doberman pincher

I have to tell all of you dog lovers that doberman pinschers are the most loving dogs in the whole world and are love their master with their whole heart!

Mine sleeps with me at night, Often I would rather sleep alone but he rules! You dobes owners know that!

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The Doberman
Sleek, Agile Dobermans were Born to Work

* History
* The modern Dobe

History

With beauty, brains, agility, and loyalty, what other breed could it be but the Doberman Pinscher?

Today's Doberman Pinscher is one of the most popular and respected members of the canine clan. Developed first as police dogs in 19th Century Germany, this breed continues to excel as a watchdog, guardian, and protector. In addition, the breed is now remarkable as a guide dog for the blind, military dog, and pet.

The Doberman, or Dobe as he is now called by his friends, is a product of Germany. Herr Louis Dobermann developed this versatile breed in the Apolda region of Germany to suit his own need for a loyal, obedient, fiercely protective dog to accompany him in his nightly rounds as a policeman. Since he also worked as the local dogcatcher, Herr Dobermann had access to a wide variety of dogs to develop his large "pinscher" or terrier. Some of the breeds used to shape the Dobe include the pinscher (a smaller black and tan dog very similar in appearance to the modern Doberman and the Manchester Terrier), Rottweilers, and Thuringian Shepherds. Other breeds that contributed their genes are black Greyhound for elegance and sleekness, Great Dane, Weimaraner and German Shorthaired Pointer.

The resulting dog possessed an uncanny intelligence, bravery. loyalty, stamina, and protectiveness in a medium-to-large working dog with an easy-care, short, dense coat. It was with great pride that this breed became known as "Dobermann's Pinscher."
The modern Dobe

Today's Doberman Pinscher has lost the second 'n' from its name and has mellowed in fierceness to become a family member apable of displaying great gentleness and devotion to children and other animals in the home. Having left behind his terrier roots, he has also dropped the Pinscher portion of the name in many countries.

In appearance, the modern Doberman Pinscher is elatively tall with males standing between 26 and 28 inches at the shoulder and females standing 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder. he weight of an adult dog will typically range between 60 and 85 pounds depending on size and sex. Overall, the Doberman should appear muscular, athletic and energetic. The ideal specimen should be squarely built with the height at the withers approximating the length of the dog's body from the point of the chest to the rearmost portion of the upper thigh. The back rises in a clean, well- arched, muscular neck to the head. The chest is deep and broad with a smooth line from it into a well-tucked up belly and loin. The legs are strong and possess good bone mass without appearing coarse. Dewclaws are usually removed if they occur. The tail is most often docked at the second joint within a few days of birth and is carried as an extension of the spine.

The ideal Doberman head is wedge-shaped with eyes blending in color with the color of the coat. Dark eyes are much preferred over other shades and should be relatively deep set. A Doberman's expression should display his great intelligence and vigorous character.

Of great importance in the proper appearance of the breed is the ear, and especially the proper cropping of the ear to create a pleasing shape and appearance. Ear cropping is illegal in many countries including Great Britain and Australia but many others, including American Doberman fanciers, believe that an erect, cropped ear enhances the appearance of this breed.

In making a decision on whether or not to crop the ears of your own Doberman, remember that it is a surgical procedure that is best done by only the most experienced veterinarians. For this reason, many breeders do not place puppies until after this operation has been done. Mistakes can be made that adversely affect the appearance of the dog. Following surgery on the ears, taping and propping to achieve proper healing and ear carriage is essential.

The Doberman occurs most typically in black with rust markings or red, actually a deep rusty red with lighter rust markings. Less common but also acceptable in the breed are steel blue or light fawn. Known respectively as blue and Isabella, these colors must also possess the rust markings of the other colors. The rust markings should appear on the muzzle, the throat, above the eyes, the front of the chest, beneath the tail and on all legs and feet. A small white patch less than one-half inch square is permissible on the chest but no other white is allowed. White Dobermans may not be shown as this is a disqualifying fault.

The coat is short and smooth and requires little beyond a good brushing or rubdown with a rough towel. Shedding is minimal and tolerable because of the shortness of the coat.

In temperament, the Doberman should possess a great intelligence and desire to please the owner. It is not unusual for this breed to produce one-man and one-family dogs because of their great loyalty. With their protective natures, Dobermans should not be left unsupervised with children. Many protective breeds will be very good companions for their own children but may be overprotective and misread the roughness and shouting of play as a threat to their own children.

As a working dog, the Dobe may display nervousness, destructiveness, excessive barking and other undesirable behaviors if it is deprived of exercise and training. This breed is full of quick learners and training should be undertaken as soon as possible after bringing the new dog into the family to cement the bond between owner and dog and to control this energetic breed. With their great capacity to understand and react properly to situations, the Doberman is quite adaptable to city life if it is given the proper training.

Exercise is critical for the health and well-being of the dogs. They were bred and born to work and have a great deal of energy to burn. Long walks and frequent play sessions in secure areas will make your dog fit and keep him from becoming nervous. A good romp or game of fetch in a fenced yard is an ideal way to keep your dog healthy and happy.

As wonderful as the Doberman Pinscher is, there are health problems that occur in the breed. As with any breed of dog, hip dysplasia is a real threat and any dog's pedigree should be checked to see if it's parents are from sound stock. Dobermans may also have heart problems, bleeding disorders, eye defects, skin diseases, and hypothyroidism. Bloat is also a major threat to any Doberman and owners are urged to consult with their veterinarian for advice on preventing this problem.

If the Doberman is the breed for you, the threat of a health problem is not a reason to avoid the breed. Health concerns should only inspire you to be more careful in finding a breeder committed to protecting and bettering the breed. Going to dog shows and reading dog magazines are both good ways to meet breeders and learn more about the breed. Talking to friends with Dobermans or who are active in dog sports may also help you find a reputable breeder.

With a little luck and a bit of hard work, you will find the Doberman for you. As your reward you will have a friend for years of happiness

I hate to see anyone or any dog die! What do you think?

Homeless man nabbed with death row dog
By Michele McPhee
Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - Updated: 12:49 AM EST
Thaken from the Boston Herald Newspaper


The homeless man wanted for springing his pit bull from a city shelter to rescue her from a death sentence was busted yesterday as he left the State House, where he had hoped to find a sympathetic politician who could order a stay of execution for the vicious, cop-biting dog, police said.

Brian Schwab, 22, was charged with breaking and entering and receiving stolen property after he allegedly confessed to sneaking into the city's animal shelter in Roslindale on Saturday and breaking his dog Gabrielle out of her cage.

If ever you need a new pet even a puppy, check out "petfinder" on the computer. They have petigree dogs who are not wanted because they may have a spot on their fur or some foolish thing as that!

Nancyann

Doberman Pinschers
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em

* There are energetic Dobermans, and placid Dobermans.
* Hard-headed Dobermans, and sweet-natured Dobermans.
* Serious Dobermans, and good-natured goofballs.
* Introverted Dobermans, and Dobermans who love everyone.

If you acquire a Doberman Pinscher puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm."

The Doberman Pinscher Club of America



Official AKC Standard of the Doberman Pinscher
(Adopted February 6, 1982)

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The appearance is that of a dog of medium size, with a body that is square. Compactly built, muscular and powerful, for great endurance and speed. Elegant in appearance, of proud carriage, reflecting great nobility and temperament. Energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, loyal and obedient.
SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE


Height at the withers: Dogs 26 to 28 inches, ideal about 27 1/2 inches; Bitches 24 to 26 inches, ideal about 25 1/2 inches. The height, measured vertically from the ground to the highest point of the withers, equaling the length measured horizontally from the forechest to the rear projection of the upper thigh. Length of head, neck and legs in proportion to length and depth of body.
HEAD


Long and dry, resembling a blunt wedge in both frontal and profile views. When seen from the front, the head widens gradually toward the base of the ears in a practically unbroken line. Eyes almond shaped, moderately deep set, with vigorous, energetic expression. Iris, of uniform color, ranging from medium to darkest brown in black dogs; in reds, blues, and fawns the color of the iris blends with that of the markings, the darkest shade being preferable in every case. Ears normally cropped and carried erect. The upper attachment of the ear, when held erect, is on a level with the top of the skull.
Top of skull flat, turning with slight stop to bridge of muzzle, with muzzle line extending parallel to top line of skull. Cheeks flat and muscular. Nose solid black on black dogs, dark brown on red ones, dark gray on blue ones, dark tan on fawns. Lips lying close to jaws. Jaws full and powerful, well filled under the eyes.
Teeth strongly developed and white. Lower incisors upright and touching inside of upper incisors true scissors bite. 42 correctly placed teeth, 22 in the lower, 20 in the upper jaw. Distemper teeth shall not be penalized. Disqualifying Faults: Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch. Undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth.
NECK, TOPLINE, BODY


Neck proudly carried, well muscled and dry. Well arched, with nape of neck widening gradually toward body. Length of neck proportioned to body and head. Withers pronounced and forming the highest point of the body. Back short, firm, of sufficient width, and muscular at the loins, extending in a straight line from withers to the slightly rounded croup.
Chest broad with forechest well defined. Ribs well sprung from the spine, but flattened in lower end to permit elbow clearance. Brisket reaching deep to the elbow. Belly well tucked up, extending in a curved line from the brisket. Loins wide and muscled. Hips broad and in proportion to body, breadth of hips being approximately equal to breadth of body at rib cage and shoulders. Tail docked at approximately second joint, appears to be a continuation of the spine, and is carried only slightly above the horizontal when the dog is alert.
FOREQUARTERS


Shoulder Blade sloping forward and downward at a 45-degree angle to the ground meets the upper arm at an angle of 90 degrees. Length of shoulder blade and upper arm are equal. Height from elbow to withers approximately equals height from ground to elbow. Legs seen from front and side, perfectly straight and parallel to each other from elbow to pastern; muscled and sinewy, with heavy bone. In normal pose and when gaiting, the elbows lie close to the brisket. Pasterns firm and almost perpendicular to the ground. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet well arched, compact, and catlike, turning neither in nor out.
HINDQUARTERS


The angulation of the hindquarters balances that of the forequarters. Hip Bone falls away from spinal column at an angle of about 30 degrees, producing a slightly rounded, well filled-out croup. Upper Shanks at right angles to the hip bones, are long, wide, and well muscled on both sides of thigh, with clearly defined stifles. Upper and lower shanks are of equal length. While the dog is at rest, hock to heel is perpendicular to the ground. Viewed from the rear, the legs are straight, parallel to each other, and wide enough apart to fit in with a properly built body. Dewclaws, if any, are generally removed. Cat feet as on front legs, turning neither in nor out.
COAT


Smooth-haired, short, hard, thick and close lying. Invisible gray undercoat on neck permissible.
Color and Markings
Allowed Colors: Black, red, blue, and fawn (Isabella). Markings : Rust, sharply defined, appearing above each eye and on muzzle, throat and forechest, on all legs and feet, and below tail. White patch on chest, not exceeding 1/2 square inch, permissible. Disqualifying Fault : Dogs not of an allowed color.
GAIT


Free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in the forequarters and good driving power in the hindquarters. When trotting, there is strong rear-action drive. Each rear leg moves in line with the foreleg on the same side. Rear and front legs are thrown neither in nor out. Back remains strong and firm. When moving at a fast trot, a properly built dog will single-track.
TEMPERAMENT


Energetic, watchful, determined alert, fearless, loyal and obedient. The judge shall dismiss from the ring any shy or vicious Doberman.
Shyness: A dog shall be judged fundamentally shy if, refusing to stand for examination, it shrinks away from the judge; if it fears an approach from the rear; if it shies at sudden and unusual noises to a marked degree.
Viciousness: A dog that attacks or attempts to attack either the judge or its handier, is definitely vicious. An aggressive or belligerent attitude towards other dogs shall not be deemed viciousness.
FAULTS


The foregoing description is that of the ideal Doberman Pinscher. Any deviation from the above described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation.
DISQUALIFICATIONS


Overshot more than 3/16 of an inch, undershot more than 1/8 of an inch. Four or more missing teeth. Dogs not of an allowed color.

This is a great post on Dobes!
Doberman Pinscher Information
Doberman Fast Facts - Click Here

About the Doberman

The Doberman was officially recognized in 1900 by the AKC and is an elegant yet muscular, quick and powerful dog. Other adjectives commonly used to describe the breed are intelligent, versatile, easily trained, determined, fearless, assertive and loyal. That's just about everything you could want in a companion animal. But that adorable puppy will soon become not only a graceful and affectionate companion, it will also become very attached to its owner and family and will mature into the ultimate in personal and home protection. The Doberman is naturally protective and does not need additional "protection training" to be a fine guard dog. Dobies are well known for their desire to please the human they own. And they are very intelligent. Just about the only thing they can't learn is what you don't teach them!

A Doberman likes to be physically close to its family members. In fact, it is also often described as a "Velcro" dog. That's because it will almost always want to be wherever its owner is and usually in physical contact with him or her if it can manage it. There's something funny about at 75 pound lap dog, don't you think? Dobermans are definitely great house dogs. They can be yard dogs too, but they prefer to be close to their humans. If you do keep them outside, please have a yard large enough to provide them with plenty of exercise which they desperately need.

Although Dobermans have the "reputation" of being very aggressive, even vicious, this is simply not true in the vast majority of cases. Any animal that is not properly cared for has the potential of becoming unbalanced, and even dangerous. Of course, you can make a Doberman vicious but that is true of any breed. Only cruel, unprincipled and immature owners think making a dog vicious is "neat". As a rule, and when given a good home and kind treatment, they are very sweet and gentle and are really excellent with the elderly, the infirm and with children. They are merely big, protective babies who are devoted to their human children as well as any other pets in the home. That being said, due to their protective natures, it may not be a good idea to leave your Doberman with unsupervised children. As with many protective breeds, Dobermans will be very good companions for their own human children but they may be over-protective and misread the shouting and rough-house play of other children as a threat to their children. This isn't very likely but it is something to consider.

Dobermans are active and should be consistently and thoroughly trained to be a good pet. For this reason, they do best with an experienced owner (but even humans can learn!) so, if you are a first time owner, it is best to learn as much about them as you can before you take on the responsibility of owning this canine thoroughbred. Fortunately, there are many good sources available in book form and on the internet. Pet stores and veterinarians are also excellent sources of advice. To help insure that the right human and the right puppy are accurately matched and live happily every after, Spear-Bar Kennels has each of its puppies professionally temperament tested prior to placing them. Selecting the right puppy personality and activity level for each new owner is much more easily accomplished by doing so.

Click Here - for a Sample Temperment Test
Click Here - for a Sample Results Breakdown

Many make the mistake of wanting to become "backyard" breeders only to learn too late the inordinate amount of time necessary and the rather surprising expense of being a Doberman breeder. In fact, just the expense of owning and caring for a single puppy will convince most owners that becoming a breeder is far from being the "money making hobby" which many uninformed people think that it is. Experts estimate that it costs $6,400 to raise a medium sized dog to 11 years, so, if you're in it solely for the money, you're going to have to sell a lot of puppies and "work like a dog" just to break even. In fact, the first two years after Spear-Bar kennels was started, it saw over $25,000 invested before a single puppy was ever born!

The Doberman Pinscher is instinctively alert, loyal, loving, and has a watchful temperament. He is naturally protective of those he loves, and uses his keen intelligence to weigh various situations. Unless neglected and bored, the Doberman is a quiet dog. Usually when there is barking, there is a good reason to check out the source of the dog's concern.



Today's well bred Doberman is not prone to outbursts or temper, although, unstable dogs of poor breeding stock can be found in this as well as other breeds. It is to be stressed that poor temperament is more a sign of careless breeding by unknowledgeable persons than a characteristic of the Doberman. It is vital that potential puppy owners be sure of the quality of the parent stock and have a trusting and communicative relationship with the breeder of their pup.

The Doberman is a healthy and hearty dog with few inherent illnesses. A good breeder will take caution to breed only those dogs that have a clear health history, having passed all health and genetic testing specific to the breed. Most important of these tests are

*VWD by DNA for Von Willibrands Disease
OFA Certification for hips
Temperament must also be closely examined and any dog showing temper or an intolerant attitude must be immediately eliminated from the breeding program.
Whether you are looking for a companion, a dog for agility, AKC conformation showing, tracking, obedience work, or many of the other dog related activities, the Doberman is the dog to look toward.

Doberman Fast Facts:

Size:

Males: 26-28 inches tall. Females: 24-26 inches tall.
Males: 70-90 pounds. Females: 60-75 pounds.

Life expectancy:

10-13 years with 9.6 being the average life span given proper nutrition and care. At one year, the females are usually close to being their adult height and further growth is mostly in mass. Males will continue to grow over the next year and may even add a few inches of height. At 12 months, a puppy has become an adult. A male is considered to be in his "prime" at 3+ years and a female at 2 to 3 years. From 1 to 6 years of age, a Doberman is enjoying life and is a great joy to his owner. Dobermans begin collecting their senior citizen discounts at about 7 years of age. They begin to slow down and may begin experiencing the "aches and pains" of aging. They may require a special diet and trips to the vet become more common. Heart problems and cancer are major concerns as are teeth and joints. Examine your friend for lumps/bumps or anything which looks different. Unusual behavior may indicate a problem which should be attended to by the dog's vet.

Color:

The Doberman comes in a variety of colors, black and rust, black and tan, red and rust, blue, and fawn (known as an "Isabella"). The "blacks" usually will have the thickest coats while "reds" have less hair per square inch than a black. "Fawns" and "blues" are also referred to as dilutes. They have a much thinner coat than even most reds. We do not highly recommend breeding the dilutes because they have a high incidence of thyroid insufficiency and coat loss and there have been other adverse health factors associated with them. Therefore unless a buyer specifically requests one, we usually try to avoid producing the fawns and blues and concentrate on producing the healthier "blacks" and "reds" with rich colors and stable coats.

Whites are also possible but are considered to be a genetic abberation and are very prone to disease, a wide variety of illnesses, temperament problems, congenital defects and early deaths. In addition, they are not recognized by the AKC. Reputable breeders are making a conscientious effort to breed away from the production of whites, will not sell a white and you should never pay extra for one. An unscrupulous seller will point out how rare they are…. And thankfully so because they will have many, many problems, their lives will be miserable and they will be the cause of eventual, if not immediate, heartache and expense for their owners.

On the standard Doberman, rust markings should appear on the muzzle, the throat, above the eyes, the front of the chest, beneath the tail and on all legs and feet. A small white patch less than one-half inch square is permissible on the chest. Of course, if you don't plan to "show" your dog in competition, who cares? They're all lovable.


Ears and tails:

Puppies are born with long "hound-dog" ears and tails. Tails are customarily docked (either "Rotweiller style at the first joint or Doberman style at the second joint depending upon the breeder's preference) and dewclaws are removed by a vet at the age of 3 days. Ears are cropped at 8-12 weeks of age. The ears are sutured after cropping and taped over the head by the vet and then covered with gauze or glued to a piece of Styrofoam between them. The ears heal and, after about 10 days, the sutures are removed and the ear can be taped to begin the process of keeping them upright.

Of course, some owners prefer not to crop the ears but most prefer to do so. If for some reason, you must sell the dog later, its resale price is usually much higher if the ears are cropped and the tail is docked. Once cropped, they must be "taped" for a couple of months to make them stand. If they are cropped too late, the chances are very good that either one or both ears will fail to stand. In fact, many vets will refuse to crop after 12 weeks of age. The usual fee for cropping is in the neighborhood of $250.

Important tip: If When you take the puppy to the vet for ear cropping, be sure to tell your vet EXACTLY what ear shape you want because vets have their preferences too and those preferences may not match yours. If possible, show them a picture of the ear shape you want and stress it several times or you may be dissatisfied with the result.

Teething:

At about 12 weeks of age, the Doberman starts the teething phase which continues for about 3 months. Baby teeth fall out and the permanent teeth come in. Often the puppy simply swallows the baby teeth (which is normal) but sometimes you will find them on the floor. During this time gums can become swollen and bleed and the puppy chews on EVERYTHING it can get its mouth around since chewing helps the new teeth come through the gums. You need to provide soft, chewable toys and treats during this period or you will soon begin to think that termites would be a blessing compared to your little angel. Supervise your puppy CLOSELY during this phase. They not only chew but they also often swallow what they are chewing and this can result in blockages, illness and even a very painful death. Permanent teeth should all be present at about 6 months.

Grooming:

Weekly grooming should be a ritual in any Doberman's life. Grooming is quite simple. Dobermans have semi-coarse overcoat fur and a soft undercoat fur. They need to be combed to remove the soft fine hair or it will quickly mat and shed. Taking a few minutes to comb and brush your Doberman on a weekly basis is an excellent control for shedding. The shedding blade draws out all the already dead but not shed hair. This makes it possible to dispose of them just once instead of having them all over the house, furniture and your clothing all the time. You have to wait for the new coat to come in while the old one sheds off. During this time, you may actually see an INCREASE in shedding but it will be obvious to you that the new coat is softer, shinier and a lot healthier. A bath every 3 to 4 weeks is helpful in controlling parasites and shedding. It also helps to maintain a healthy skin condition.

Healthy Dobermans have little to no "Doggy" odor. An occasional bath with a mild moisturizing dog shampoo will keep them looking their best. There are products on the market to use for cleaning the ears. They should be used after the bath and should contain a drying agent. This will help to dry up any excess water that may of slipped past the cotton and made it's way into the dogs ears during the bath. Water left in the ears frequently does cause problems. Don't forget to trim the toenails as they grow quickly.

Living Conditions:

Dobermans will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised but do best in a medium to large-sized yard. The Doberman is a "working class" dog and may therefore display nervousness, destructiveness, excessive barking and other undesirable behaviors if it is deprived of exercise and training.

Dobermans are very temperature sensitive. In general, if you are uncomfortable with the temperature, your Dobie will be as well. Dobermans are definitely not cold weather dogs. Insulate their dog houses in the winter. If possible, also provide a safe winter heat source in the dog house if they are to be kept outside for any length of time. Provide them with lots of shade and fresh water in the summer. DO NOT EVER lock you dog in a car on a hot summer day even with the windows slightly opened or even for "just a short time". It is a terrible way to die.

Ear Cropping - A Doberman's ears are naturally floppy so without surgery it's ears will not stand up. Make sure that ear cropping is only done by those who have a great deal of experience with this procedure. This surgery should performed by someone who specializes in the cropping of ears, the cropping of ears is more an art than a technical surgical procedure. Click Here for more information about care following ear cropping

Ear Cropping Sytle Photographs - There are different lengths of ear crops Click Here to see photos of some various Ear Crop Styles

Housebreaking your Puppy - Make housetraining your Doberman puppy easier with a sample schedule and tips. Click here for more on housebreaking your Doberman Pinscher puppy

Training a Doberman Pinscher - Socialize your Doberman Pinscher to be with other dogs, pets and people. This will prevent your dog from becoming too overprotective of his family and will assist him in developing an even temper. Click Here for more information on Training your Doberman Pinscher

Feeding a Doberman Pinscher - Proper feeding is crucial to a dog's growth, health and apperance. The bottom line is cheap foods will hurt a dog over time. Click Here for more information on feeding your Doberman Pinscher

Vaccination Information - We offer an example of a typical vaccination schedule. Your vet will advise you as well. Click Here for more on Doberman pinscher Vaccinations

Doberman Pinscher Genetics - Understanding Doberman Genetics, Diseases and Testing we have lots of good information covering genetics and the traits of the Doberman Pinscher. Click Here for more on Doberman Pinscher genetics

Dogs Excel on Smell Test to Find Cancer
from the New York Times
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Published: January 17, 2006
In the small world of people who train dogs to sniff cancer, a little-known Northern California clinic has made a big claim: that it has trained five dogs - three Labradors and two Portuguese water dogs - to detect lung cancer in the breath of cancer sufferers with 99 percent accuracy.

Skip to next paragraph

Peter DaSilva for The New York Times
Kobi achieved high marks in a cancer-detection experiment conducted at the Pine Street Clinic in San Anselmo, Calif.
The study was based on well-established concepts. It has been known since the 80's that tumors exude tiny amounts of alkanes and benzene derivatives not found in healthy tissue.

Other researchers have shown that dogs, whose noses can pick up odors in the low parts-per-billion range, can be trained to detect skin cancers or react differently to dried urine from healthy people and those with bladder cancer, but never with such remarkable consistency.

The near-perfection in the clinic's study, as Dr. Donald Berry, the chairman of biostatistics at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, put it, "is off the charts: there are no laboratory tests as good as this, not Pap tests, not diabetes tests, nothing."

As a result, he and other cancer experts say they are skeptical, but intrigued. Michael McCulloch, research director for the Pine Street Foundation in Marin County, Calif., and the lead researcher on the study, acknowledged that the results seemed too good to be true. (For breast cancer, with a smaller number of samples, the dogs were right about 88 percent of the time with almost no false positives, which compares favorably to mammograms.)

"Yes, we were astounded, as well," Mr. McCulloch said. "And that's why it needs to be replicated with other dogs, plus chemical analysis of what's in the breath."

He is applying for National Science Foundation grants to try just that, he said. The fact that the study was carried out by a clinic supported by the Pine Street Foundation that combines traditional chemotherapy with acupuncture and herbal medicine raised suspicions, as did the fact that it is to be published by a little-known journal, Integrative Cancer Therapies. (The journal published it online last year.)

But experts who read the study could not find any obvious fatal flaw in its methodology, and the idea that dogs can detect cancer is "not crazy at all," said Dr. Ted Gansler, director of medical content in health information for the American Cancer Society. "It's biologically plausible," he said, "but there has to be a lot more study and confirmation of effectiveness."

Dr. Berry, too, was interested but suspicious. "If true, it's huge," he said. "Which is one reason to be skeptical."

Dr. Berry noted, half-jokingly, that Gregor Mendel, the 19th-century discoverer of the laws of genetics, also reported data on his crossbreeding of green and yellow peas that was too good to be true: he repeatedly came up with the perfect 3-1 ratios he predicted. "But we've forgiven Mendel and his gardener," Dr. Berry added, "because his theory turned out to be right."

In Mr. McCulloch's study, the five dogs, borrowed from owners and Guide Dogs for the Blind, were trained as if detecting bombs. They repeatedly heard a clicker and got a treat when they found a desired odor in many identical smelling spots.

The clinic collected breath samples in plastic tubes filled with polypropylene wool from 55 people just after biopsies found lung cancer and from 31 patients with breast cancer, as well as from 83 healthy volunteers.

The tubes were numbered, and then placed in plastic boxes and presented to the dogs, five at a time. If the dog smelled cancer, it was supposed to sit.

For breath from lung cancer patients, Mr. McCulloch reported, the dogs correctly sat 564 times and incorrectly 10 times. (By adjusting for other factors, the researchers determined the accuracy rate at 99 percent.)

For the breath from healthy patients, they sat 4 times and did not sit 708 times.

Experts who read the study raised various objections: The smells of chemotherapy or smoking would be clues, they said. Or the healthy breath samples could have been collected in a different room on different days. Or the dogs could pick up subtle cues - like the tiny, unintentional movements of observers picked up by Clever Hans, the 19th-century "counting horse," as he neared a correct answer. But Mr. McCulloch said cancer patients who had begun chemotherapy were excluded, smokers were included in both groups and the breath samples were collected in the same rooms on the same days. The tubes were numbered elsewhere, he said, and the only assistant who knew which samples were cancerous was out of the room while the dogs were working.

"The fact that dogs did this is kind of beside the point," he said. "What this proved is that there are detectable differences in the breath of cancer patients. Now technology has to rise to that challenge."

The next step, he said, will be to analyze breath samples with a gas chromatograph to figure out exactly which mixes of chemicals the dogs are reacting to.

Even if the dogs are accurate in repeat experiments, Dr. Gansler of the American Cancer Society said, it will be useful only as a preliminary scan. "It's not like someone would start chemotherapy based on a dog test," he said. "They'd still get a biopsy."

This coming Tuesday I need to bring my doberman to the doctor's. He has developed a lump in his throat on the left side. I ask for your prayers. I shall update you after the doctor's visit at 10:30 a.m.

nancyann

He has just a few week to live!

Nancyann

Today at 3 pm my doberman pinscher has to be put down. He is 13 and has advanced cancer!

nancyann

Oh, I'm so sorry to read that.

I'm sorry, nancyann. I'll keep you both in my thoughts this afternoon.

So sorry to hear that, nancyann - be strong, and know all our thoughts are with you.

Very sorry to hear that, nancyann.

I'm thinking of you and your boy.

I know this had to be hard..... we're here thinking about you and sending what healing thoughts we can.

I know you must feel awful, but I am sure you did what was best for him, nancyann. I know you loved him, and I feel sure he always knew that.

You gave him a great life. Honor his memory by remembering the good times.

Fondly,

Eva

NancyAnn,
Just echoing what the others have said... Take comfort in the fact that you gave him such a good life, and cared for him so well.
Love is stronger than death, he will always live in your heart.