Kanellos the Greek protest dog

A dog that has been seen at nearly every demonstration in Athens over the last two years has turned up again during the recent protests against new austerity measures. View more images here: guardian.co.uk

Meet The First Dog's Walker

You don’t know the face, but you may know the leg: A khaki-clad hunk of it often shows up — generally from the knee down — in photographs of Bo Obama.

The leg belongs to Dale Haney, who, when the First Family is too busy to walk the dog, assumes the duty.

As a keeper of the White House grounds for nearly 40 years, Haney has managed to cultivate relationships with the presidential pups — all the way back to Richard Nixon’s Irish setter, King Timahoe.

“They heard about me and they called me to come over here for an interview and I came and here I still am,” he told the Associated Press during a tour of the gardens on a rainy morning when first lady Michelle Obama — Bo’s primary walker — was out of town.

“I have him a little bit more” when she’s traveling, said Haney.

Before Bo came along, Haney had walked and played with President George W. Bush’s Scottish terriers, Barney and Miss Beazley. But he says he was most fond of Spot, an English springer spaniel whose mother, Millie, belonged to Bush’s father, President George H.W. Bush.

“I do have a soft spot for Spot,” he said in an online chat in 2003. “I was there when she was born and now she’s back.” Millie gave birth to Spot at the White House in 1989; the younger Bush and his wife, Laura, put Spot to sleep in 2004 after she’d had several strokes.

Haney began at the White House as a gardener, then was supervisor of grounds maintenance and lead horticulturist before becoming superintendent of all the grounds last fall.

Besides helping out with Bo, Haney tends to the nearly 19 acres of lawns, trees and gardens around the White House.

[Source: Ohmidog!]

Remembering Ted Kennedy

Politics aside, U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy will be remembered by many for his contributions to the nation and also for his love for his dogs Sunny and Splash, Portuguese Water Dogs.

He told Harry Smith of CBS in a 2006 interview:" Splash is a part of our family, but he's part of the senate family as well. He comes to work with me every day with his little niece Sunny and members of the senate dome. He's not allowed to go on the senate floor. He's troubled by that... because he thinks, he says that they won't let him on because people will say that they don't think he knows how to behave. But actually, he says that he behaves a lot better than most senators."

He gave President Obama his puppy, a Portuguese Water Dog, named Bo.

Kennedy wrote a children's book My Senator and Me in Sunny's voice. One of his greatest joys was sailing with his wife Vicki and the dogs on his sloop Mya.

[Source: USAToday.com]

Beanie Baby Bo!

Last month, toy company Ty announced its plans to market a Beanie Baby in the image of the new Obama family dog, Bo. And the Bo dolls appear to be popular enough that they're hard to keep in stock. The Associated Press reports:

Less than a dozen "Bo" Beanie Babies were sent to the educational toy shop Learning Express in the Chicago suburb of St. Charles, and he sold out quickly, owner Aalap Shah said Wednesday.

"We were fortunate enough to receive a small shipment of 'Bo,' " Shah said. "He sold out within a few hours. He was very popular. We can't wait to get some more in."

Capitalizing on the first family's popularity seems to come naturally to Ty, which came under fire early this year when it introduced two dolls, "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha," apparently modeled after the president's daughters. (A Ty spokesperson said the company had chosen the names simply because "they are beautiful names," but the dolls were quickly rebranded. You can see "Marvelous Mariah" and "Sweet Sydney" above -- and clearly they bear no resemblance to the Obama girls. Cough, cough.)

Beanie Bo's suggested retail price is $4.99, although the dolls are often selling for considerably more on eBay. One online auctioner even offers the holy trinity of Obama-themed Ty memoribilia: original TyGirlz Malia and Sasha dolls (authenticated!) and Beanie Bo. Asking price? $2,299.95.

Yeah, we'll get right on that.

[Source: L.A. Unleashed]

Meet Bo, America's First Dog

Arguably, it was more talked about than the top Treasury post, more debated than the Department of Homeland Security: Who would be America's first pooch?

But now we have an answer: It's Bo, a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog the Obamas are reportedly adopting, said to be a gift from the don of Portuguese water dog lovers, Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.

The president's daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, have named the black-and-white puppy Bo, according to The Washington Post, because their cousins have a cat named Bo and first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley. Like Bo Diddley.

It was, for a while, the best-kept secret in Washington. Secret meetings were held on the subject, and a clandestine rendezvous was arranged just weeks ago between Bo and the Obama girls.

Bo is expected to arrive Tuesday.

To read more about Bo, and about First Dogs past, head on over to ABCNews.go.com

Obamas Leaning Toward Portuguese Water Dog

The whole world, it seems, wants to know: What kind of dog are the Obamas getting and, for goodness sake, when?

Speaking to PEOPLE at the White House recently, Michelle Obama leaned in and confided: "You're getting some scoops here."

So, when? In April, Mrs. Obama says – after she and the President take daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, on a vacation for spring break.

Here's a sample of a typical family conversation on the matter: "So Sasha says, 'April 1st.' I said, 'April.' She says, 'April 1st.' It's, like, April!," Mrs. Obama recalls. "Got to do it after spring break. You can't get a new dog and then go away for a week."

And what kind of dog will soon be frolicking on the South Lawn? Mrs. Obama says the family is looking for a rescue Portuguese Water dog who is "old enough" and a "match" for the family dynamic.

"Temperamentally they're supposed to be pretty good," she says of the breed that Sen. Ted Kennedy has also lobbied for (he has two Water dogs of his own). "From the size perspective, they're sort of middle of the road – it's not small, but it's not a huge dog. And the folks that we know who own them have raved about them. So that's where we're leaning."

The only thing still up in the air is the name. And Mom's not feeling it with some of the names her girls have come up with.

"Oh, the names are really bad. I don't even want to mention it, because there are names floating around and they're bad," Mrs. Obama says with a laugh. "You listen and you go – like, I think, Frank was one of them. Frank! Moose was another one of them. Moose. I said, well, what if the dog isn't a moose? Moose. I'm like, no, come on, let's work with the names a little bit."

Asked if she can believe the public interest in her family dog search, Mrs. Obama shakes her head. "Okay, that's surprising," she says. "One of the things I didn't anticipate is the level of the excitement about the dog. I knew my kids were excited. They've been excited for years. They've even calmed down, because they feel like, 'They said we're going to get one, so let's just shut up about it.' "

Diplomatically, and careful not to insult enthusiastic dog-lovers, she adds: "It's all great and gracious attention. People are just being as helpful as you can imagine. So I know that we will find the perfect breed. And we'll find people who are caring folks who will help us find the dog of our dreams."

[Source: People.com]

Pennsylvania Boy Offers Puppy to Obama Family

During their trip to witness the historic inauguration of Barack Obama, two Fayette County, Pennsylvania commissioners will deliver a letter that could potentially change the life of the new president and the first family.

The inauguration of Obama as the 44th president will take place today, and commissioners Vincent A. Vicites and Vincent Zapotosky left Monday to head to Washington, D.C.

In their possession will be a letter from Zachary William Shiley to Malia Obama, the oldest daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama. Shiley, a fourth-grade student at Wharton Elementary School in Farmington, is offering a 6-week-old female labradoodle puppy to the first family.

The puppy, born Nov. 26, was the only offspring that survived the litter of 11-year-old Hillary, a chocolate Labrador and 1-year-old Bullet, a black labradoodle.

Zachary Shiley said the family has been calling the dog Vegas because his mother was in Las Vegas, Nev., when Hillary became pregnant. It also was her idea to offer it to the Obamas, he said. Shiley describes the puppy as a little shy but "very smart and friendly." Shiley added that Vegas is full of energy as well as a blessing.

"We want her to have a good home, and what could be better than the White House... A dream come true," Shiley wrote in his letter to Malia Obama. "I almost forgot, the puppy is free," Shiley wrote. Included with the letter are two photographs of the puppy with an American flag and Shiley with the puppy. Vicites said while he knows it is a long shot that the Obamas would end up with the Fayette County puppy, the puppy has to come from somewhere.

[Source: HeraldStandard.com]

Obama Dog Watch: Finalists in the Hunt for a Dog

The Obama family is nearing a decision on the breed for the first dog.

Before President-elect Barack Obama began his interview on the ABC program “This Week,” which was broadcast Sunday, his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, asked the host, George Stephanopoulos, to slip in this question: “What kind of a dog are we getting, and when are we getting it?”

When asked, Mr. Obama laughed “They seem to have narrowed it down to a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound,” he said, adding that the next step is to canvass shelters.

“We’re closing in on it,” he said. “This has been tougher than finding a commerce secretary,” a reference to the recent withdrawal by Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico as his original selection for that post.

Both breeds — a Labradoodle at top, a Portuguese water dog below — were chosen to reduce Malia’s allergy to dogs and have big Democratic backers. Senator Edward M. Kennedy owns two Portuguese water dogs, Sunny and Splash, which often flank him as he walks the halls of the Capitol. Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. has a Labradoodle (part Labrador retriever, part poodle) named Brother.

Fulfilling his promise to get a dog is just one of the personal decisions that Mr. Obama and his family face as they settle into Washington.

Mr. Obama said the family planned to visit a number of churches to see “what’s comfortable.” Every president since James Madison has attended St. John’s, the Federal-style Episcopal church across Lafayette Square from the White House. But several predominantly black churches are eager to lure the Obamas, like Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, where Bill Clinton twice attended inaugural prayer services.

One family matter that appears to be going well is the Obama girls’ transition to their new school, Sidwell Friends.

“They seemed to thrive,” Mr. Obama said in the interview of their first week at the private school. “I’m trying to figure out why it is that they don’t seem to be fazed by anything.

“People think — you know, folks think I’m cool. They are a lot cooler than I am. They just don’t seem to be intimidated.”

[Source: The New York Times]

Joe Biden To Adopt Second Dog

After coming under fire for buying a puppy from a breeder in PA (where violations have been cited in the past), Vice President-elect Joe Biden is vowing to add another dog to his growing family.

This time, he’ll get one from a shelter.

“We’re gonna get a pound dog that my wife wants,” Biden said. He told ABC the new puppy will likely be a golden retriever — and that he’s not just adopting from a pound just to silence critics. “We’ve always had two dogs,” he says. “We’ve always had two big dogs so they can have companionship. I’ve had German shepherds from the time I was a kid. I’ve trained them and shown them.”

Biden also told Stephanopoulos that his family is no stranger to pound pets. “We already have a pound cat — we’ve had pound animals in our house,” he says.

[Source: ecorazzi.com]

Barney Cam: Happy Holidays from the White House

Olympic gold medalists Michael Phelps and Nastia Liukin guest star in the final holiday doggie video from the White House. In the "Barney Cam" Christmas greeting, the first family's Scottish terrier scampers amid the White House's red, white and blue holiday decorations before retiring for a nap and imagining himself as an athlete.

Barney is shown in cutout animation as an Olympic vaulter, swimmer and synchronized diver with fellow terrier Miss Beazley, both in red swimsuits. He also dreams of sinking the final putt to secure the Ryder Cup, with the entire U.S. Ryder Cup team chanting "Barney, Barney, Barney!"

The Barney Cam was an instant holiday hit when it was introduced in 2002 and got 24 million Web visitors on its first day. Since then, Barney's holiday videos have featured former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bush adviser Karl Rove, country singers Dolly Parton and Alan Jackson and other stars.

The videos aren't Barney's only star turn, though. He was an inadvertent hit on YouTube recently when he was taped biting a reporter who tried to get his attention.

The Barney Cam spot introduced Monday starts with President George W. Bush, his wife, Laura, and their daughters, Jenna and Barbara, reminiscing about their times together in the White House, then sending Barney off to decorate and nap.

After a wake-up from President Bush ("We're sprinting to the finish, not napping to the finish"), Barney gets a "10" score from Liukin and fellow gymnast Shawn Johnson.

Phelps tells Barney: "I'm glad the decorations are finally coming together and you're using my favorite color, gold."

[Source: The Associated Press]

Biden Beats Obama in Fulfilling Pooch Promise

President-elect Barack Obama promised his two daughters a puppy if he won the White House, but Malia and Sasha Obama weren't the only ones promised a dog. Last week, Vice President-elect Joe Biden got a puppy of his own, making good on his wife Jill's agreement that he could get a dog if the Democrats won.

On an Election Day flight from Richmond to Chicago in the early afternoon, Biden was too superstitious to talk about what kind of dog he might end up getting. "I don't know what kind I'm going to get yet," he said. "But we're not there yet. The deal is not closed yet."

Jill made the promise to her husband when he was being vetted by the Obama team this summer, when he was still weighing whether he wanted to join the Democratic ticket. "Take the vice presidency and get elected, you'll get a dog," Biden recalled his wife telling him.

The Daily Local News (Chester County, Del.) reported that Biden picked out a 3-month-old German shepherd puppy last week. The veep's selection comes as no surprise. The Delaware lawmaker has owned German shepherds in the past and is a known fan of big dogs.

The Daily Local News reports that Biden's granddaughters will get to name the puppy. Two of Biden's granddaughters, Finnegan and Natalie, joined him during the improptu press availabilty on the Richmond-Chicago flight.

[Source: abcNews.com]

Search for First Dog Featured in Comic Strip

Soon after President-elect Barack Obama spoke at a news conference about getting his daughters a pet from an animal shelter because “a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me,” Patrick McDonnell, creator of the comic strip “Mutts,” leapt into action. He quickly devised six strips supporting shelter adoptions.

“I normally stay away from politics, but this was a perfect fit,” Mr. McDonnell wrote in an e-mail message.

The sequence, which begins on Monday, features Mooch the cat and Earl the dog, above, discussing the next first pet. “If the Obama household adopted a mutt,” Mr. McDonnell added, “it would make a huge statement.” “Mutts,” distributed by King Features Syndicate, appears in more than 700 newspapers worldwide and online at muttscomics.com

[Source: NY Times]

The Search For First Puppy Continues

President-elect Barack Obama informed reporters at a packed press briefing Friday that one campaign promise was proving more challenging than expected.

Obama promised daughters Malia and Sasha a new puppy if elected and in his acceptance speech he pledged to make good. The problem? Malia is allergic. Obama noted that there were several breeds that were hypoallergenic but the issue quashed presidential hopes of getting a pound puppy.

"Our preference would be to get a shelter dog," Obama said, who then joked that it could have been, "a mutt, like me."

The American Kennel Club has a suggestion for the first family. How about a poodle? "This poodle is a breed that doesn't always get the respect it deserves, but it is truly an ideal family pet," said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. "And while poodles require frequent grooming, their consistent and predictable coat is crucial for Obama's daughter and all who suffer from allergies."

[Source: Market Watch]

Presidental Pet Musuem Honors White House Pets

There's quite a long history of lovable, furry four-leggers in the White House, and it's great that the Obama Family will be continuing that tradition. If you're interested in learning about presidential pets past and find yourself in Annapolis, Maryland, be sure to check out The Presidental Pet Museum.

The Museum highlights past and current White House Pets. See a portrait of Lucky (President and Mrs. Reagan's Bouvier des Flandres) made from her own hair, and photos and exhibits of famous pets from George Washington's Horse, Nelson, the Clinton's famous Buddy and Socks to the current White House Pets!

First Dog Tradition to Continue Under Obama

Worry not dog lovers, the White House will still have a “First Dog” under a Barack Obama administration. Obama had promised that whether or not he won the White House, his daughters Sasha and Malia could get a dog.

“Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us,” Obama said at the start of his victory speech. His predecessors dating back several administrations had dogs and yes, a few cats occupied the White House too.

Obama’s running mate, Joe Biden, is also getting in on the act. He told reporters traveling with him earlier that his wife had promised him a “big dog” if he got elected. Jill Biden had taped pictures of different dogs on the back of the seat in front of him on his campaign plane to inspire the candidate as he criss-crossed the country in the final sprint to election day.

“Jill had said the only way you are getting a dog is if you are president...we didn’t think about vice president,” said Biden. “She said at least if you live in the White House you are home.” He dropped out of the presidential race but when Obama asked him to join the ticket, his wife Jill said if he did so she would let him have the dog he wanted.

[Source: Reuters]

Man's Dog Gets Card to Vote

An Albuquerque man said he was shocked to receive a voter registration card for his dog after he jokingly filled out a form at Wal-Mart.

Don Pizzolato said he filled out a voter registration form for his dog, Tuckup Koepke, with a phony birth date and Social Security number, the Albuquerque Journal reported Thursday. However, Pizzolato said he never expected the form to result in an actual voter registration for his dog. He received a card for the canine only weeks after filling out the form.

"I fully expected the form to be returned to me," Pizzolato said. He said he feared the situation was symptomatic of a larger problem that could lead to voter fraud.

"I just have one data point to go off of, but in my opinion, if it's this easy to thwart the system, I'm sure it's not an isolated case," he said. Pizzolato said Tuckup Koepke will not be voting in the upcoming election.

[Source: UPI.com]

Best Friends Animal Society Offers to Help Obama Family Find A Shelter Dog

Dog lovers across the United States know Best Friends Animal Society which operates the nation's largest facility for homeless, companion animals including hundreds of dogs. And with the news that the Barack Obama and his family plan to adopt a dog from a shelter, Best Friends wants to help.

"Whether it's a mutt or a special breed on their list, we can tap our vast network of shelters and rescuers around the country to help match the Obamas with just the right dog," said Julie Castle, director of community programs for Best Friends, a place where approximately 600 dogs (and 1,400 other animals) call home. "Mixed breeds, pure breds, young, old, big, small, long-hair, short-hair, black, brown, white or any color in between--we can help the Obamas locate the perfect dog for their home."

Dogs at Best Friends live in "DogTown," the subject of a national television series airing on the National Geographic Channel. It is also home to 22 of the pit bulls from the Michael Vick dog fighting case, a subject covered in a DogTown episode in early September.

Best Friends created buzz around the Obamas' search for a dog in mid-July when it launched the web site, Obamafamilydog.com. In a matter of 24 hours approximately 20,000 dog lovers had signed a petition urging the Obamas to adopt from a shelter. The petition was capped at 50,000 in just a couple of weeks.

"We were trying to send a loud, clear message that adoption is the best option," Castle said. "We're so happy that the Obamas have decided to adopt rather than purchase a pet. Best Friends is the home of second chances, and adoption is so much a part of what we do that we are delighted to help in any way possible."

[Source: PR Web]

Science Journal in Doghouse

As weighty reads go, it doesn't get much more serious than presidential candidates in conversation with the world's leading scientific journal. And the latest issue of international science journal Nature has a front cover of suitable gravitas, evenly split between statesmanlike images of the US presidential contenders.

Pity no one told the advertising department. In an eerie mirror image, the magazine's back cover features two Labrador pups, one black, one golden, in uncannily similar poses to Barack Obama and his rival John McCain.

The journal swears they were not being deliberately cheeky. "We didn't know until the issue landed on our desks," Nature pleads. "It just goes to show that editorial and advertising aren't working in cahoots."

[Source: Times Online UK]

Dog Toy Sales Help Predict Election in New Zealand

New Zealand Petfood company Masterpet has launched its own election campaign, in a bid to predict which party leader is going to be "dog tucker" come November 8. The company has created rubber chew toys in the likeness of candidates Helen Clark and John Key for the campaign.

Masterpet will monitor sales of the toys, holding their own mini-election to see which toy is most preferred by pet owners. The sales results will be posted online as 'political polls' on the political blog kiwiblog.co.nz. Masterpet North Island sales manager Peter Couchman urged people to get in quick, saying that like politicians, the toy's shelf life might be limited.

"Early data in our reverse poll (the "dog tucker" poll) suggests a preference for Helen Clark. But this is one poll she may not want to be ahead in!”

[Source: Stuff.co.nz]

In Poll of Pet Owners, McCain Tops Obama

If the presidential election were up to pet owners, John McCain could have a blue ribbon in his future. From George Washington's foxhounds Drunkard and Tipsy to George W. Bush's terriers Barney and Miss Beazley, pets are a longtime presidential tradition for which the presumed Republican nominee seems well prepared, with more than a dozen. Democratic candidate Barack Obama, on the other hand, doesn't have a pet, though he has promised his daughters a dog after the election, win or lose.

An AP-Yahoo News poll found that pet owners favor McCain over Obama 42 percent to 37 percent, with dog owners particularly in McCain's corner.

"I think a person who owns a pet is a more compassionate person — caring, giving, trustworthy. I like pet owners," said Janet Taylor of Plymouth, Mass. Taylor, who described herself as a retired stay-at-home wife, owns two cats, Lady Jane Taylor and Mr. Tommy Katz.

Richard Powell, 79, of Spokane, Wash., whose dog passed away last fall, said if a person owns a pet, that "tells you that they're responsible at least for something, for the care of something." He said pet ownership wouldn't make a difference in his vote, but if a president owns a pet, "I'm glad to know they like animals."

The poll found that among people who don't have pets, Obama leads McCain 48 percent to 34 percent. But that still leaves McCain looking strong, since the majority of homes have a pet. The American Pet Product Manufacturers Association estimates that 63 percent of American homes include a pet, including 88 million cats and 75 million dogs.

Dog owners lean toward McCain, 43 percent to 34 percent, while cat owners basically divide their loyalties with 41 percent for McCain and 38 percent for Obama.

The population breakdown of who has pets and who doesn't may be a factor. For example, the poll found 47 percent of whites own dogs, compared with just 24 percent of blacks. Whites tend to favor McCain, while blacks overwhelmingly favor Obama.

Some 64 percent of dog owners are married, slightly higher than the overall population. The poll found 47 percent of married people own dogs, compared with 39 percent of non-married people. Married people tend to favor McCain.

The AP-Yahoo News poll is part of an ongoing study that tracks the attitudes and opinions of a group of more than 2,000 Americans to see how their political views evolve over the course of the election campaign. The AP-Yahoo News survey of 1,759 adults was conducted from June 13-23 and had an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. The margin of sampling error for population subgroups is larger.

[Source: Associated Press]