Does Bo Know He's Top Dog?

New York Times:

Sooner or later, someone is going to ask Bo, the 6-month-old Portuguese water dog who moved into the White House this week, if he knows the answer to a simple question: Who's a good boy?

The question will of course be rhetorical, since Bo, whose raison d'être is to be furry and sweet, has significantly fewer performance expectations than his master. But it will by no means be idle, at least not to the psychologists, neuroscientists, philosophers and kissy-face dog owners who for centuries have pondered the mysteries of canine consciousness. What, they ask, does a creature that lives to chew shoes and chase tennis balls really know about himself and his surroundings?

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[meede]

12:51 PM on 04/16/2009

Wonder if Bo has been introduced to the White House dog house that Ellen gave to Michelle when she was on her show? That would be a great picture. Hopefully the White House may take it and release a picture.

[jsgaetano]

12:39 PM on 04/16/2009

Bo knows... fetch.

Bo knows... play.

Bo knows... sleep.

Bo knows... getting petted.

It doesn't take a psychologist to understand dogs.

[Sepulchre]

12:38 PM on 04/16/2009

He is a puppy, all he knows is that people are paying attention to him. Most dogs love attention. Especially if it means they get to play more.

[Pippilangstrumpf]

09:38 AM on 04/16/2009

Does Bo know he's a celebrity?

Ummm.....no.

Bo is a dog.

[Wallysmom]

09:16 AM on 04/16/2009

I would have preferred The First Feline but Bo is cute. Bo may know he's top dog but a White House Cat would know where Cheney's secret lair was...

[kid5rivers2]

07:13 AM on 04/16/2009

All those making comments about how upset you are that people eat horse meat etc:

Next thing yall would do is call in the SPCA to seize Bo? After all, POTUS did grow up eating dog meat?

Jeez!

[tomasedison]

06:31 AM on 04/16/2009

Stop dressing the dog in all that gay attire. In the first photos I thought he was a minature clown.

[kid5rivers2]

07:03 AM on 04/16/2009

That the brightest you can do, Mr. Edison?

[ohmetoo]

12:46 PM on 04/16/2009

heh heh heh!

[mergina]

05:49 AM on 04/16/2009

WHO CARES?

[CosmicSpaceTurtle]

05:52 AM on 04/16/2009

A lot of people do.

Sorry your disdain for our popular President extends even to his freakin pet dog. Simmer down.

[kid5rivers2]

07:04 AM on 04/16/2009

I like to be generous. His msj appears to have gotten mangled in its transmission. I think he meant, "Who cares for Bo?"

[CosmicSpaceTurtle]

05:00 AM on 04/16/2009

Cool dog.

[smallbirdie]

03:16 AM on 04/16/2009

yes,i'll admit it. I'm a Bo Obama groupie and I like it.

[picard922]

10:34 PM on 04/15/2009

From the way he's pulling everyone around, you better believe this dog is strictly in charge, whether he "knows" it or not. I so want the Obamas to bring a trainer in so they can learn how to communicate with and lead their dog.

[Countdown09]

01:40 AM on 04/16/2009

Here here! Simple truth, you can train your dog or your dog will train you. No different than kids really. If a dog is allowed to be the pack leader in your house it won't be pretty. The lack of this knowledge is why so many dogs end up in shelters.

[MJinCanada]

03:38 AM on 04/16/2009

Especially for a Portuguese water dog. My husband looked into getting one and decided we don't have the time to stay ahead of its learning curve. They are one of the smarter breeds, largely because they are working dogs. Bo may need to be trained to do a few chores so he doesn't get bored.

[PennLawyer]

10:32 PM on 04/15/2009

Bo also doesn't know that as the newest member of the family unit, he has displaced the previous youngest member, Sasha, as "The Baby". In the picture accompanying this thread, the President is embracing both his youngest daughter and patting the dog, but she's holding her hands back from the dog. Having dealt with introducing my new babies to their still young sibs, I noticed that body language.
My impression was stengthened when I saw the long video clip of the Obamas introducing the dog to the press on the White House lawn, and walking the dog. The President, First Lady and Malia each gave Bo all kinds of pats and hugs and affection - but Sasha never touched him once, and generally kept other family members between herself and the dog. She did point to the pup from a distance and say to the reporters, "He can't swim." That's a classic type of comment from a young child feeling the need to point out how they are somehow "better" than the new baby.
The Obamas are terrific parents, so if I'm correct in my view on this, I'm sure they'll provide any understanding and encouragement necessary so that Sasha learns to have a great time with their new puppy. My kids all adored our Australian Shepherd. All of us who had dogs during our own childhood know how much comfort and happiness we got from the unconditional love of those pets.

[Muzikal203]

10:51 PM on 04/15/2009

that's interesting, I hadn't noticed all of that until you pointed it out.

But at the same time, Sasha always seems more reserved than the rest of the family in front of the camera, we don't know how she acts with the dog in private. Also, the whole thing may be a bit anti-climatic for her, from what I gather, Malia is the one who's been REALLY excited about the dog, and Sasha probably just follows what her big sister does so Sasha might not have even wanted a dog all that bad. It's one thing to want the dog, it's another to get what you want. . .

Regardless, I'm sure Sasha will be fine :o)

[apoyo]

11:46 PM on 04/15/2009

That could be true but when my daughter was 6 we got a beagle puppy. She was unsure at first because she didn't feel like the dog's master/mistress. Her father explained that dogs are pack animals and need to learn their place in the pack. Since she was the smallest he felt he could roughhouse with her more and she needed to learn how to assert herself. Within a few weeks they were the best of friends.

[stevier]

10:26 PM on 04/15/2009

My dog is a diva.....She brings much love to our family.

[jportnick]

10:11 PM on 04/15/2009

Good GOSH that's a cute puppy. Sheez. I hope Bo knows he's top dog, just as every pet should know.

[kid5rivers2]

07:08 AM on 04/16/2009

DOTUS

[elizlucinda]

09:52 PM on 04/15/2009

Bo knows he is loved and cherished and that's all that matters