Something interesting about Portuguese water dogs ...

[ColbertWatcher]

...From the Los Angeles Times
Portuguese water dogs play key role in genetics research
The Obama's puppy comes from the most studied breed in the world. The clues into what determines size and disease susceptibility help researchers looking into human disease.
By Trine Tsouderos
April 14, 2009

The Obamas may have accepted Bo the Portuguese water dog as First Puppy because of the breed's hypoallergenic coat, but the dogs are also the most genetically studied breed in the world.

Thanks to their remarkable history, the dogs have been the source of key insights into the function of certain canine genes, including determining a dog's size and whether it is susceptible to a devastating disease. Those insights also have offered clues to researchers looking into human diseases.

"Dogs have many of the same diseases that humans have. There is great hope these will translate to humans," said Kevin Chase, senior researcher at the Georgie Project at the University of Utah, which studies Portuguese water dog genetics. (Georgie was a water dog belonging to the project's founder.)

A series of lucky breaks has made the breed ideal for genetic research. First, all American Kennel Club-registered water dogs came from a tiny founding group of about 30 animals starting in the 1930s. That means the amount of genetic variation from animal to animal is small compared with breeds that have many founders.

In addition, the breed standard for water dogs allows for a lot of physical variation. Registered Portuguese water dogs can be big or small. They can have curly hair or wavy. They can be black. They can have bits of white hair, as Bo does.

(more at the link)

--Los Angeles Times

More links:
* Portuguese Water Dog Club of America
* American Kennel Club
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_Water_Dog">Wikip*dia
* Portuguese Water Dog Foundation

[Submariner]

1. Does he sleep in Malia's bed or Sasha's bed?

Let the puppy wars begin...:rofl:

[KamaAina]

5. Michelle's

:evilgrin:

[gblady]

9. ooooh......

I don't think so...
Michelle doesn't seem to be the type
that would like that...

Of course, this is conjecture...
but she just seems to really be
all about the discipline.

She didn't look too joyful at the outing...
certainly not like Barack and Malia.

[dieselrevolver]

2. no doubt about it

they are beautiful animals, great choice by the obamas.

[MadMaddie]

3. No doubt about it he is going to be a rascal!! You can just see it

in his face....He will be a lot of fun and a lot of hard work.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. They can't really speak Portuguese?

.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. Anyone point this out yet?

The dog's the perfect combination of black and white.

Was this part of the reason for the choice, I wonder?

He's adorable ...............

[glinda]

7. No. He was re-homed. First Ted wanted him but the Breeders thought he was too assertive for Ted

then a woman got him but he kept bothering her other Porti. Tried to nurse it as Bo thought it was his mother I read. Then before he was to be returned, Ted nabbed him in order to hopefully see if the Obamas liked him. They did. End of story except for the fact he is going to be a handful. They need to work on commands and heeling. Great choice but a Wheaten would have been calmer.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

8. Yes, I knew all that, but what I was pointing out

was his perfect coloring - black and white, just like the Obama family........................................

[ColbertWatcher]

10. That's not fair. You can't mention Wheatons without posting pics. n/t

[glinda]

13. I would post an image but can't figure out how to do it from my computer as

it seems they want you have have it from another image/pic based web site. Is there a way to do it?

[BanzaiBonnie]

11. Years ago I was looking into either a Portugese Water Dog or a Wheaten Terrier

because I like the personalities and attributes of those breeds.

We ended up adopting a Border Collie/Lab mix from the local shelter. She's wonderful, but talk about a handful. Border Collies are not for everyone. Her job is walking us. Several times a day. She also spends much of her day exploring outside. But sometimes she just wants to lay beside us and get loves.

Then several weeks ago we were at the vet and there was a puppy that had been abandoned. Lily adopted the pup with her eyes and we brought home the sweet Yellow Lab/Terrier mix. He's a complete love. Lily and Huck adore one another and are the best of friends.

[radfringe]

12. His name may be a problem...

"BO" sounds too much like "NO" - they will have to come up with a different word for "no", maybe 'stop' or 'halt'

had a friend with an old english sheepdog - the operative discipline word in the house was "don't" -- by the time the OES was a year old, it thought it's name was "don't"