The Obamas' dog, Bo arrives at White House tomorrow

[BirminghamExaminer]

Update on the Obama dog:

Bo, the Portuguese water dog is due to arrive at the White House tomorrow. He was supposed to be a secret that would be revealed on Tuesday but the story leaked out on the internet over the weekend.

The Associated Press reports that Martha Sterne of Boyd, Texas is the breeder. She warns that Portuguese water dogs are high energy and high maintenance dogs and therefore, not for everyone. PWDs as the dogs are known, require a lot of brushing because of the very curly and non shedding coat that is typical of the breed.

Bo was given to the Obamas by Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and his wife Victoria.

Sterne voiced concerns that the publicity surrounding the Obamas dog may lead to a surge in popularity and demand for the breed that will drive puppy mills to try to "churn out" the breed. Sterne is calling on responsible PWD breeders to prevent that from happening.

I posted an update to the original story because several freeper types used the opportunity of my original column to bash the Obamas. They'll go to any lengths to bash Obama.

[robinlynne]

1. And that is exactly why it would have been wonderful for them to get a shelter dog!

[BirminghamExaminer]

2. I agree that it would have been best to get a shelter dog but this dog was a GIFT

from Kennedy and I don't see how the Obamas could really benefit from turning down the gift. I suppose they could have adopted two dogs....but yes, I wish they had gotten a dog from a shelter instead.

[Mopar151]

6. And it was NOT a puppy mill dog

Bo is a "re-home", things did'nt work out with his first family, for whatever reason. But, please, the little guy is really cute, and it is'nt his fault!

I wish it was'nt so, but the whole White House pet thing has turned into a giant wacko detector.

[customerserviceguy]

3. And puppy milling

is likely to be on the rise. I've met at least one person back in the Pacific NW who is taking advantage of lax enforcement to breed her rottweiler for dogs to sell on Craigslist. With a softening economy, I can only imagine this sort of thing continuing, especially in semi-rural areas where they'd sure love to hide cash from Obama.

[MasonJar]

4. My animals are all rescue, and they are so wonderful. At this point I have

2 dogs and 2 cats. They are one of the centers of my world.

[Peregrine Took]

5. Mutts are smarter than purebreds. My childhood dog, Spot, used to escape

our yard by jumping on the garbage box and going over the fence.

As we lived on a busy street (a "boulevard") and he was going on his "rounds" he would want to cross the street but was afraid to do so as it was too busy.

Brilliant little dude would sit and wait for a person to come along who was crossing Loomis and he would tag along with them. What a smart dog!