# The First Dog: Barack Obama picks his 'mutt'



## testmg80 (Jul 28, 2008)

Posted By: Peter Wedderburn at Feb 25, 2009 at 22:31:39 
Posted in: UK Correspondents 

President Obama has just made up his mind on a critical policy decision that will have repercussions around the globe. His first hint of his intention to take this action was given during his victory speech, and he has let slip some of his feelings on the subject at subsequent press conferences.

But it was Michelle Obama who has released the news to the world, in an interview with People magazine: the new presidential pooch is going to be a rescued Portuguese Water Dog.
This relatively obscure breed will now be the centre of attention in the pedigree dog world: its appearance at Crufts next week will be watched closely, and puppy prices will soar around the world.

The choice of dog is wise, as would be expected from this president. He has gone for the predictability of a pedigree dog, whilst choosing a breed that has a reputation for being reasonably healthy, intelligent and good-natured. He's countering the possible negative effect of choosing an elite pedigree animal by taking on a "rescue" dog from a rehoming centre. (The Washington Animal Rescue League, on the doorstep of the White House, reports that one in four of the dogs that they have looking for homes are pedigree animals.) 

By selecting an adult dog, the family will avoid accusations of supporting puppy-farm types of industry, and they'll also be spared the extra hassle of training a puppy.

It's been reported that the Portuguese Water Dog is "hypoallergenic", but veterinary dermatologists maintain that no breed of dog can be defined in this way. Every dog carries allergens on its coat, and these are inevitably spread around the dog's immediate environment. It's true that the breed, like Poodles, has a type of coat which tends to keep growing longer and longer, rather than shedding like other dogs. There's an (unproven) argument that the reduced contamination of the home with hair could reduce any allergic reaction in humans.

Unusually, two different types of coat are allowed in Portuguese Water Dogs, according the breed standard: a curly coat, like a poodle, or a wavy coat, more like a spaniel. Either is acceptable in the show ring. There are also two permitted types of haircut: the sensible "retriever" cut, where clippers are used to shorten the coat to one inch all over, and the bizarre "lion cut", where the fur is clipped off to skin level over the hindquarters and muzzle, leaving long, wavy hair covering the forequarters and chest. It's claimed that this cut allowed the dog to move its muscular hind legs to maximum effect whilst allowing it's chest to be protected from the elements when it originally worked as a fisherman's dog off the coast of Portugal. My own feeling is that some Portuguese Water Dog breeder in the past liked the weird look of it and span a yarn, but I could be wrong.

The new presidential dog isn't expected to arrive until April, so there's plenty of time for speculation on other important details, such as the chosen name for the animal. The Obama daughters' initial suggestions of "Frank" and "Moose" have been rejected. Senator Ted Kennedy is a fan of the breed, and his two are called "Sunny" and "Splash". The People Magazine website is running a poll to choose a name, and readers seem to be taking it very seriously, with suggestions such as Abraham, Lincoln, and Freedom. I'm sure Telegraph readers can do better. A gambling website is running odds on the name that will finally be chosen: my favourite is Biden at 6/1. Any other suggestions below, please.


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## LittleMissSunshine (Aug 31, 2008)

what does a Portuguese water dog look like???


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## ad_1980 (Jan 28, 2009)

LittleMissSunshine said:


> what does a Portuguese water dog look like???


I had no idea what they looked like at first until i googled the images of a Portugese Water Dog. They look a bit like poodles but more...bigger in a way and they look like a cross of a poodle and something else.


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## Farleks (Feb 26, 2009)

A Poodle and a sewer rat.


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