BEAUFORT, S.C. - Although not the 54-hour test called the Crucible that Marine recruits must pass to join the Corps, dogs from three Marine facilities in South Carolina faced their own assessments Tuesday to see if they may remain among the few and the proud.

Both Vader and Osceola passed, but the friendly pit bull terriers seemed more interested in a group of reporters and their youngest owner, 7-month-old Keeley Drew Smith, than news they may remain with their Marine family.

The two pets were among more than 100 pit bulls, Rottweilers and canine-wolf mixes owned by Marines at Parris Island, the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and the Beaufort Naval Hospital. The dogs were being assessed by experts from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals during two days of assessments.

The Marines have banned the breeds at base housing because "dominant traits of aggression present an unreasonable risk to the health and safety of personnel." Last year, a 3-year-old boy was fatally bitten by a pit bull at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

But the South Carolina bases agreed to allow the ASPCA do individual dog assessments. Those that pass get waivers allowing them to remain on base through 2012. There are 1,351 housing units at the three bases, of which 375 families have pets.

Emily Weiss, an ASPCA animal behavior expert, said a seven-item assessment checks a dog's reaction to stimuli, food, unusual sounds and other dogs.

Since the dogs are already used to base housing, she expects most to pass.

"We and the Marines have the same goal," she said. "We want to keep safe dogs in homes. We know that breed bans don't necessarily keep safe dogs in or out of homes. Individual assessments are a much better way."

Weiss demonstrated an assessment for reporters who would distract a dog during the real thing.

When the 4-month-old Vader saw another dog, he panted and walked right up to the hound mix. Had Vader growled or tightened his jaw as if ready to pounce, it would have been a bad sign, Weiss said.

Misty Smith, Vader's other owner and Keeley's mom, said both her dogs are gentle around their young child. Indeed, when Vader came home for the first time, Osceola, 18 months, was protective of the child when the other dog came around.

Her husband, Marine Sgt. Drew Smith, 24, who teaches shooting to Parris Island recruits, wasn't worried that his pets would pass. But he said the family may have to find other housing in three years.

"Pit bulls have a bad reputation but it's from the breeder, not the breed," he said. "You could take a Labrador retriever and train it to fight and it would do it. I didn't really agree with it (the ban) because I don't like how they are stereotyping certain kinds of dogs."

"It's not the intent of the Marines to separate family pets from their families," said 2nd Lt. Sharon Hyland, a Marine spokeswoman. "What they have said is we need to take further steps to protect not only service members and their families, but their pets as well."