Obamas' New Dog Named "Bo" By Sasha And Malia

WASHINGTON — Bo? No jest. The first family has settled on a first pet _ a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog that the Obama girls are naming Bo.

The selection was one of the White House's most tightly kept secrets.

President Barack Obama's daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, picked a black and white pup, a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told The Associated Press Saturday night.

The dog is a gift from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who owns several Portuguese water dogs himself.

"We couldnt be happier to see the joy that Bo is bringing to Malia and Sasha," Kennedy said in a statement. "We love our Portuguese water dogs and know that the girls _ and their parents _ will love theirs, too."

The Washington Post reported in its online editions Saturday night that Obama's daughters chose the name Bo for the pup because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley. The name for the dog was an apparent reference to the singer "Bo" Diddley.

White House aides told the AP that the office of the first lady arranged an exclusive deal on the dog story with the Post. The officials, who demanded anonymity because of the deal with the Post on exclusive details, said the dog was not in the White House as of Saturday evening.

Throughout the day Saturday, celebrity Web sites and bloggers were abuzz with rumors of the first family's selection of a Portuguese water dog; one site even claimed it had pictures of the future first pet.

The president had embraced the frenzy: "Oh, man, now, that's top secret," Obama joked Friday to reporters.

Obama promised his daughters a puppy during the campaign.

"This is Washington. That was a campaign promise," Obama said when he appeared on Jay Leno's talk show last month, as the audience roared with laughter. "No, I'm teasing. The dog will be there shortly."

The president and first lady had said their choice was down to either a Portuguese water dog or a Labradoodle because they were considered good pets for children who have allergies, as Malia does.

Comments

[Brownie1970]

02:48 AM on 04/14/2009

Came across this Bo blog today: "Bo's Eye View: My First 100 Days in the White House." Funny stuff!

http://bothepup.blogspot.com/

[Mozart123]

07:48 PM on 04/13/2009

You shouldn't give a name to an animal that is similar to a command. "Bo" is to close to "no," which will confuse poor Bo during training.

[berrycooda]

04:59 PM on 04/13/2009

How ironic that this cute little puppy is named BO.

Same initials that B-arack O-bama has.

Anyway, the Pres. will have to put this puppy in hiding to keep the cameras away
from it to keep from scaring it before it has a chance to grow up to be a doggy.

[fiberoptimist]

03:26 PM on 04/13/2009

BoBama has a nice ring to it. Reminds me of the name game. Banana Fanna Fo Fama!

[maribelle1963]

12:16 PM on 04/13/2009

I love the Obamas, but this choice broke my heart. Petfinder.com has dogs in every breed and age for adoption. Here's a 2 year old PWD located in DC listed petfinder just today:

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=13477448

Name: Pepper

Breed: Portuguese Water Dog

Approximate Age: 2-3 yrs

Approximate Weight: 59 lbs

From link:

Currently Living at: Foster

Meet Pepper! She is an adorable and sweet 2-3 yr old Portuguese Water dog that we found in a high kill shelter! She loves kids and other dogs. We think she would be ok with cats as well.

Pepper is housebroken and crate trained. She is loving and friendly.

[gardenkitty]

12:24 PM on 04/13/2009

I'll bet that shelter will now be flooded with calls from people wanting to adopt Pepper. Portuguese water dogs around the world will be very desirable adoptees now that the Obamas have one.

[maribelle1963]

12:50 PM on 04/13/2009

GOOD!

There are tens of thousands of dogs listed on petfinder that needs homes. They are every age and breed. Many are purebreds.

Happy hunting, dog lovers!

[LeftCoastLefthandedLefty]

01:40 PM on 04/13/2009

I hope Pepper can find a home. I found a rescue companion for my Rhodesian Ridgback on petfinder. It is a great website. Anyone out there looking for a companion should check out the site.

In the Obama's defense, Petfinder's bios on dogs are not always accurate. My rescue was advertised as a purebread Ridgeback, and she is a mix. That could not be the case with the Obamas because of the allergy concerns with Malia.

[bubbuh]

11:32 AM on 04/13/2009

Bo knows walkies.

[faithmarie]

11:17 AM on 04/13/2009

this puppy will be loved..and the Humane Society needs donations ..so critics, back off

[RButler]

10:43 AM on 04/13/2009

Q. How will the president be able to distinguish a tail wagging, face licking pooch from his supporters on the HuffPost website?


A. The pooch is toilet trained.

[bubbuh]

11:34 AM on 04/13/2009

Sure, and the fact that the dog will bite anyone who tries to teabag him distinguishes him from the GOPees.

[RButler]

12:03 PM on 04/13/2009

Typical lame reply from the 'tail waggin', face lickin' folks. But, thank you for typing.

[aussiegal77]

11:57 AM on 04/13/2009

It's ok - take cheap shots. Considering the GOP and its supporters have devolved to raving lunatics who demand the burning of books whilst telling us all to TEA BAG people (ew.....) - I can see why an easy target like A PUPPY CHOICE would be your best bet.

[RButler]

12:06 PM on 04/13/2009

The 'target' was you not the puppy. I'm not a republican.

[Animal Compassion]

10:23 AM on 04/13/2009

http://www.ararebreedoflove.com/ Obama made a promise on the day he held Baby to rescue. Unfortunately, he used the allergy of his daughter as a reason to support breeders. Why do breeders breed when millions of dogs are murdered every year in the USA alone? Money! End of story. This dog will be cared for I am sure. My congratulations to the Obama family for their addition. I know have to be on my way to raid another puppy mill so to rescue the hundreds of dogs being held in horrific conditions. Take care, Obama. I am saddened by your broken promise.

[LeftCoastLefthandedLefty]

01:53 PM on 04/13/2009

Take a step back AC

I agree Puppy Mills should be run out of business, but responsible breeders should not be held to account for the sins of these breed for profit monsters.

Responsible breeders do not breed with profit as their main motive. Anyone who has ever seen the process up close knows that by and large purebred breeders rarely make a profit. All the cost (both monetary and time) associated with care, grooming, vaccinations, genetic planning and showing of pets, makes breeding purebred pups a fulltime hobby. Puppy mills do none of these things, and that is why their profit margin is so high.

Villifying all breeders is a gross oversimplification of an extremely complex issue. Suffince to say, if there were no breeders at all, the Obama's could not even own a dog because there would be no such thing as a purebred dog that is hypo-allergenic like the PWD.

[Hatool]

10:14 AM on 04/13/2009

What a dirty crying shame - the Obama's lost their chance to rescue a shelter dog, and to set an example and bring interest to the public of the tragedy of killing millions per year of our nation's homeless dogs in the so-called shelters (KILLING FACILITIES). In addition, Obama made a compassionate, easy decision to adopt a needy dog, condemned to probable death in a killing facility, into a major mind-numbing project....duhhhhhh. He has spoken with his actions, he has betrayed the dogs who were readily available for his family for a dog bred by profit driven breeders. Look for breeders to start forcing mother dogs to churn out these water dogs for the blind, ignorant masses who follow his lead at every chance they get. Shame on Obama and his family for not caring enough to lend a helping hand to the tragic situation of thousands of homeless dogs. His actions stink, and the media is stinking to high heaven with their ooing and awing over this lucky dog. Sure hes cute - but Obama has failed miserably in setting the standard for the homeless dogs of our nation. Politics as usual...Dogs can't vote, and afterall, Obama has more important issues...right!!! Shame shame!

[SoccerNana]

10:35 AM on 04/13/2009

hatool, is it? You know, just like the rest of us, that this puppy was "gifted" to the Obamas from Senator Ted Kennedy; and that the Obamas made a monetary donation to the Humane Society since they DID NOT get a puppy from a shelter. Now, hopefully, people will follow their lead and DONATE money to the Humane Society.

[Aesthete]

11:03 AM on 04/13/2009

Have you not heard that Obama's oldest daughter is allergic to dogs, the Portugese water dog being an exception for people who are allergic to dogs. Shelters do not generally get Portugese water dogs. The Obamas never had the option of adopting a needy dog from a shelter because of their daughter's allergy. I do, however, hope that dog breeders will not turn greedy and began a course of unwise overbreeding of this particular dog in order to meet popular demand.

[TheGuide]

10:05 AM on 04/13/2009

Poor baby, he looks so confused by all the attention. Cute, cute, cute.

[proudem]

09:49 AM on 04/13/2009

Aaaaawwww! They make me so proud! I love our First Family!!

[OlderWoman]

09:28 AM on 04/13/2009

That is one lucky dog!

[gintheb]

08:56 AM on 04/13/2009

Should read hear that....

[gintheb]

08:55 AM on 04/13/2009

Anybody that doesn't love this President and this family and Bo, is un-American. Period!!!
Here that rush sean, etc.