Michelle Obama: Bo Is A "Crazy" Dog

WASHINGTON — First dog Bo is a "kind of crazy" puppy who likes to chew on people's feet, Michelle Obama told children visiting the White House on Thursday.

The first lady is spending a lot of time walking and training the 6-month-old Portuguese water dog who became a member of the president's family last week.

An energetic breed, Bo plays well into the night, as he did on Wednesday.

"It was like 10 o'clock. Everybody was asleep and we hear all this barking and jumping around," Mrs. Obama said. "The president and I came out and we thought somebody was out there. And it was just Bo. He was playing with his ball. And it was like there was another person in the house.

"He's kind of crazy, but he's still a puppy. So he likes to play a lot," she said.

The dog, unveiled last week after months of speculation, was a gift to Obama daughters Malia and Sasha.

"He loves to chew on people's feet," Mrs. Obama divulged to more than 100 children invited to a program marking the annual Take Your Child to Work Day.

Dozens of executive branch employees brought their children and grandchildren to the White House on to see where their parents work and what they do there. Vice President Joe Biden's granddaughter, Maisy, 8, was among them.

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In a question-and-answer session with the first lady, several students wanted to know about Bo.

Asked what she does with her free time, Mrs. Obama said she doesn't get much of it.

"Well, right now I'm taking care of this puppy. So I'm doing a lot of dog walking and dog training," she said.

Another youngster asked what would she do if Bo ran away.

"I would be very sad, first of all but ... he has (dog) tags, and hopefully someone would find him and bring him back," Mrs. Obama said.

She said it would be hard for Bo to get off the South Lawn, one of the places he is taken for walks and to play, because it is gated. But if he were to get out, she said, lots of people would try to track him down.

"I think everyone at the White House would probably help go out and find him," she said. "That's why we're working on training him, so that he doesn't run away and he listens when we call him. And so far he's doing OK, so we hope we don't have that problem."

Comments

[GoogleMaster]

Does ANYONE have a photo of Bo where he's not pulling everybody along like they're limp bodied ragdolls? That seems to be Bo's job in life .. making sure that the entire first family's ideal cardio workouts are carried out according to White House physician's recommendations.

[jazabelz]

You've obviously never had a young dog! My miniature schnauzers -- much smaller than Bo used to pull us around too. They eventually settle down (for the most part) and learn to walk well on a leash.

[mistlesuede]

I am hoping they have invested in a professional to help train Bo. It will really pay off in the long run. I'm assuming the people who returned him to the breeder could not deal with his energy and as Michelle said "craziness." A professional would be able to help a lot.

[independentjukebox]

Read an article on portoguese water dogs. NOT good household pets! they are extremely active, very needy and chew up furniture. Its a dog that needs training and needs huge spaces to play. these were indicated by breeders in an article I read recently- they were not trying to discourage people but were simply letting families know because of the uptick in request for such dogs as pets. don't expect this dog to be what one would imagine to be the personality of a typical house dog.

[ekwhite]

I can't think of a better house for an active dog than the White House. Bo has a huge mansion with a gate enclosed lawn and the Secret Service for security. He will be fine there.

[JaneK13]

Don't think it's Bo that independentjukebox is concerned about. Re-read the origianl post.

[nonowrites]

Don't the Obama's watch TV? They need to pick up a few hints from The Dog Whisperer.

[me4you]

I love that show! I dont have a dog yet but watch it often to pick up tips for when I am ready. I have been amazed at how much you can learn about dog behavior on The Dog Wisperer. Wouldnt it be cool if they had a dog wisperer white house special.

[jazabelz]

Doubt they have much time to be couch potatoes!

[TheImpaler]

I think they should get a pair of dogs, so that Bo has someone to play with! My cat is predictably indifferent on the whole dog issue. She says: "Well, what did you expect? It's a dog!" I have to remind her about the hell she put me through when she was a kitten to which she replays: "Well, if you want perfect pet, get an fish!" I thing that there is a hidden selfish agenda in that statement on her part somewhere, but dont tell her that!!! She will never see this, she stopped reading HuffPost long time ago, too many dog related stories; she is not amused!!! Hmm? I don't know where she gets her information from these days?

[dems08]

LOL!!!!

You're a goner!!

[TheImpaler]

... :-)

[roshni]

LOL! Being a cat person myself, I totally agree with her.

[carl99e]

My dog Buster was fascinated by feet and shoes as a puppy. He outgrew the habit/interest in time and his attention turned to good food, the boat, long walks in different places and a lot of communicating with his daddy. I changed as well. Gone is the hypertension, the cholesterol numbers that looked like a winning baseball average, assorted aches and pains, I sleep the whole night through, I have learned a lot about unconditional love, and the cigarettes had to go as well. Buster just didn't approve. Thanks to Buster I have been introduced to a whole new world of friends.

In time I am sure Michelle will "get it."

[buggedabouttheus]

Animals do change your life for the better.

[CRA1]

Dogs are mans best friend. We have a golden retreiver and she has enriched are lives so much!

[grey sells]

itsa a lotta work raising a well mannered dog. in the family pik with Bo, he is leaning on the lead/leash. This is easily corrected but it takes some work sessions with the dog to teach proper heeling. I suspect he was taught this but the Obama's are letting him away with this bad habit. Bo's behavior turns a pleasant walk into a hassle.

[jazabelz]

After one photo session surrounded by clicking cameras, reporters yelling and a brand new setting and you decide the Obamas are letting him get away with a bad habit. Please -- get a life. Any dog would respond the same way.

[elizlucinda]

I am woman who believes that I have different phases in my life. I have been a nurse, a mother, a politician's spouse, a caregiver for my elderly parents and now I am retired and volunteering my time. I have worked full time and I have stayed home to take care of my child when she was younger and my husband was involved in politics I was the mother who took children on field trips and volunteered at my child's school while other mothers worjed outside the home.

I dislike it when people try to put others in a box. There is no right role or wrong role for women. Mrs. Obama has chosen to take care of her Children and fulfil her role as the First Lady. Why is this considered by some to be meaningless work?

[isis]

I don't catch any of that from reading the article. What I got was that the kids asked very cute questions.

[deneufeldt]

Michelle needs the Dog Whisperer. Ceasar were are you?

[Obamasoldier]

OMG, why would she say this??? why does she hate dogs???
Cue the GOP
;-D

[smallbirdie]

Yup.had one of those. they stretch your patience to the breaking point.but when they're cute, and they are cute as they are driving one nuts, they melt your heart.Hopefully this is just puppyhood/adolescence.

[citizen of the universe]

My dog on the evening of his graduation from training class came home and peed on my chair, and he received the most improved award! Take it all in stride First Lady, it's the little rascal in your dog and mine that makes them special.

[JZ735]

I bet she and Barack are saying, "what the h--ll have we gotten ourselves into?

My dog Max, an American Eskimo purebred, is a bundle and a half, still at 2-1/2...he does some of what Bo does, and likes to wait to do something bad if I am watching! Incorrigible little devil...but who wants a boring dog?

I like that the Obamas did this for their girls...it will teach them a valuable lesson about animal behavior and how one takes care of a pet...I wonder how much of the maintenance of the dog (i.e., feedings) is left up to their daughters...

[Tulka2]

Cesar Millan.

Treadmill.

[JZ735]

Yes, get Cesar in...would make a great episode.

[Cunningham]

For sure! You can see by the way Bo is walking the First Lady that she is not being a pack leader. Cesar needs to train the Obamas NOW.

[frantaylor]

Not quite, he's not holding the leash in his mouth. That's the sign of a dog walking its owner. What you see is a dog that doesn't want to be on its leash.

[camcat]

Cesar Milan.
Huckster.

[tploomis]

Not true. Using Cesar Milan's training principles, my dog became well-behaved in a very short period of time.

[Cunningham]

That's libelous. You provide nothing to back up your nasty assertion.

[Jinxykb]

I think Cesar MIlan's techniques are very subtle and don't translate on t.v. well, and that's why you get people YANKING and kicking their dogs in the name of being the 'pack leader', giving Cesar a bad name.

[ChiEg]

Cesar has been auditioning for the gig on every tv show that would have him...Opining on everything and raising a few doomsday predictions that only he could possibly avert...
Somebody tell the whitehouse folks...

[IzzyCA]

I have a PWD. The first year is the hardest. As noted by other posters, this is a smart, working breed.

He needs physical and mental exercise, and a LOT of it, so he sleeps through the night.

He'll settle down. My PWD is 3 and she's great, but there were times in the first year when I had my doubts.

Now she's a great dog, and she can sleep on my bed and not trigger my allergies. I've had a lot of dogs, and she's turned out to be the best so far. She needs a lot of exercise, discipline and attention, but she give me unconditional love. It's a good trade-off. I think I am getting the better end of the deal.

[dogman44]

You know you're getting the better end of the deal.

[JZ735]

No matter how much my boy manages to do things that are just wrong, I still love him...