Obama: Finding Puppy "Tougher Than Finding A Commerce Secretary" (VIDEO)

The Obama family is planning to get either a labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound, the President-elect said Sunday.

George Stephanopoulos asked about the dog on ABC's "This Week," saying he was passing along a question from Barack Obama's daughters sitting in the control room: "What kind of a dog are we getting and when are we getting it?"

"While you were getting made up," Stephanopoulos told Obama, "they went into the control room and played director and producer. And they actually gave me a question they want me to ask you. You know exactly what it's going to be."

"They seem to have narrowed it down to a labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound ... medium-sized dog, and so, we're now going to start looking at shelters to see when one of those dogs might come up."

"So, you're closing in on it?" Stephanopoulos asked.

"We're closing in on it. This has been tougher than finding a commerce secretary," the President-elect said.

Watch:

Comments

[PWDBailey]

Hey, I don't shed. I am hypoallergenic! I am sweet, well-mannered, and I leave room for my mom and dad in bed. I'm only 50 lbs. I love Lake Michigan, the Gulf of Mexico, pools, and spas. Best of all, some of my cousin Porties are rescue dogs, that is, dogs whose parents didn't get along with them. You don't have to spend a mint on a rescue dog. Mr. President, get a real dog!

[leeman79]

I've said it once, and I'll say it again. The aussie cattle dog (blue heeler). Smart, loyal, and great with kids. The girls would love him or her (preferably a female).

[Myshkin57]

I have one, too, and I think they're the best dogs in the world. But, they shed a ton when they blow their undercoat, which would not be good for a girl with allergies.

[pogo]

Well, why should picking a dog be harder than picking a Commerce Secretary? It's really easy to find an honest dog.

[classc 1]

How I WISH that under W's watch we had time to worry about what breed of frig*gin puppy his family purchased!!! Some folks are really too much.

[NKR]

I hope he's not this indecisive on presidential matters. His poor kids have been waiting forever.

[tomfl78]

mipartee "There is no such thing as a Labradoodle" crossbred or hybrid dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard or Miniature Poodle
Also no dog is hypo-allergenic

[ArtCarnage]

What? Do they disappear in a puff of smoke when they're born? If you want to say that they're not recognized as an established breed, that's one thing. But to say they don't exist... well that's just stupid. The AKC doesn't define reality.

[Myshkin57]

"mipartee "There is no such thing as a Labradoodle" crossbred or hybrid dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard or Miniature Poodle"

There certainly is. It is not a breed recognized by the AKC, but then neither is the Pit Bull. But of course there are dogs which are crosses between Labrador Retrievers and Poodles.

[UnclePhuc]

It's really sad that they can't get a pound mutt. I would love to see the first family discourage people from considering purebreds.

[Myshkin57]

I don't get all of the hate towards purebreds. I think people should get dogs at shelters when possible, but without purebreds, we wouldn't have the mutts either. I have a purebred that we rescued. Is there something wrong with that?

[KeepMeLearning]

It's not hate against purebreds per se...it's against the breeding business in general (especially puppy mills). Four to five million pets are put down each year in this country simply because they are unwanted. It is not a statistic of which we should be proud.

And it's great that you rescued a purebred!

[luziannagirl]

Another place to look for a fantastic pure-bred semi-rescue pet is to contact people who SHOW dogs.

Often dog show people either have or know of young, high quality, AKC purebred dogs which haven't made it up the show ring ladder to championship level for one seemingly trivial reason or another. Their owners are usually very happy if good homes can be located for them, to free up that kennel slot for another crack at a title with another puppy.

We got a wonderful, then-nine-­month-old, championship show ring/obedience trial lineage Doberman that way, and did not spend a fortune. Some drop-outs are even let go free of charge.

Bet the O's already know that...

[mipartee]

I hope the Obamas are smart enough to pick a dog that is an established breed with a history and bred to have a purpose....not a designer dog. There is no such thing as a Labradoodle....it's called a mutt. If you want a mutt go to the shelter and pick one, but don't get a mutt that was deliberately bred to be a mutt!

[biglith]

I agree. There is a lot of ignorance amongst the general public regarding purebred dogs and what constitutes a recognized "breed".

[Clavis]

Yes, they should get an established breed, with all its recessive genetic diseases and afflictions. Good idea!

[Myshkin57]

"I hope the Obamas are smart enough to pick a dog that is an established breed with a history and bred to have a purpose....not a designer dog."

Almost none of the breeds are still bred for their original purposes. Most of them are indeed designer dogs meant to look a certain way. And most of them have been inbred to an unethical degree to attain those looks that win at the shows and so are likely to have genetic dispositions toward costly and painful illnesses.

What constitutes a breed is whatever the AKC says it does. Krufts recognizes different breeds, as does the CKC. It's pretty silly to think that the AKC really dictates how the world is.

[luziannagirl]

Two EXCELLENT choices! I've known dogs of these breeds and have been very positively impressed. The Obamas surely must have had great family fun researching breeds and contacting rescue groups these last few months.

If the first dog goes well and they decide to get a second one---a decision many dog owners make---here's another option they might consider: Why not reserve the "second dog spot" for long-term foster care for a pet of a U.S. serviceman or woman?

Because of overseas deployment or other professional military contingencies, service personel often need a place to board their dogs for an extended period. Doggie foster care would not only be rewarding in terms of getting 2 pets for the family and letting the first dog have some canine companionship, but would be a daily exercise in compassion, selflessness and generosity.

Not to mention FANTASTIC P.R.....

[dm92]

That option for the second dog is a REALLY good idea. I am so impressed with the idea of a Military Ball - I think he will support our troops in ways we haven't seen in our lifetimes.

[markinaz]

2 of the UGLIEST breeds out there.

[preemptivelove]

labradoodle isn't a good breed. you can't be sure which traits you'll get. i know people who have them and they SHED. i don't know about the water dogs. they're ok. but why don't they just get a standard poodle???? they have the best dispositio­n/temperme­nt. they don't shed. they are SMART. they are simply the best. you don't have to cut their hair in a silly style. you can't find a better dog.

[Anastasia]

Unfortunately, if Obama got a poodle there would be no end to the jokes. And right wing critics would freak, because it's French.

It's a crazy world we live in. Getting a poodle would just be a gift for Limbaugh, et al.

[spinstahbabe]

Here here. Labradoodles are a monstrosity, as are all the other designer dogs. The Obamas shouldn't be encouraging that. I can't believe their not getting better advice. POODLES RULE.

[Myshkin57]

Labradoodles were bred to be guide dogs for people with allergies and are still used for that purpose. How many other breeds or pseudo-breeds are still used for the purpose for which they were bred?

I have a herding dog, but I don't herd and neither do most people who have herding dogs. Dogs are no longer purpose-bred for the most part and are all of them, more or less, designer dogs. Look at Golden Retrievers from 30 or 40 years ago and look at what's winning AKC awards for Golden Retrievers today. They look pretty dissimilar because they've been bred to be prettier and less useful, and that's true of many of the dogs recognized by the AKC.

[fzriely]

IRISH WATER SPANIEL! Hypoallergenic and a great, great, hilariously fun dog.

[Anthro]

There is NO SUCH THING as a "hypoallergenic" dog! The offending allergen is a protein present in skin cells, saliva, etc. Some, repeat, SOME people who have MILD allergies do better with a dog that sheds less, but people with serious allergies won't notice much difference. There ARE individual dogs (or cats) that an allergic person can tolerate, but finding these can be difficult. It's a matter of individual animals, though, not breed or hair/fur type!

[Myshkin57]

The protein gets to allergic people via dander in many cases. So, less dander does help with allergies.

[hukkahukkabirninglove]

Good luck, Mr. President (elect), in finding a Portuguese Water dog in a shelter. They are rare & expensive in the US. Breeders are not "puppy mills" and owners are unlikely to buy a PWD on a whim and then give it up. In the dog world, PWD's and Standard Poodles are very close in appearance, behavior, and intelligence.

The rap on Labra/Golden Doodles is that they need to be at least F1 to breed true for Poodle like hair (Poodles don't have fur, shed very little, & have little dander or oil from their skin.) F1 is when 3 out of 4 of the puppies grandparents are poodles. Unlike Standard Poodles, tho, Doodles tend to be a bit dense--dumber than either Goldens/Labs or Standard Poodles. Doodles are an overpriced scam--they aren't a breed--and DO come from mostly backyard breeders (or puppy mills.)

As with the unfortunate increase in Dalmations after Disney's movies, whatever the Prez chooses will result in overbreeding of dogs like his (the Puppy Mills will go wild.) So I hesitate to suggest that he pick ANY breed!

The best solution, tho, is to get a total Heinz 57, generic dog from the pound and have it groomed on a weekly basis--any dog can have it's allergenic impact reduced by regular bathing and brushing.

[JScott]

Labradoodle, just the name would make me pick it.

[SiberianRat]

Haha, I was thinking just the opposite!