many ways, because of their thousands of years of alliance with us, and because of the effects of selective breeding over most of that period. No animal has the range of variation that dogs do - from chihuahuas to St. Bernards, from short haired dobs to long-haired afghans. And not just physical variation - the difference in temperaments found in German Shepherds, Terriers and Retrievers is striking to say the least.
Researchers have catalogued the genome of Tasha, a boxer, and are publishing the results in Nature. Earlier victims include Genome Project scientist Craig Venter's pet shadow, as well as eight other breeds and samples from a gray wolf and a coyote.
As a result [of the large differences between breeds], some breeds are predisposed to conditions such as heart disease, cancer, or blindness, and identifying genes responsible for diseases or traits should be much easier to do in dogs than man.
The sequence of 2.4 billion DNA "letters" records the genetic recipe, or genome, of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris), which consists of 19,300 genes - roughly the same number as that found in people. The team also sampled the genetic recipes of 10 dog breeds, the grey wolf and the coyote, pinpointing 2.5 million differences in a single "letter" of genetic code, which serve as signposts to physical and behavioural traits, as well as diseases.
...By tracking evolution's genetic footprints through the dog, human and mouse genomes, the scientists found that humans share more ancestral DNA with dogs than with mice, confirming that dog genes can be used to understand human disease. They also found that selective breeding has shuffled large blocks of DNA code among dog breeds, which should make it easier to find the genes responsible for body size, behaviour and disease.
Soon, we should be able to purchase glow in the dark accessory poodles for nitwitted bimbo celebrities. But more important, with the knowledge gained we may be able to design superior fighting dogs to help us in the coming war with the giant fighting robots. We can count on the allegiance of the canines - they've stuck with us this long. The cats, though - I'm not so sure about them. They'll probably be the first to welcome our new robot overlords, so long as they can eat the scraps after the robots destroy us.
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Cats are not as naturally
Cats are not as naturally trainable as dogs, but are possessed of a naturally occurring...I dunno, cleverness...that many of our canine brothers seem a bit challenged about.
Sure I've seen lots of dumb cats and p-l-e-n-t-y of dumb dogs. But I don't think we ought to dismiss the felines out of hand. You ever seen a cat work out a problem and execute a plan? Even if it's a way to get to the top of the cabinets, or through the (ha!) locked door? It's eerie to see, brother. And makes me thank the Dark Ones that They did not equip cats with thumbs and a frontal lobe.
In the Robot Ragnarok, we might be able to use engineered fighting cats. But we'd have to consider the trade-off of constantly keeping the fighting dogs from chasing them.
As for motivation, we would have to consider a way to strike their fancy. Once the cats understood what they had to gain from joining Man and Dog in the big fight, and that just skulking under the porch and hiding until it was all over was not an option, they would be down. But we must be persuasive and specific.
And budget for shiny bells on strings by which to train them for body combat. Since teamwork is not their forte, the warcats might best be employed as lone agents or perhaps assassins. Four legged ninjas.
If it's too much trouble to persuade the cats, how hard will it be to get the raccoons, wolverines, badgers, skinks, minks, or weasels on our side?
And at sea, we can count on the dolphins, right? What about the cephalopods? The mollusks? The elite Atlantean Aquaguard or their Marine Infantry, in their high floating battlesubs?
We have alot to think about here.
The trick with cats is you
The trick with cats is you have to get them to like and/or respect you (tough choice). Which in many ways I prefer to dogs, it's nice to have to earn something rather than just being given it. When they're on your side, they'll fight with you. Or at least arch their back and hiss a lot, which might frighten the robots away.
My friends bought a puppy three days ago and she's a smart one (cute too!). I want to buy her brother but I have to convince the people living here I should be able to keep him :(
Geeklethal, I'm 100% with your comments. Ninjas, indeed! (Do they have to be black? Not sure about tabby ninjas. "Calico" might be a good camo though). "Go my pretties... kill! Kill!"
Sea-wise I vote for cephalopods. Their tentacles should get good suction against the smooth metal shells of our robotic nemeses, and then can pierce the armour with their sharp beaks, if installed.