People will be watching Obama family's dog closely
By Michelle Posge, DVM
Friday, April 24, 2009
Published in the "Your Pet" column of The Nashua Telegraph.
The column runs on the second and fourth Fridays of each month.
Of the many consequential decisions that President Barack Obama has made in office, the selection of a puppy to live in the White House has been much anticipated by people like myself.
Bo, a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog, has fulfilled the president's campaign promise made to his daughters, and now Bo must live up to the huge responsibility of being a role-model family dog.
My own interest in the final decision had to do with knowing what breed of dog would be forever changed by the inevitable popularity that follows. I am guessing there will be a few more Portuguese water dogs in my puppy kindergarten classes in the near future. The temptation to breed for money over soundness of health, behavior and breed characteristics will be tremendous. Both breeders and purchasers alike will need to be cautious.
Now that there is a puppy living with the first family, I am interested in following this puppy's adjustment to his new surroundings. Just like our president, Bo will have a steep learning curve his first year in the White House. This puppy has already had a couple of homes in his young life, and he will need learn the dos and don'ts of his new surroundings. He'll want to know if it is OK to chew on the Oval Office presidential desk or pee on the 19th-century oriental rugs. No, Bo.
Socialization will also be very important for Bo. The Obama girls are not toddlers, but living with children is not always easy for dogs. The behavior of children is different than adults and can seem unpredictable compared to their older counterparts. If Bo has had limited exposure to kids, this will seem very new to him and will take some getting used to.
If that were not enough, it is likely that Bo will meet many strangers in his lifetime. He will need to learn how to feel comfortable being in the celebrity spotlight. His behavior will be closely observed in these situations, and there will be little room for error. Is it OK to jump on foreign leaders? No, Bo.
Portuguese water dogs – or Cao de Agua, if you are in Portugal – were bred to be a fisherman's boat companion. His waterproof coat should prove to be hypoallergenic, but it will require regular grooming. Like all puppies, he will have to learn to tolerate nail trimming, ear cleaning, fur grooming and teeth brushing.
Porties are athletic and smart. They were once used for retrieving nets, herding schools of fish and carrying messages between boats. Bo will need lots of exercise to keep him happy and well-behaved. He will respond well to obedience training and would probably love having a job. Maybe something to do with the White House swimming pool?
In any case, there is more work to do after the selection of a puppy has been made. A good decision on breed sets the stage for a successful pet, but it does not guarantee what kind of pet you get when the puppy grows up.
In my work as a veterinary behaviorist, I have met many puppies that fail to live up to expectations. This is can be due to poor selection, but also due to inadequate early socialization, incomplete training and unrealistic ideas about what it is like to live with dogs. The selection has been made, so now it is my hope that the president's family dedicates the time for training and socialization Bo will need to be a successful first pet rather than a pup who thinks his name is "NoBo."
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