We’ve received so many comments on the How Smart Is Your Dog post, many questioning the validity, that I thought it’s important to give a dog’s perspective about the whole thing.

The article lists the so-called smartest and not-so-smart breeds, but what about all the mixed breeds?  I mean c’mon….I wrote a book, that takes intelligence, and a little help typing with these non-opposable paws of mine.  So, here’s another test, this one is to see how smart your owner is.

Why are our owners so obsessed with finding out how intelligent we are? All they need to know is that we got it going on upstairs. How else to explain us living in their homes, eating their food and having them pick up our feces? And all of that without us paying them a dime.

In the interest of giving my parents some bragging rights, I decided to take this Canine IQ test. Let’s go question by question and see how I fared.

Test 1: Food under can

This is a test of your dog’s problem solving ability.

How to do the test

1. First sit the dog, if it won’t stay you’ll need someone to hold the dog by the collar.

2. Show the dog the tidbit of food and let it sniff it.

3. With the dog’s full attention, slowly place the tidbit on the ground about two meters away and place the can over the tidbit.

4. Start timing and encourage the dog to get the food.

Scoring: If the dog knocks the can over and gets the tidbit in 5 seconds or less 5 points; 5 to 15 seconds 4 points;15 to 30 seconds 3 points; 30 to 60 seconds 2 points; [over 60 seconds and it's still looking for the treat? Then we'll give the dog a point for being able to breath on its own]

No need for a stop watch on this one. I’ll sit and wait until my owner picks up the can and gives me the treat underneath it. No energy exerted, maximum treat scored = genius but the scoring on this test will give me:

+0 points for being lazy

Test 2: Dog under towel

This is another measure of your dog’s problem solving ability.

How to do the test

1. Your dog should be awake and reasonably active

2. Let the dog sniff the towel

3. With a quick smooth motion throw the towel over the dogs head so its head and shoulders are completely covered (you may want to practice this without the dog first). Start timing and watch silently.

Scoring: If the dog frees itself in 5 seconds or less 5 points; 5 to 15 seconds 4 points;15 to 30 seconds 3 points; 30 to 60 seconds 2 points

I think the test results on this one are hinged on ‘your dog should be…reasonably active’. At my age, if someone throws a towel on me it’s because I’ve wet myself not because my teacher sprung a surprise quiz on me. I’ll gracefully bow out of this question. That way I don’t have to worry about someone throwing a towel at me and ‘turning out the lights’ as I’m walking toward a stairwell. Canine IQ score for this question:

+0 points for being safety conscious

Test 3: Can your dog recognize a smile?

This is a test of social learning.

How to do the test

1. Pick a time your dog is sitting about 2 meters away from you

2. The dog must not have been told to stay or sit

3. Stare intently into your dogs face, when your dog looks at you, count silently to 3 and then smile broadly

Scoring: If your dog comes with tail waging 5 points; If your dog comes slowly or only part of the way with no tail waging 4 points; If your dog stands or rises to a sitting position but does not move toward you 3 points; If your dog moves away from you 2 points; If your dog pays no attention 1 point.

Why should I start wagging my tail if I see my owner smile? The only reason I can think of is if he’s got spinach or pesto between his teeth that he’s going to let me pick clean.

A more appropriate test would be to see if, after a dog farts, his owner’s facial expression changes. If Rover wags his tail in less than 10 seconds, not only is he capable of social learning but he’s also the proud owner/operator of a highly efficient fart power plant. Resulting Canine IQ score:

+0 points for being emotionless

Test 4: Retrieving from under a barrier

This is a test of your dog’s problem solving and manipulation ability.

How to do the test

1. Make sure your dog is watching you from nearby

2. Show your dog the tidbit of food and let it sniff it

3. With the dogs full attention, slowly place the tidbit just far enough under the table that the dog can use its paws to retrieve it

4. Start timing and encourage your dog to get the food

Scoring: If your dog uses its paws to retrieve the food in 60 seconds or less 5 points; If your dog uses its paws to retrieve the food in 1 to 3 minutes 4 points; If your dog uses its muzzle only and fails to get the food or if it uses its paws and hasn’t retrieved the food after 3 minutes 3 points; If your dog doesn’t use its paws, simply sniffs and gives one or 2 points wo tries with its muzzle; If your dog has made no attempt to retrieve the bait after 3 minutes 1 point

Why would I want to lift a couch, table or any other object to get a treat when I can just stare my mother in the eyes and will her to give me bologna? Manipulation, yes, but not how this test wants to see it. Regardless, I’m on the scoreboard:

+1 point for being spoiled rotten

Test 5: This is a test of language comprehension

How to do the test

1. Your dog should be settled comfortably around two meters in front of you

2. In the voice tone you use to call your dog call “refrigerator”

Scoring: If the dog shows response to come 3 points; If the dog does not come, call “movies” in the same tone. If the dog comes 2 points; If the dog still has not responded call its name. If the dog comes or shows any tendency to move to you 5 points; If the dog has not moved, call its name a second time. If the dog comes 4 points;If the dog still doesn’t come 1 point

When I hear the word ‘refrigerator’ I always respond with, “Could you bring me the tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream?” If the answer is yes, I’ll move to an upright sitting position. If the answer is no, I’ll continue to lay flat like a bear rug. Canine IQ points scored:

+1 point for waiting to be served

So let’s tally that up…nuthin, nuthin, nuthin, woof, woof = 2 woofs. Impressive. Most impressive.

Let me look at the scoring chart to see where that places me…Oops, it appears our reporter forgot to include it. Nice move genius!

Grab a copy of my new funny dog memoir BAD TO THE BONE: Memoir Of A Rebel Doggie Blogger for yourself or the dog lovers in your life. It’s the pawfect stocking stuffer. Order now...click here!

Here are the details from the study on the SF Chronicle.

Dr. Stanley Coren, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia and an author of several books on dogs suggests that dogs do more than simply by mimicking the body language of their owners (as suggested by the enduring example of the horse Clever Hans from the early 1900s). He believes that dog brains process information similarly to the way people do.

Dr. Coren has devised an intelligence ranking of 100 breeds, with border collies at No. 1. He says the most intelligent breeds (poodles, retrievers, Labradors and shepherds) can learn as many as 250 words, signs and signals, while the others can learn 165. This means the average dog is about as intellectually advanced as a two-year-old child with an ability to understand some abstract concepts.

The article goes on to list the top 10 smartest breeds and the 10 not -so- smart breeds.  See if you agree…

Here’s a list of the top 10 smartest (e.g. most obedient) dog breeds:

* 1. Border Collie

* 2. Poodle

* 3. German Shepherd

* 4. Golden Retriever

* 5. Doberman Pinscher

* 6. Shetland Sheepdog

* 7. Labrador Retriever

* 8. Papillon

* 9. Rottweiler

* 10. Australian Cattle Dog

And a list of the top 10 not-so-smart:

* 1. Afghan Hound

* 2. Basenji

* 3. Bulldog

* 4. Chow Chow

* 5. Borzoi

* 6. Bloodhound

* 7. Pekingese

* 8. Mastiff

* 9. Beagle

* 10. Basset Hound

I’m not sure how mixed breeds fit into this, but if you want to test your dog’s intelligence go check out the six IQ questions from Dr. Coren. Give me a bark, how does your best friend make out?

*Dogster member Baxter looks like he’s a studious fella.

There’s an article from the Animal Health Care Center newsletter about a dog’s sense of smell, it contains some very informative information.

Here are six interesting facts, how many did you know?

1. The USDA uses Jack Russell Terriers to detect brown tree snakes hidden on cargo being loaded on planes in Guam.

2. The US Customs and Border Protection has 800 canine teams which look for explosives, drugs, concealed people, and even hidden currency.

3. Dogs check international travelers at borders and airports for agricultural contraband and find 75,000 items a year.

4. Dogs check packages mailed and delivered to agricultural areas for pests and their diseases which could devastate the ag industry in that area.

5. Dogs work in IRS centers to look for explosives in letters and packages.

6. Dogs are used by some exterminators to detect termite infestations.

The article goes on to talk about  why dogs have such  an excellent sense of smell,  one of the reasons has to do with the moist leathery surface of the nose,  which determines the direction of air currents.

Go check out the newsletter to learn more about dogs and why they can smell human fingerprints that are a week old.

* The CooperPooper nose knows.

Pit bull is a term commonly used to describe several breeds of dog, many breed-specific laws use the term “pit bull” to refer to the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and dogs with significant mixes of these breeds.

Recently a dog named Lucey was almost put down due to mistaken identity.  It all began when Angie Cartwright was pet-sitting for her brother and his dog got loose. Animal control officers picked up the dog and when he was returned saw Lucey.

The officers thought she looked like a pit bull and told Cartwright they were taking her in for testing, a DNA test. I found it interesting that they offered that option, as you’ll see in a minute it can be a lifesaving test.

Here are the details from KansasCity.com.

Today, Lucey is home, and Cartwright credits a genetic test kit that helps pet owners identify the heritage of their mixed-breed dogs.

The test found that a minor amount of Lucey’s DNA came from Staffordshire bull terrier genes — a little more than 12 percent, not close to a predominant percentage.

Without the test results, Cartwright and her family would have been faced with finding Lucey a home outside Salina, or leaving her at the animal shelter where she would be destroyed.

I am personally against BSL because I don’t think it solves the real issue, bad owners and bad breeders. This case is just one more reason it scares me, Lucey was taken away on the assumption she had bit bull in her. If it weren’t for the the DNA test wh0 knows what would have happened. I am impressed the time was taken to find out what breed(s) she really was.  I have no idea if all places that have BSL test like this, but they should. I also wonder if the test cost is charged to the owner, it isn’t an inexpensive test, usually about $140.

Interesting enough, the test showed the largest amount (25%) of Lucey’s DNA was Bernese mountain dog.  She had no more than 12.5 percent each of bull terrier DNA, boxer, and Staffordshire bull terrier.

You can’t judge a dog by its cover.

*Pic courtesy Tom Dorsey

A recent study performed on dog intelligence has proven what we already know – the average dog is on par with that of a two and a half year old . . . human.

The Telegraph has the details on the study along with the top ten brightest and dimmest breeds.

Researchers have found that dogs are capable of understanding up to 250 words and gestures, can count up to five and can perform simple mathematical calculations.

Using tests originally designed to demonstrate the development of language, pre-language and basic arithmetic in human children, the researchers were able to show that the average dog is far more intelligent than they are given credit for.

“The average dog is about as bright linguistically as a human two-year-old,” said Professor Stanley Coren, a leading expert on canine intelligence at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver who has carried out the work.

“This means they can understand about 165 words, signs and signals. Those in the top 20 per cent were able to understand as many as 250 words and signals, which is about the same as a two and a half year old.

I know the first 15 words that Bo learned. Just insert any of the following into Bo wanna go for a —-? [ride, drive, excursion, expedition, hitch, jaunt, joyride, lift, outing, run, spin, tour, transportation, turn or whirl]

Of course there’s always R – I – D – E. I don’t know whether that counts for four words or just one. Let’s just say the average Dogster out there already knows their canines are brighter than a baby. This is true even if Fido likes to eat cat poop.

Any stories out there that shows how brilliant your pup is?

Pic is of smart Dogster member Maximillian the Trickster.

The Morris Animal Foundation’s Canine Cancer Campaign is a global effort to prevent, treat and cure cancer.

By funding more than 100 canine cancer studies, they have tacked the no. 1 killer of dogs and helped veterinarians better detect and treat the disease.

Read up on some of their current studies and learn about the progress the MAF is making to help win the war against cancer.

Progress in Dog Health:

CANCER:  “Tyrosine Kinases in Canine Hemangiosarcoma” D08CA-050, Oregon State University, Dr. Stuart C. Helfand

Description: Hemangiosarcoma remains one of the deadliest canine cancers. Despite treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgery, dogs rarely live beyond six months after diagnosis. New approaches are needed to improve the survival time of dogs afflicted with this devastating disease. This study will expand on the research team’s previous research into a novel class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors that may have the potential to control the growth of hemangiosarcoma. The results will help to clarify abnormalities that contribute to hemangiosarcoma proliferation and may ultimately lead to new treatment options for this aggressive cancer.

Update: Researchers from Oregon State University are expanding on prior Morris Animal Foundation-funded research into a novel class of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which may have the potential to control the growth of hemangiosarcoma cells. In addition, the researchers are attempting to clarify abnormalities that contribute to hemangiosarcoma cell growth and spread. The data generated to date are exciting, novel and promising and may ultimately lead to new drug treatment options for this aggressive cancer.

CANCER:  “Population Pharmakokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Carboplatin in Dogs” D07CA-036, University of Tennessee, Dr. Tomas Martin-Jimenez

Description: As companion animals live longer, cancer has become one of the major causes of death. The goal of chemotherapy is to maximize the therapeutic response while minimizing toxic effects. Unfortunately, determining the appropriate dose that each dog needs is difficult. Factors such as age, weight and kidney function influence an animal’s response to chemotherapy. This study will discover how these factors affect a dog’s response to a chemotherapy commonly used to treat osteosarcoma and carcinomas. They will use this information to develop a dose calculator that would help veterinarians tailor the dose to the specific needs of individual dogs. This would provide more effective treatment and alleviate unwanted side effects.

Update: Researchers at the University of Tennessee are undertaking a bold study to develop a novel, dose calculator tool that would allow veterinarians to tailor the dose of chemotherapy to the specific needs of individual dogs. They are concentrating on the chemotherapy drug carboplatin, which is commonly used to treat osteosarcoma and various carcinomas. This long-term study is just completing its first of three years, and the researchers are hopeful that they will have preliminary analysis by mid-year 2009 that might provide enough information to adjust the doses of new patients, even before the completion of the study. This early dose adjustment has not been implemented yet, but the investigators are currently running preliminary data analysis.

CANCER:  “Metastatic & Chemotherapeutic Resistance Biomarkers for Canine Osteosarcoma” D08CA-053, Colorado State University, Dr. Dawn L. Duval

Description: Large and giant dog breeds have high risk for osteosarcoma, a highly aggressive bone cancer that spreads (metastasizes) to the organs. Despite aggressive treatment with surgery followed by chemotherapy, most dogs survive less than one year after diagnosis because the cancer recurs in other bones or organs, particularly the lungs. Understanding the biological mechanisms that contribute to the disease’s spread and resistance to standard therapy would help veterinary researchers develop tailored therapeutic approaches, identify new drug targets and identify common genetic features that contribute to the disease’s ability to spread – all of which would help increase survival rates of dogs affected by this common cancer.

Update: Scientists from Colorado State University are studying the biological mechanisms that contribute to bone cancer’s spread and resistance to standard therapy. This will help veterinary researchers identify common genetic features that contribute to the disease’s ability to spread, develop tailored therapeutic approaches and identify new drug targets. To date, they have identified and validated 11 genes that could serve as biomarkers to determine whether a patient is likely to respond to standard therapies.

CANCER:  “Evaluation of Intrinsic & Acquired Chemoresistance in Canine Histiocytic Sarcoma” D08CA-308, Michigan State University, Dr. Nikolaos G. Dervisis

Description: Canine histiocytic sarcoma is an aggressive form of cancer that is almost always fatal. The disease affects primarily Bernese mountain dogs, flat-coated retrievers and rottweilers, but others are predisposed as well. Despite rigorous efforts to identify genetic abnormalities underlying this disease, few treatment advances have been made. The researchers will focus on gene expression patterns that are associated with this cancer’s resistance to chemotherapy. They intend to develop a practical test that can be used to guide future drug development for the treatment of canine histiocytic sarcoma.

Update: Researchers from Michigan State University are focusing on gene expression patterns that are associated with this cancer’s resistance to chemotherapy. They intend to develop a practical test that can be used to guide future drug development for the treatment of this deadly cancer. Enrollment of patients has been unexpectedly slow, but the investigators are expanding their recruitment base to specialty clinics.

To find out more about canine cancer and the Morris Animal Foundation stop by their website.  Visit Cure Canine Cancer to read survivor stories and learn how you can help in the fight against this horrible disease.

* In loving memory of Dogster member Snappy who lost her valiant fight with cancer.

Two recent studies, the first by Gabriella Lakatos a researcher in the Department of Ethology at Eotvos University, compared a 2-year-old child’s capacity to understand human pointing gestures with a dog’s.

The results show dogs had zero learning time to figure out the visual communication. The study goes on to claim that due to domestication dogs appear predisposed to read other human visual signals.

For her study on dogs and kids, Lakatos and her colleagues used a combination of finger-, elbow-, leg- and knee-pointing gestures to help dogs locate hidden food and, for children, a favorite toy.

Two-year-olds and dogs understood everything except knee-pointing and when the experimenter’s index finger pointed in a different direction than the protruding arm. For example, they were confused when the individual raised an arm in a certain direction, but used her finger to point the other way.

Human 3-year-olds, on the other hand, aced all of the tests.

Lakatos said that “in human children between the age of two and three years, important changes take place that go beyond the capacities of dogs.” Many of these changes have to do with development of language skills.

“The ability to generalize in children makes the precision of gesturing by the adult less important,” she added. “Children may have a more complex ability to realize the intention behind the pointing gesture.”

When gesturing to a dog or child under 3, it’s therefore best not to fidget or otherwise move in confusing ways.

“Our results show that dogs can understand the pointing gesture if a body part protrudes from the body silhouette,” Lakatos said.

Lakatos does go on to caution pet owners not to think that because there are some similarities between the two that dogs are furry children. Each case which involves similar performance needs to be evaluated on an individual basis.

* In loving memory of Joe, gone too soon.

A dog handler in Texas who uses scent to identify suspects in crimes has been named in two lawsuits.

In one case Calvin Lee Miller filed after being misidentified by Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Pikett in a robbery case. Pikett is the only dog handler in Texas who uses this technique and defense attorneys argue it is not a precise science.

The suits against Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Pikett were filed by Calvin Lee Miller, who spent 62 days in jail for robbery and sexual assault before being cleared, and a former Victoria County Sheriff’s captain who became a murder suspect before another man pleaded guilty in the case.

Pikett’s work figured in both cases, the Victoria Advocate reported Sunday. For example: In the case involving Miller, a swab from Miller and the scent from the assault victim’s sheets were sent to Pikett, whose three bloodhounds indicated Miller’s scent was on the sheets.

No laws or regulations govern scent lineups, but they’re admissible in courts across the nation. Only tighter oversight can keep shoddy scent IDs from becoming key evidence, a growing number of critics say.

“This is junk science. This isn’t even science. This is just junk,” said Jeff Blackburn, chief counsel for the Innocence Project of Texas. The group works to free wrongfully convicted inmates and recently started to investigate Pikett.

The premise for scent identification revolves around two things: Dogs have a keen sense of smell – sometimes 10,000 times more sensitive than humans – and everyone has a unique scent.

Supporters say it can be a reliable and important part of law enforcement when lineups are closely regulated and human interaction is limited.

Critics contend scent IDs are easily influenced by human involvement such as the use of a leash during a lineup; the presence of many scents on evidence or in scent lineups; and the fact that humans must speak for dogs in court.

Even supporters say great care must be taken if scent lineups are to be considered reliable.

“As a dog handler, you’d better be acting as a scientist,” said Steve Nicely, a police dog handler who has since served as a defense witness. “Otherwise, you’re acting on myth and folklore.”

A list for scent lineups is currently being drafted by The Scientific Working Group for Dog and Orthogonal Detection Guidelines. I never even realized that this was a science, let alone one being used in court.

While it may have a place in the legal system there obviously  needs to be very strict guidelines. It most certainly shouldn’t be the only thing a conviction is based on, as evidenced by the two cases above.

* ADOPTABLE: Riley is an adoptable Bloodhound mix, she’s listed on Dogster’s adoption pages, check out her profile.

Since this is a dog blog, a couple of times a month our boy Bo (woof!) thought it would be nice to get the news through a dog’s eyes.

Bo invites everyone to read a chapter from his upcoming book BAD TO THE BONE at Bo Knows Online. It’s a funny memoir about the crazy adventures we have shared together over the last 14 plus years, told through Bo’s eyes.

Okay Bo, take it from here…..

Today’s story: not weird, not crazy just another reason to love us four legged, fuzzy creatures.

That’s right, not only are we adorable, non-judgmental and eager to please, but now we’re also getting into the human healthcare game.

Turns out our noses are life savers. No, not the green, red or yellow variety but the soul saving kind. A sniff here and a sniff there and we can tell whether a diabetic’s blood sugar falls to a dangerous level.

Of course it is at this point the true test of being man’s best friend comes into play. Ask yourself, are you going to give up that Butterfinger bar in your fur suit to save that human?

While you decide, Reuters has the details on the research.

AYLESBURY, England (Reuters) – Dogs are being trained in Britain as potential life-savers to warn diabetic owners when their blood sugar levels fall to dangerously low levels.

Man’s best friend already has been shown capable of sniffing out certain cancer cells, and dogs have long been put to work in the hunt for illegal drugs and explosives.

Their new front-line role in diabetes care follows recent evidence suggesting a dog’s hyper-sensitive nose can detect tiny changes that occur when a person is about to have a hypoglycemic attack.

A survey last December by researchers at Queen’s University Belfast found 65 percent of 212 people with insulin-dependent diabetes reported that when they had a hypoglycemic episode their pets had reacted by whining, barking, licking or some other display.

The move into diabetes followed the case of Paul Jackson, who told Guest and her team about his dog Tinker who warns him when his sugar levels get too low and he is in danger of collapsing.

“It’s generally licking my face, panting beside me. It depends how far I have gone before he realizes,” Jackson said.

Tinker has now been trained by the Aylesbury center and is a fully qualified Diabetic Hypo-Alert dog, complete with red jacket to announce himself as a working assistance animal.

The center is continuing work to perfect dogs’ ability in spotting signs of cancer. But while dog-lover Guest says it would be nice to have a dog in every doctor’s office to screen for disease, ultimately that is not practical.

Instead, she hopes the research will lead to the invention of an electronic nose that will mimic a dog’s.

Good luck with that electronic nose idea. The only one I’ve ever seen was the one on the patient in the game of Operation, and even then it only lit up when I tried to get the funny bone out too quickly with my big mitts. Woof !

The funniest dog blog, written by a dog, on the internet. Commentary on the latest animal news stories of the day.

An infectious superbug capable of being passed from pets to humans is on the rise and becoming increasingly problematic.

It was only a few years ago when scientists suspected that the bacteria was being transmitted by pets.

The superbug, a strain of bacteria known as MRSA, has evolved a resistance to antibiotics. It has long plagued hospitals but in recent years has become more common in homes. MRSA has even invaded beaches.

In the July edition of The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Richard Oehler of the University of South Florida College of Medicine and colleagues lay out the latest thinking on MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and pets.

The infections can be transmitted by animal bites and most threaten young children, the researchers note.

“As community-acquired strains of MRSA increase in prevalence, a growing body of clinical evidence has documented MRSA colonization in domestic animals, often implying direct acquisition of S aureus infection from their human owners,” they write. “MRSA colonization has been documented in companion animals such as horses, dogs, and cats, and these animals have been viewed as potential reservoirs of infection.”

“Proper treatment of dog and cat bites should involve treatment of the immediate injury (whether superficial or deep) and then management of the risk of acute infection, including washing with high pressure saline if possible, and antibiotics in selected cases,” the researchers suggest.

The superbug infects through open cuts, not only dog bites.  The key to preventing infection is the proper care and treatment of any open wound.

* Sally’s a ladybug, not a superbug.