pets on star ships?

[ToddKent]

But a few people have used the term "pet targ" so they would really be saying "pet pet."

 

[Holder]

i'm siding with KingDaniel here... the script refers to it just as "The Beast"... no referance to a Targ whatsoever...

Doesn't look like a Targ to me...

M

By looking at the one on top it appears to be a predator based on its jaw and teeth. The one on the bottom appears to be a very well armormed (complete with a bad attitude) plant eater or omnivore at best.

 

[Therin of Andor]

It is clearly a bunny rabbit.

Run away! Run away!

Brave, brave Sir Robin.


Rabbit slippers by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

Hey, I know:

Perhaps Kruge is allergic to animal fur and he has his jackal/mastiff shaved?


ST VI Klingon Jackal/mastiff by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

 

[Holder]

For what it's worth, here's what Memory Alpha has to say about it:

It is also possible that the Klingon monster dog seen in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and the Jackal mastiffs seen in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country were different breeds of targs based on similar appearances and similarity to canine breeds.

Personally I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that the "piggish" targs we've seen, Kruge's pet and the Jackal mastiffs are all the same kind of animal.

Not necessarily.

The Maltese Terrier, Chihuahua, Collie, Greyhound, Great Dane, Labrador and English Bulldog are all results of selectively breeding the domestic dog. The domestic dog, in turn, is a subspecies of Canis Lupus (which also includes Wolves and Dingos).

An outside (alien) observer might note that they all share certain features, but may take more time to grasp that they all had common ancestry that was quite recent by evolutionary standards.

You can see similar things with many other domesticated animals. I think it would be a very fair assumption that certain sub-types of the Klingon Targ could be similarly diverse via domestication and selective breeding. It could be inferred that some sub-types were bred specifically for ferocity and general baddassedness, others for meat, and so forth.

No way those two things are a related species. One is designed for offense, the other for defense. They are about as similar as a wolf and wild hog or a T-Rex and Triceratops (sp?).

 

[Tora Ziyal]

It is clearly a bunny rabbit.

Run away! Run away!

Brave, brave Sir Robin.


Rabbit slippers by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

Being a fan of both rabbits and Monty Python... OMG, this is wonderful!

 

[7thsealord]

For what it's worth, here's what Memory Alpha has to say about it:



Personally I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that the "piggish" targs we've seen, Kruge's pet and the Jackal mastiffs are all the same kind of animal.

Not necessarily.

The Maltese Terrier, Chihuahua, Collie, Greyhound, Great Dane, Labrador and English Bulldog are all results of selectively breeding the domestic dog. The domestic dog, in turn, is a subspecies of Canis Lupus (which also includes Wolves and Dingos).

An outside (alien) observer might note that they all share certain features, but may take more time to grasp that they all had common ancestry that was quite recent by evolutionary standards.

You can see similar things with many other domesticated animals. I think it would be a very fair assumption that certain sub-types of the Klingon Targ could be similarly diverse via domestication and selective breeding. It could be inferred that some sub-types were bred specifically for ferocity and general baddassedness, others for meat, and so forth.

No way those two things are a related species. One is designed for offense, the other for defense. They are about as similar as a wolf and wild hog or a T-Rex and Triceratops (sp?).

Until we can get one of each for proper analysis and/or comparitive dissection, that's pure conjecture.

I've already listed a bunch of dog breeds that look EXTREMELY different - almost as much as your examples. But, they are still all the same species - to the point where they can all still interbreed for healthy offspring (yes, I know for a fact that Chihuahua-Lab crosses exist). I fail to see why a similar state could not exist for targs.

For that matter, there are some sub-species that never interbreed in the wild, but are genetically close enough to do so readily in a captive environment (and produce healthy offspring) - eg..lions / tigers, some of the smaller cats, buffalos / brahmin / cattle, etc..

 

[Finn]

Until we can get one of each for proper analysis and/or comparitive dissection, that's pure conjecture.

I've already listed a bunch of dog breeds that look EXTREMELY different - almost as much as your examples. But, they are still all the same species - to the point where they can all still interbreed for healthy offspring (yes, I know for a fact that Chihuahua-Lab crosses exist). I fail to see why a similar state could not exist for targs.

For that matter, there are some sub-species that never interbreed in the wild, but are genetically close enough to do so readily in a captive environment (and produce healthy offspring) - eg..lions / tigers, some of the smaller cats, buffalos / brahmin / cattle, etc..

No, it's not. You may think the dog breeds you listed are extremely different. But from a biological and taxonomical standpoint, they are still the same. Their teeth characteristics are still almost identical (I believe some of the toy breeds has fewer teeth).

There are no way the Jackal Mastiffs from TUC are the same species as the swine-like Targ or Kruge's creature. Those things had a single large front tooth. Unless Klingons had been breeding Targs for millions of years, there's no way they would have been able to breed a single species that that much variation, especially when it would involve how the skull would develop before birth.

But if Klingons were actually around long enough to be involved in breeding domesticated animals for million of years, They would cease to be the same species.

I wouldn't even put Jackal Mastiffs in the same family as the other two.

 

[Sandoval]

So are we all in agreement that it's a Targ yet?

 

[F. King Daniel]

Only if my cat's a pony.

 

[Sandoval]

Only if my cat's a pony.

Deal.

I'll agree that your cat is a pony and we can all shake hands and admit that Kruge's pet Targ is indeed a Targ.

I'm glad we got that sorted.

Say hello to your pony for me.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Pony says "Meow"

 

[Sandoval]

Targ says "Oink!"

 

[Finn]

No, a Targ says Q'oinK!

 

[Therin of Andor]

Until we can get one of each for proper analysis and/or comparitive dissection, that's pure conjecture.

Surely teeth comparison is already possible. Carnivore vs omnivore. Dog vs pig.

No, a Targ says Q'oinK!

Today is a good day to Q'oinK.

 

[7thsealord]

Until we can get one of each for proper analysis and/or comparitive dissection, that's pure conjecture.

I've already listed a bunch of dog breeds that look EXTREMELY different - almost as much as your examples. But, they are still all the same species - to the point where they can all still interbreed for healthy offspring (yes, I know for a fact that Chihuahua-Lab crosses exist). I fail to see why a similar state could not exist for targs.

For that matter, there are some sub-species that never interbreed in the wild, but are genetically close enough to do so readily in a captive environment (and produce healthy offspring) - eg..lions / tigers, some of the smaller cats, buffalos / brahmin / cattle, etc..

No, it's not. You may think the dog breeds you listed are extremely different. But from a biological and taxonomical standpoint, they are still the same. Their teeth characteristics are still almost identical (I believe some of the toy breeds has fewer teeth).

There are no way the Jackal Mastiffs from TUC are the same species as the swine-like Targ or Kruge's creature. Those things had a single large front tooth. Unless Klingons had been breeding Targs for millions of years, there's no way they would have been able to breed a single species that that much variation, especially when it would involve how the skull would develop before birth.

But if Klingons were actually around long enough to be involved in breeding domesticated animals for million of years, They would cease to be the same species.

I wouldn't even put Jackal Mastiffs in the same family as the other two.

First, what is held to be true here may not necessarily be true of a completely alien lifeform.

Second, could be a life-cycle thing. Maybe Targs have different teeth depending on age and/or environmental factors. That happens here. Heck, if you want to get REALLY weird, maybe they periodically shed their teeth like some animals shed antlers or fur.

Third, surgical alteration. Maybe most domesticated Targ routinely get their Great Big Teeth filed back or extracted or something. Makes sense if you don't want them dismembering house guests or carving up the furniture.

Understand, you could be totally right. I have no vested interest in whether or not Targs and Jackal-Mastiffs and whatever are kindred or not.

But, this is a (fictional) alien beast (or group thereof), and automatically assuming that it functions exactly like a mainstream Earth beastie seems more than a little "off" to me.