There is surely already a dystopian novel about this

Huxley’s Brave New World comes to mind albeit the implementation was a blunter instrument than breeding

You did miss in your own analysis that these dogs are extinct because their job was replaced by machinery. Setting aside the ethics of this, robots are easier to feed than people/dogs.

Doesn't being able to genetically modify a living being to enjoy (or dislike) something border on taking away free will?

"Made me think of early Pynchon and of Neal Stephenson at his best. The most interesting novel I’ve read in a long time."

Because they still won’t be as good as the robots, even if they “love” it? Also, who would allow their kids to be bred for the hard labor gene?

One must imagine Sisyphus happy or some shit

Red Dwarf posits this. They have GELFS. Genetically engineered life forms that do specific tasks. Boxing ones that have their brains in their lower body, pleasure ones that are shape shifting and can look like anyone etc. They end up outliving the human race and losing purpose

I mean in a way its just the GMO argument again. We’re already selectively breeding out people who arent good at holding down jobs just by how capitalism works. There’s a reason Elon Musk has enough bastard kids to fill a schoolbus and yet the birth rates as a whole are dropping

this is like the movie gattaca to the next level dude

Zach Weinersmith actually did a comic about exactly this years ago

I'm sure someone has written a book like this already