That dog is so cute!

Why didn't they set a good example by getting a dog from the shelter? 3-4 million cats and dogs are euthanized every year.

It's always a bad idea to give a dog a name that rhymes with "no," something I learned the hard way.

"Why didn't they set a good example by getting a dog from the shelter? 3-4 million cats and dogs are euthanized every year."

The dog was unwanted and they took it. An unwanted dog is an unwanted dog no matter where it comes from, no?

If I had that dog, my apartment's "cute factor" would immediately sky-rocket!

Yes, you are right! I overlooked that part. I'm glad they are being responsible about this.

Get a REAL dog. This thing is too froofy.

Obama had said a while back that they wanted to adopt from a shelter, but were limited on breed choices due to the girls' allergies. And as mentioned above, they did still take in a pet that needed a good home - it's not like they went to the pet store or purchased some ridiculous "designer" breed.

jeffnyc,

One of the girls is allergic to dogs so they had to get a hair type breed rather than a fur breed. Hair type breeds are mostly "froofy" such as Poodles, Maltese, Shih tzus, Bichons, and some Terriers. You can read a good list here: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/allergy.htm.

I myself am allergic to dogs and have a Yorkie (from a Yorkie rescue). When I got him I thought he would be more like a cat, but he's as much of a dog as any of the Hounds and Labs I've had in the past. Trust me, he's a "REAL" dog.

So cute and so happy for the dog and the fam!

Really, AT, leave the Obama lovefest for other sites. Stay away from politics and talk about what we come here for...DESIGN.

Um. Off the political platforms please. A family pet fits into this blog quite nicely! Apartment Therapy is about design yes, but also what makes a healthy and happy home.

No problems here. I love puppies, home design and President Obama. :)

So the shelter dog requirement went the way of public campaign financing and lobbyists in the White House. Surprising.

It was a gift! And I think AT has definitely posted about pets before. What's with all the hate, people?

The 'laundry list of requirements' (which makes sense given the fact that none of them ever owned a dog before, the special circumstances of the family itself, and the allergies) probably hampered their efforts to adopt a shelter animal. They probably figured it was easier to take in a well-trained dog that had already been vetted (pardon the pun) by a family that was familiar with the breed.

The Obamas, whether we like it or not, are a national symbol for the whole country and I am glad they are showing the benefits of pet adoption to everyone. While I would also have like to have seen a pet from a shelter, they are parents first and have to think of the girls' allergies. Overall, I think just making people remember to bring animals into their lives is a good thing.

I also never had a dog when I was younger, but just celebrated one year with my dog (from the local shelter). He is one of the best things that has ever happen to me and my family! I hope the Obamas and other families can have the same experience!

The strategy behind having a friend "gift" the dog is brilliant. It allowed for the Obamas to get the pure breed dog they wanted and keeps the millions upon millions of shelter-centric Obama supporters from getting irrate over the dog not being a rescue.

just to clarify, I'm pretty sure a portuguese water dog is in the working or sporting group of dogs... they are large and athletic, and just because they have a curly water coat does not make it "froofy."
I think it's an excellent choice and I'm glad to hear the Obamas are making a donation to the Humane Society as well!

PWDs make excellent gun dogs. Dunno if that makes it more "real".

I've known many, and someone in the White House is going to have his or her hands full with the grooming. The thick coat requires daily brushing and frequent clips and baths.

He is really cute. I agree the name is going to be a tough one with NO.

I don't mind that the Obamas got a purebred dog. The girls' allergies had to come first. I appreciate that the Obamas acted deliberately vs. buying and impulse puppy like the Bidens. Impulse puppies from bad breeders are more likely to end up in shelters.

The woman that bred Bo is an excellent breeder. She is committed to the breed the dogs she has bred as she has stated "Responsible breeders are responsible for the dogs they place for life.”

Ok did most of you read the post or decide to be hate-filled while being ignorant? It plainly said the dog was unwanted, which means it needed a home - it also said the Obamas were planning to donate money to the humane society instead. Who knows, they may get another dog.

It's not always easy to find a dog that fits your lifestyle in a shelter - they obviously needed a hair-type breed. Maybe they hadn't found one.

@Seaside: Can you tell me if you have evidence that it was a friend who "gifted" the dog? It sounds to me that this was an unwanted dog. The cynicism is really ugly.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/04/white_house_dog_bo_despite_can.html

cheer up, ftpansy.

Oh blah blah blah. I got my shih tzu from the shelter and he happened to be purebred. Dogs with fancy pedigrees do end up being left homeless, too.

While I'm not complaining too much as a fan of dogs, and Obama, I do feel like there could have been at least some attempt to make this post design/home related. As someone with a pet, I agree that a dog can make a house a home, but this reads much like a general news article that I saw pop up on a number of sites today. I'd have appreciated some links to previous posts about pet home design (there should be lots, September was dedicated to the topic!)

Seaside, do not be so selective in reading. A friend got the dog from a home that didn't want it.

Lelyveld further explained, Bo "was previously owned but did not get along with the other dogs in its last house. The Kennedys learned of its availability and got it for the Obama girls."

The Obama's were limited to breeds because of allergies. I think that the reason they didn't get a shelter dog is because there aren't too many Portugese Water dogs found in shelters. At least the Obama's will make a charitable contribution to help shelter dogs.

Seaside - Reread your own article. It quoted Obama as saying he PREFERRED to get a dog from a shelter, it did not say he would absolutely refuse any dog that didn't come from one. Please read articles before posting them - this one is making you look even more ignorant.

Shelters dogs are unwanted - this dog in it's old home was unwanted -- name the difference. And the family plans to make a contribution to help shelter dogs. I praise them more for being parents first - you wouldn't honestly just get a shelter dog just because if you knew it would irritate your child's allergies.

Great dog choice! While I believe in supporting shelters, and in not carelessly buying pets that may be abandoned, I would not adopt a dog from a shelter myself. I also have quite severe (puffy eyes, constant sneezing, a lot of hives) allergies to dogs, and would hate to own a dog that I could not give as much love to as I would want. Most shelter dogs cannot be guaranteed as pure breed- and non-purebreed hair-type dogs often do shed and affect allergies. Labradoodles are not always non-shedders despite the common belief. It is also best to own a dog from early in its life in most cases (especially some of the more intelligent breeds who often get depressed with changed owners) in order to be able to sufficiently train it- many of the dogs at my local shelter are there because they were never properly house trained, which is not easy for a 6 year old dog to learn.
Most dogs at least in my city at the shelter are also high-maintenance and high-strung large breeds such as Huskies, german shepards, and rottweilers which can all be lovely dogs, yet are not for a busy family with young children, nor are they good for a home with expensive furniture. This is why these dogs are common at shelters- people get seduced by the idea of the breed but do not have the necessities that the dog needs, so the dog might act poorly from boredom and loneliness.

In all, supporting a good breeder, and taking an unwanted dog from that breeder is often the best solution for many. Pet stores are the problem, not responsible breeders who only breed when they are certain that their puppies will all be taken by carefully selected families. It should NOT be easy to get a puppy from a breeder, and if it is, it might be best to find another. Bo is cute though... and he will be a handfull- curly haired water dogs (even poodles) can be pretty tough dogs. I am considering this breed as a potential now as well... Its not a common breed, but by the time I want one, I'm sure the popularity will have skyrocketed due to Obama-madness.

Yes, naming your dog something that rhymes with NO is not a good idea!

It is pretty coincidental that Ted Kennedy just happened to find the exact dog they wanted/needed due to the Obama daughter allergies and gift it to them the exact weekend they were planning on giving the girls a dog.

I don't think we can really know whether or not BO came from an unwanted home or a breeder, but at least the dog is in a home where I'm sure he'll receive lots of love.

Rebeldress, it's not that Kennedy just happened to find the dog. He's a big fan of them and owns some himself, and the dog in question is actually a relative to one of his own.

Although I am a shelter-dog owner myself (two mutts), I have come to understand and respect breeders more. Many have family pet or fostered dogs that are mixed breeds or otherwise unable to be sold because of genetic "imperfections." They are small business owners who in turn support their local economies.

And the Obamas gave a donation, probably a large one, to the Humane Society. So although this didn't work out perfectly as a media opportunity for the shelter movement, I don't think the nasty comments here are deserved at all.

Is that not one of the cutest photographs of a father and daughter? The Obama family rocks.

beddybee and PixP--It is not "pro-Obama propaganda" or part of an "Obama lovefest" to cover the president's dog. Lots of posts on AT are specifically about living with pets or involve references to them. You both could have skipped right over this post if you too didn't want to read about the "First Dog."

I didn't vote for Bush, but I was able to read human-interest stories about him and his family with just that: human interest. Whether it was brush cutting on their Texas ranch or their daughter's wedding, I was able to suspend my political cynicism to appreciate a story about our first family.

See, I would give more credence to those criticizing this post's lack of overt design-content if I didn't suspect that their criticism is motivated by politics as opposed to some passion for keeping AT on topic.

This isn't just a blog about design. It's a blog about transforming one's living space into a home, including everything from where to store the kitty litter to how to wrangle noisy neighbors. Selecting a dog that won't wreck the country's most famous rental house or cause allergic reactions in one's kids fits right in, IMHO. Ever notice the prominence of pets in AT house tours? There's a reason for that. They might look like cute little puffballs, but make no mistake: the beasties are in charge.

I distinctly remember Obama saying their preference was for a shelter dog (a "mutt" like himself, he said), but of the daughters was allergic so... and he shrugged. So he was always upfront about a shelter dog being a preference, but perhaps not realistically possible.

One other thing, I imagine the temperament of the White House dog is more important even that it usually is in a family pet (you don't want the dog biting visiting heads of state when a million press-pool flashbulbs go off!) so that might have further reduced the pool of suitable dogs.

there is just something weird when a president grows up without any pets :\

Blandwagon,

The Obama family rocks for several reasons. I just happen to think that particular photograph is a wonderful image of a father and daughter, okay? Sheesh.

previous owners of this dog were reported to be six, and six that apparently had not done their research or could not handle him. it's a good thing the Obamas, who are committed as a family, adopted him. they may need Cesar Milan to drop by, though.

pets are part of quality of life, not strictly decor, but pets are often the subject of posts here for good reason. the first pet fits right in--which is not only about design, but about making your life more beautiful, full, comfortable and manageable. AT, is this so?

pets and kindness go together. my hope is for a home draped, swathed, drenched, clad and adorned with kindness and compassion above all.