By Maggie Beamguard
Insider Editor
In the field, the pair of dogs move identically. They hop down from the truck with the same burst of energy. They run with the same eager gait. They even lift a leg in the same arc.
It’s hard to miss their resemblance. Their barks carry the same tone. Their builds are nearly identical, and they sport the same red coats, save for a small patch of white on one’s chest.
Watch them long enough, trainer Neil Copeland says, and the differences begin to show. “They were so similar, but not on the same timeline,” Copeland said.
But Reggie and Junior aren’t siblings from the same litter. They are clones. They are not simply a copy. They are, in Copeland’s words, “a continuation.”
At Seven Lakes Kennels, Copeland recently had the opportunity to work with the genetically identical pair of Labrador retrievers.
Roger: The OG
Their genetic donor was Roger, a retriever owned by August Adolphus Busch IV, himself a descendant of the co-founder of the Anheuser-Busch company.
Roger, Copeland says, was a capable retriever. But he had an extra special bond with Busch.
“Roger was a duck hunter that Adolphus had a wonderful relationship with,” said Copeland. “He would hang around the farm with him.”
Busch had other great dogs. But it was Roger’s companionship he wanted to continue. The idea to clone Roger came from Busch, who brought the subject to Copeland about five years ago. Copeland researched options and discovered ViaGen, a Texas-based biotech company specializing in genetic preservation and cloning for pets, horses and endangered species.
Using preserved skin cells collected by veterinarians, the company replicated Roger’s genetic material. The process involved transferring his DNA into a surrogate egg with its own genetic code removed.
Most people receive one cloned animal, but Busch received two. One was named Junior for the obvious implications. The other was named Regor, or “Roger” spelled backwards. That was a mouthful for Copeland while training, so he started calling him Reggie.
The pair started training with Neil this past December.
New Dogs, Old Tricks
For about three and a half months, the duo went through foundational retriever training. Copeland, who also had the opportunity to work with Roger, found their similarities striking from the start.
“They looked almost identical,” he said. “Their mannerisms, the way they barked, the way they moved — it was all so close.
Even small quirks were apparent. “Something Adolphus loved about Roger is that when he got bored, he would talk to you about it,” he said. “With a ‘roo, roo,’ he would talk to you. Those puppies also talk to you.”
They exhibited those characteristics that made Roger so beloved. Still, as training progressed, differences emerged.
Reggie tended to be a little softer and more cooperative, a natural team player. Junior showed a more independent streak, testing boundaries and taking longer to fall in line.
“Those aren’t cloning traits,” Copeland said. “That’s just dog stuff.”
Even raised side by side in the same kennel, eating the same food and learning the same routines, the two developed distinct temperaments. Some days one would grasp a concept quickly while the other lagged behind. The next day, the roles might switch.
“You’re getting the phenotype when you clone,” Copeland said, “but not the personality.”
A Dogged Pursuit of Science
Animal cloning is not entirely new, but Junior and Reggie’s case is unique in the way science is being put to work in the field.
Copeland believes training a set of cloned retrievers for their original purpose is something few, if any, trainers in the country have done: “It is just not something people have seen.”
This work, happening in Seven Lakes, is uncharted territory.
People respond with curiosity. “They go quiet when you tell them,” he said. “Like they are thinking ‘I didn’t know we were there yet.’”
The idea of cloning animals naturally raises ethical questions, something Copeland acknowledges, even if it wasn’t his focus.
“I trained the dogs,” he said. “I didn’t clone them.”
He understands the curiosity and hesitation and knows this is a topic that gets people thinking. The process is also expensive, costing around $50,000 — a steep undertaking for most pet owners.
Every Dog Has His Day
Reggie and Junior returned home in April, conditioned to gunfire and with skills in field work and water retrieval. By the time they left North Carolina, they were already picking up birds and responding to commands.
“They’re not finished,” Copeland said. “They’re still immature.”
Most hunting dogs aren’t fully ready for the field until closer to nine to 12 months. Copeland plans to continue working with Reggie and Junior, including a visit this August ahead of hunting season to reinforce their training.
Working with Reggie and Junior often felt like working with Roger again.
“You’d see something and think, ‘That’s him,’” Copeland said. And so Roger continues.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
