US startup turns to cloning and gene editing to develop better military dogs

Warhound, an American defense startup, plans to combine cloning, genetic research and early training to improve military working dogs. The company aims to develop dogs for military units, law enforcement and emergency services.

Founded by Ben Lamm of biotechnology firm Colossal Biosciences and defense technology entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, Warhound has reportedly raised $200 million. The startup hopes to address the shortage of suitable dogs for specialized roles in the United States.

In an interview with Military Times, Lamm and Warhound co-founder and CEO David Spirk, who left a senior position at Palantir to join the startup, discussed the project’s origins, its objectives and the products they hope to develop. Their ambitions go beyond bringing the military dog supply chain back to the United States. Plans include cloning high-performing dogs, editing genes linked to health conditions and introducing standardized training for puppies as young as two weeks old.

Demand for dependable military working dogs is increasing

The US continues to rely heavily on international suppliers for military working dogs. According to Warhound, only around 13% of dogs entering military training programs come from domestic breeders, while approximately 80% are purchased abroad, mainly from Europe. Training can take around three years and is expensive. More than half of purchased dogs may fail to meet operational standards. The company estimates that around 200 dogs may need to enter training to produce 100 working dogs.

Lamm said discussions with Luckey began around April 2025 after they met at the Moonshots Summit. Their conversations focused on how biotechnology could help military units secure suitable working dogs.

Colossal Biosciences is expected to provide technical expertise. Last year, it acquired Texas-based Viagen Pets and Equine, gaining access to established animal-cloning capabilities.

“We plan to use Viagen’s experience,” Lamm said.

Cloning creates a genetic copy of an animal, while gene editing changes specific sections of DNA. Warhound plans to collect samples from selected dogs and analyze their genomes to identify inherited traits associated with health, fitness and longevity. The research could also help identify genetic problems and assess whether certain characteristics can be improved before cloning.

Finding right breeds and individuals for specialist roles

Warhound plans to identify breeds and individual dogs suited to specialized assignments. It also intends to establish a biobank of genetic material and consult government agencies about the requirements of different operational environments.

“There isn’t one skillset that works for all military dogs. If you’re putting a dog on guard duty at an Air force base it might have different requirements to a dog that goes with personnel on helicopter operations,” Spirk said. The company also wants to standardize how puppies are raised and prepared for service. Spirk said Warhound is exploring ways to introduce working environments from around two weeks of age, gradually familiarizing puppies with different surfaces and surroundings. For example, a dog raised exclusively on pavement may struggle when working on grass or sand. Early exposure to different surfaces could help it adapt more easily.

Spirk expects the first dogs from the program could be ready in approximately two years.

Warhound also sees potential applications beyond military service. With an estimated 98 million dogs in the United States, the company believes its research could contribute to improvements in canine health and development.

The program has yet to demonstrate that it can produce healthier and more dependable working dogs on a large scale. However, Warhound hopes that combining cloning, genetic research and structured training will address longstanding challenges in supplying and preparing military working dogs.