BillyMalc Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7911543.stm Obama girls 'to have a water dog' US First Lady Michelle Obama wants to find a rescued Portuguese water dog as a pet for her daughters, People magazine has reported. Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, were promised a puppy by their father, Barack Obama, when he was elected president, as a reward for all they had coped with. The choice of dog was limited by Malia's allergies to certain breeds, but water dogs are hypoallergenic, Mrs Obama told the magazine the family were hoping to get the puppy in April. She said water dogs were temperamentally "pretty good". "From the size perspective, they're sort of middle of the road - it's not small, but it's not a huge dog. And the folks that we know who own them have raved about them." Sounds like a perfect fit for the Obama Family and the Obama administration Sen Ted Kennedy One of those people is veteran Senator Ted Kennedy, who owns two of the breed - Splash and Sunny. Splash even featured as narrator in Mr Kennedy's children's guide to US politics - My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, DC. In January, Mr Kennedy said he was "proud to endorse the Portuguese water dog as the next First Dog of the United States". "They have a can-do and hopeful spirit. They are smart. They are resilient. They are determined. They are optimistic. And they are tireless," he said. "Sounds like a perfect fit for the Obama Family and the Obama administration." Frank or Moose Mr Kennedy said he was proud to endorse the water dog breed But Mrs Obama said the family had still not agreed on a name for the future pet. "There are names floating around and they're bad," she said. "Frank was one of them. Frank! Moose was another one," she said, adding that she had told her daughters to "work with the names a little bit". Mrs Obama also used the interview to talk about family life in the White House, saying her daughters still had to do chores and that staff had been asked not to help them too much. "People want to make your life easy, and when you have small kids - I've explained this to the staff - they don't need their lives to be easy. They're kids," she said. But Mrs Obama said the girls had a free run of the White House, as long as they told her where they were going. "I've tried to encourage them to feel like this whole place is their home," she said. ********************************************* From the little bit that they've been quoted, it sounds as if they've done their research - and I'm so chuffed that they're still being quoted as wanting a rescue!!! :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceemage Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) One of those people is veteran Senator Ted Kennedy, who owns two of the breed - Splash and Sunny. Splash even featured as narrator in Mr Kennedy's children's guide to US politics - My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, DC.{/quote]Whether it's wise to go for a breed that already has a reputation for publishing [a href=http://www.amazon.com/My-Senator-Me-Dogs-Washington/dp/B00126QC9E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1235631254&sr=8-1]'kiss and tell' memoirs[/a] is another matter, of course. :grin: Edited February 26, 2009 by ceemage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ceemage Posted February 26, 2009 Report Share Posted February 26, 2009 Let's try this again... One of those people is veteran Senator Ted Kennedy, who owns two of the breed - Splash and Sunny. Splash even featured as narrator in Mr Kennedy's children's guide to US politics - My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, DC. Whether it's wise to go for a breed that already has a reputation for publishing 'kiss and tell' memoirs is another matter, of course. :grin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 I like the fact they want a rescue dog, but fixating on a particular breed is not such a good idea, how long will it take for that breed to become the latest 'must have' fashion item only to be dumped and put into pounds/rescue when the next biog thing comes along are the obama's prepared to take all of them in once that has happened much prefer them to take in a 'mutt/heinz 57' through rescue than any one breed, that would send a better message out to people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanishPastry Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 But they can't as there is allergy to take into concideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 I like the fact they want a rescue dog, but fixating on a particular breedis not such a good idea, how long will it take for that breed to become the latest 'must have' fashion item only to be dumped and put into pounds/rescue when the next biog thing comes along are the obama's prepared to take all of them in once that has happened much prefer them to take in a 'mutt/heinz 57' through rescue than any one breed, that would send a better message out to people agree with what you're saying, but if we ever get another dog it would have to be a hypoallergenic one cos of OH's allergies. Besides I think they cos a fair few quid anyway so I cant see peopel rushing out to buy them over here xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hmm She wants a rescue puppy in April. Do they come up on demand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted February 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hmm She wants a rescue puppy in April. Do they come up on demand? Maybe what they mean is that April would be the right time for them to have a pup, due to commitments beforehand that would make it a less good time? Seeing as they can hardly go out and see several dogs in rescues, like your ordinary family, rescues would now have an idea of a time frame should they have a Portuguese waterdog, which they think would be suitable and which would be up for rehoming by the time the Obamas can have a dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 It would be lovely if they could consider a crossbreed or a bullbreed or something else which is in huge "supply" in rescue, but they have a child with an allergy to consider - and yet still seem determined to try to find a dog in rescue, to which I say good for them Hopefully the fact the new president and family are looking at rescue will make at least some people realise rescue dogs don't have two heads and who knows which Heinz 57s and bullbreeds may find themselves in a great new home because of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 (edited) God how many times do we have to hear the recurring myth of the "hypoallergenic" dog - there's no such bloomin' thing. I do think it's great they want a rescue, of course rescue vs. breeder and the breed is up to them really and they've noone to answer to as long as they're happy and the dog is. Just wish we didn't have to hear this "hypoallergenic" rubbish, how many dogs have ended up in rescue because they were sold as allergy safe..... Edited February 27, 2009 by KathyM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 Hmm She wants a rescue puppy in April. Do they come up on demand? That made me wonder too. Maybe things are different in the US, and I've no doubt rescues will be falling over themselves to help, but it still seems optimistic. God how many times do we have to hear the recurring myth of the "hypoallergenic" dog - there's no such bloomin' thing. I do think it's great they want a rescue, of course rescue vs. breeder and the breed is up to them really and they've noone to answer to as long as they're happy and the dog is. Just wish we didn't have to hear this "hypoallergenic" rubbish, how many dogs have ended up in rescue because they were sold as allergy safe..... Quite. I always understood that no one breed of dog was "safe" for every allergy sufferer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted February 27, 2009 Report Share Posted February 27, 2009 A Portuguese Waterdog rescue puppy ... they happen, I do know one, but the most likely age for a PWD to turn up in rescue is adolescence or later. They are wonderful dogs but can be strong willed and feisty, and they need plenty to do. Not sure they are the best choice for a first dog. Glad the family are getting a rescue, but wish they had left their options more open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted February 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 I just think it is wonderful that, despite having loads of money and a daughter with an allergy, they have not ran to a breeder right away, but have kept going on how they want a rescue dog. How many "celebrities" do you know who have done that? Okay, that might be a whole thread in itself, and I can name a few, but let's face it, they are a minority. And I can only guess that they have arrived at the choice of a portuguese waterdog after having done research and asking for advice. If that is the advice that they have been given, what more do you want? Obama has said that he'd prefer a mutt from a shelter, but if said mutt would trigger his daughter's allergies and has to be sent back, for the next mutt to arrive, with possible similar consequences, then what do they gain? That must be heartbreaking for a 7 and a 10 year old! I'm sure they'll have staff who know about dogs and who will help them with training and what have ya, but no staff, however knowledgeable, would be able to stop allergic reactions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted February 28, 2009 Report Share Posted February 28, 2009 OK, but they may simply not get one because there are few in rescue and very few pups. It might have been better to include other non-shedding breeds in their search. The allergy question depends on whether the allergy is to the hair or the skin flakes. Some people are OK with non-shedders, other have an allergic reaction to all. The first time I typed that I wrote "non-shredding". Subconscious typo - I'd love to have one of those I agree that it is great they are promoting rescue dogs, even though they may have a hard job to find exactly what they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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