Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherds celebrate 100 years with the AKC. German Shepherds and Dobermans were the devil's dogs during World War II (Mahood). Both dog breeds have dedicated years of service to the military. Both dogs have been loyal and incredibly intelligent companions. Both dogs are ranked in the top five in terms of obedience and working intelligence (“Dog Intelligence Rankings”). Yet the German Shepherd is currently the military police working dog, and his veteran companion, the Doberman Pinscher, is currently barred from living on military bases. How is the breed ban fair, or even effective? On January 5, 2009, the Department of the Army issued a memorandum announcing a new pet policy for families living in military base housing. The policy prohibits Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Chow Chows and wolf hybrids. This is what the Residential Communities Initiative (RCI), which brings together six private companies that manage housing on base (Bollinger), decided. How did the RCI come to decide which dog breeds were considered “dangerous” and therefore prohibited? According to the Pet Policy FAQ, RCI “evaluated feedback from current residents, past experience with animals in residential developments (both on-post and off-site) and the effect on the ability of projects to obtain and maintain adequate liability insurance at a reasonable cost. reasonable price” (“Frequently Asked Questions”). In other words, pure anecdotal evidence. No scientific tests or studies of any kind. In fact, when researching dog bite deaths involving military children between 2007 and 2010, none of those children were bitten by Doberman Pinschers (“Dog Bite Fatalities…”). Additionally, in a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that covered...... middle of article...... "Dog Bite Deaths Involving Military Children In and Out base housing. » DogsBite Blog. Lyn Media Group, August 3, 2010. Web. December 16, 2011. “Frequently Asked Questions – Pet Policy for Housing Privatized Under the Army's Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) Privatization Program.” » The villages of Fort Irwin. Irwin.Army.Mil, April 1, 2009. Web. December 16, 2011. “Help find a missing medical alert dog named Bella. » CBS 8. WorldNow and Midwest Television, Inc., December 14, 2011. Web. December 16, 2011. Mahood, January “SUPERDOGS at the CENTENNIAL. » AKC Gazette 125.12 (2008): 30-35. ProQuest Research Library. Internet. December 16, 2011. Rolfe, David S. "U.S. Army Veterinary Command (VETCOM) Information and Guidance - Privatized Housing Policy Under the Army's Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) Privatization Program .” Memo to distribute. February 17, 2009. Web. December 16. 2011.