Say it ain't so - The Obamas should NOT get a Portugese water dog

[Bunny]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09063/952890-109.stm

<snip>
It's fun to speculate about what kind of dog the Obamas will get and to picture Malia and Sasha romping with their new pet on the White House lawn. But the Obamas should take this decision seriously. Millions of Americans will copy the first family, so they ought to choose a breed that could live happily in most American homes.

The latest word is that they are leaning toward a Portugese water dog.

A Portugese water dog? What can they be thinking? Is someone in the family a full-time fisherman who needs a diving assistant? And if so, where? The Anacostia River?

The Obamas are intelligent, so we can only hope they are still reviewing the options. Let's hope it's not too late to convince them against a Portugese water dog, which the American Kennel Club describes, in an understatement, as "very resistant to fatigue." This may be a characteristic of our new president, but he gets to work off his energy all day. Their dog -- bred to work all day, as well -- probably won't get to do that.
<snip>

[MoJoWorkin]

1. Sorry, but they need to be able to pick the dog they want. GEEZ

[elleng]

13. And they will.

.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Perhaps a Portugese water*boarding* dog?

:evilgrin:

[bahrbearian]

3. He needs to get a Rat Terrier and let it hunt the halls of congress.

[Marrah_G]

15. Hehehehe- YES!

:rofl:

[stray cat]

4. So the portugese water dog is a worker - a populist gesture!

:sarcasm:

[hlthe2b]

5. That's nuts... Dogs can get both exercise and stimulation in many

ways.... Many a very large, athletic breed dog does just fine in the tiniest of apartments, as long as the owner works to give them what they need. God, knows between the kids, two athletic and active parents and a whole staff at the WH--that dog might just be the most mentally and physically exhausted (and happy) dogs on earth.

[ejpoeta]

6. better they pick a dog that you want and let the daughter suffer allergies.

for crying out loud!

[elocs]

7. I had read that was Michelle's preference. Either way it's their choice, their business. n/t

[onenote]

8. you may not be aware of this, but the Pres lives in a house with a big fenced in yard

I suspect the dog will have ample opportunity to exercise

[newfie11]

20. I was thinking the same thing!! n/t

[WilliamPitt]

29. And Camp David.

[lukasahero]

39. Animal Planet ran a special on Presidential dogs

They actually have staff to care for them (and yes, they get to romp in the big yard).

Apparently the Clintons Lab, Buddy, used to love to play in the fountain. If Labs and Spaniels have been happy at the WH, I see no reason a PWD wouldn't be.

[Marrah_G]

9. People rarely consider the genetics of a breed before choosing a dog.

They SHOULD, but they don't.

[cali]

10. I'd be embarassed to post anything this silly.

[Bunny]

18. Good thing I'm not you.

[salguine]

11. Single-payer advocates are being shut out of the healthcare plans. Who cares about the damn dog?

[stray cat]

14. People have lost 50% of their life savings

and none of the dem frontrunners seem to have campaigned for a single payer system so that doesn't strike me as a huge surprise that they are unlikely to inact a single payer system.

[TBF]

24. The memory is the first thing to go.

You may well want to go back and refresh it - there were candidates who were for single payer. Obama was not one of them.

[independentpiney]

12. I've heard they're similar to retrievers in energy and temperment

I wouldn't think it's a problem as lomg as it's exercized and taken for a swim now and then. And they're minimal or non-shedders.

[carlyhippy]

16. they look like a big poodle

They don't shed? We had a water dog, but he wasn't one of those, he was a Newfoundland, big dog but very sweet hearted

[newfie11]

23. Hey That's my breed

I have 3 Newfies. Great dogs but you must not mind drool, hair, and dirt in the house.

[carlyhippy]

35. yeah LOL but aren't they loveable anyway?

Pretty smart breed too. Some of the brothers/sisters of our late dog were search and rescue dogs for lake patrol.

[newfie11]

37. Very lovable, sweet, and adorable, but maybe I am biased

We show all our dogs and they live in the house, on the furniture and are generally the kids now that our human kids have grown up.
It looks like you picture was taken at a show? Did you show your boy? I am curious what kennel he came from?

[carlyhippy]

40. that is a pic of another newfie used for reference

I will have to scan my pics and post, never showed him, he was just a good ole family dog, very protective of the children. He looked similar to the pic, maybe a little bigger.

[endarkenment]

17. This is my top concern too!

[pnwmom]

19. Ted Kennedy's dogs seem to be doing okay.

:shrug:

Though I agree, a labradoodle might be easier.

[Marrah_G]

22. Kennedy's dogs live on the ocean. He spends alot of time with them on the beach.

[KG]

21. the should have settled for nothing less than the noble min-pin. god's own dog.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

26. They can't have a dog that sheds and your baby is beautiful! :)

[KG]

28. all dogs shed. even people shed.

my guy sheds very little, easy to clean - 2 min in the tub once a week. calm and quiet. snuggler extrodinaire. a goofy and charming personality.

really, i'd think the two girls would get more pleasure from a lap dog than a big brute.

[tavalon]

32. There are certain breeds that are more hypoallergenic than others

Poodles and Chihuahuas are the only two I was offered as a child. I could never stomach the Chihuahua so Poodles it has always been for me, but these days, there is more understanding about which dogs are less allergy inducing.

I know my dog sheds but really not much, which is why we got a set of dog grooming supplies and learned how to groom him because he grows quite the coat that costs quite the pretty penny to cut every six weeks.

[KG]

42. a freind breeds Havanese, sposedly hypoallergenic coz they have 'hair' instead of fur.

a big selling point she uses.

anyway, my posts where mostly toungue in cheek coz i've fallen in love with min-pins! :P

[NRaleighLiberal]

25. They are GREAT dogs. We will probably get one when one of our chocolate labs passes.

We've stayed at B&Bs that have them - wonderful personalities.

[get the red out]

27. Two energetic kids

plus an energetic dog. I don't see a problem.

Maybe if the dog were to be the companion of an elderly couple with a small house, or a fat, lazy Republican; it wouldn't work out.

[tavalon]

30. Hypoallergenic is the primary issue in the dog pick

I have personally never had any dogs but poodles because of my asthma. Two years ago, I rescued a standard poodle who had been a hearing assistance dog. Best dog I've ever been blessed with sharing a home with.

[Kalyke]

31. Um.... they have a big house and a big yard.

Most dogs would LOVE that much room to roam.

I have three sporting dogs and my yard and home pale in comparison to the White House and it's grounds, but my dogs have tons of room to play and exercise.

[NNN0LHI]

33. I have 2 dogs that were bred to be used on barges on European inland waterways

I don't live on a barge or in Europe.



Is there a rule that I have to?

People are nuts.

Don

[Arkansas Granny]

34. I hate to see them get any specific breed of dog. I understand that they

need to consider the allergy issue, but I'm afraid that any breed they choose will become America's new favorite breed and have the puppy mills cranking them out by the thousands to keep up with the demand of many people to have a dog like the Obama's.

It's really too bad they can't adopt a mixed breed, as the shelters are full of them and it might help get more of them adopted.

[TwilightGardener]

36. Are the Obamas a sluggish, lazy family who live in a two bedroom apartment, or am I

missing something here? By this criteria, they can't have anything but a lap dog or a basset hound. "They don't have sheep, can't get a collie!" "They don't hunt ducks, can't get a lab or a springer spaniel!" "The dog might get up and run around a lot during the day--the HORRORS!!"

[devilgrrl]

38. Nothing against the OP but this is the silliest thread I've ever seen.

:crazy:

[tanngrisnir3]

41. Yep. Like 'millions' of families are going to buy 'millions' of PWDs.

Shit, could be a good investment opportunity!