Bo the Portuguese Water Dog - Meet the Newest White House Dog!

06/06/09

�The election for the White House First Dog is over, and the winners name is "Bo".�� He's black and white, fuzzy and completely lovable. He's also reportedly a late night partier and suffers from a little separation anxiety.�� Bo seems to be adjusting to his new address at the White House, but the first family may be having a little trouble adjusting to him!

Beginning on election night, when President Barak Obama announced his promise to his daughters to get a family dog, the frenzy over which dog was perfect for the position became a national obsession in the U.S.� The subject became fodder for every TV talk show and news program.� Various groups with agendas started to weigh in on the issue.��

Some were pushing mixed breeds; purebred lovers were putting out a shout for their favourite flavour.� Shelter advocates were lobbying for a dog that really needed a home, and the anti-puppy mill people were stressing the need to properly research a dog that fit into the Obama's lifestyle and met the hypo-allergenic requirement.

The controversy ended abruptly when the President sidestepped the unexpected controversy and accepted the gift of a six month old Portuguese Water Dog from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy.� The Senator has owned PWD's for years and his brother, the late President John F. Kennedy, proved the clan was very dog friendly, actually building an area for dogs and kids at the White House during his administration.

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The first family is going to have to put in some time to get to that dog-savvy.� At a recent White House event attended by over a hundred children, Michelle Obama called Bo "a little crazy".� The media reported some of the best quotes from the brand new dog owner.

-- "It was like 10 o'clock. Everybody was asleep and we hear all this barking and jumping around. The president and I came out and we thought somebody was out there. And it was just Bo. He was playing with his ball."

-- "He loves to chew on people's feet."�

-- "Right now I'm taking care of this puppy, so I'm doing a lot of dog walking and dog training.''

Ah yes, how many times does mum end up doing all the work?� 7 year old Sasha and 10 year old Malia seem to be getting off the hook rather easily, not something that's been overlooked by canine critics!

The American fascination with presidential dogs goes back to the nation's beginnings.� George Washington, the first U.S. President, bred American Foxhounds and gave them names like Tipsey, Tipler and Drunkard.� Many canines have walked the corridors of the White House since then, most lately, the black Scot Terrier owned by President George W. Bush and family.� Barney's popularity was cemented through his "Barney-cam" videos, released to the media yearly, and seen all over the world.

So what can Bo do to top his predecessor?� Well, the six month old PWD is off to a good start.� He's slated to appear in his own comic book called "Puppy Power � Bo Obama" starting in September.� He's already been turned into a "beanie baby" by the Ty toy making corporation and has already been the subject of endless photo opportunities.� Mr. Obama says Bo has real "star power".

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