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OBAMA FAMILY DOG: Portuguese Water Dog
News that a Portuguese Water Dog will become the First Canine of the United States is thrilling lovers of the breed in its native land, who say Barack Obama's family couldn't have picked better...
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Obama Family Picks Portuguese water dog to be first pet...
President Obama's First Dog
"The most eagerly anticipated member of President Barack Obama's team is set to be announced, as Michelle Obama says the family has decided on the breed of the first dog." was the news on every media.
The three-month long search, which began during Obama's victory speech in Chicago last November, was finally nearing an end. "Michelle Obama told People magazine that her daughters, Sasha and Malia, will get their promised puppy in April and are planning to adopt a Portuguese water dog from an animal shelter."
The decision satisfied the three characteristics the Obamas wanted in their pet: that it be hypo-allergic, adopted from a shelter and not be, as Barack Obama put it, "a girly dog."
But the choice sparked questions about whether the first family is ready to take on the challenge of the breed.
Portuguese water dogs are not known as easy dogs to care for - they were originally bred as working dogs for Portuguese fishermen, who used them to retrieve nets and buoys in the water. Now that the Obamas have chosen the Portuguese water dog, few in the small community of breeders who produce the animal are happy.
"These dogs are fantastic for the right people and a disaster for the wrong family," said breeder Herb Szauerzopf from Moffat, Ontario. He eliminates eight out of 10 prospective buyers for his dogs because they are a poor match.
"These are a full-time dog that want to be part of your life and they don't have an `off' switch," Szauerzopf said. "They are not suited to commuter families."
The Downside of Picking a Portuguese Water Dog
But the top dog honour has raised concern in an unexpected corner - among aficionados of the unusual breed.
They fear the inevitable surge in popularity produced by the "Obama effect" will provide openings for unscrupulous breeders operating puppy mills and result in a spate of abandoned dogs in a few months time.
The phenomenon is known in canine-loving quarters as the "101 Dalmatians' syndrome" - a reference to the impact of the Disney film classic's 1996 re-make starring Glenn Close.
Animal shelters were flooded with unwanted Dalmatians after children persuaded parents to buy them the cute spotted puppies as presents, only for the families to lose interest as the dogs grew bigger and more difficult to control.
Stu Freeman, president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, warned about the dangers of a repeat of the curse of the 101 Dalmations after the First Lady told People magazine that the family were leaning towards the breed in the search for the new puppy that Barack Obama promised his daughters on the night of his election victory.
The president earlier said the choice was between a Portuguese Water Dog and a Labradoodle mix, as the two breeds least likely to set off the allergies of 10-year-old Malia because of their type of hair and skin oils.
According to the Portuguese Water Dog Club in America's website, the breed wants to be with its "crewmates" throughout the day, and requires a lot of attention and exercise. The dogs are not small either, as a male can be as large as 27 kilograms.
The Obamas had narrowed their choice down to a Portuguese water dog or a Labradoodle and it's believed that Sen. Ted Kennedy, who owns three Portuguese dogs, lobbied hard for his favourite breed.
"We love our Portuguese water dogs, and if the first family decides to go in that direction, we know they'll fall in love, too," he said in a statement Wednesday. "And (my dogs) Splash, Sunny, and Cappy look forward to welcoming the new first dog to Washington."
Portuguese Water Dogs were ranked the 62nd most popular breed in the United States by the American Kennel Club in 2008, and have been rising steadily in popularity over the past decade. Labrador Retrievers, followed by Yorkshire terriers, are the U.S.'s favorite breeds, but it's fair to say the first family's decision will certainly impact the 2009 rankings.
History of the Portuguese Water Dog
The breed, which costs $1,800 to $2,500, is similar to a long-haired poodle. They were bred by Portuguese fishermen to drive fish into nets, retrieve equipment and acts as couriers between ships and shore, and were a familiar sight in trawlers as far afield as Iceland.
In Portugal, the breed is called Cão d'Água (pronounced "Kown-d'Ahgwa"; literally "water dog"). In its native land, the dog is also known as the Portuguese Fishing Dog (Cão Pescador Português). Cão de Água de Pêlo Ondulado is the name given the wavy-haired variety, and Cão de Água de Pêlo Encaracolado is the name for the curly-coated variety.
The Portuguese Water Dog is a fairly rare breed; only 15 entrants for Portuguese Water Dogs were made to England's Crufts competition in 2002, although their personality and non-shedding qualities have made them more popular in recent years.
Portuguese Water Dog Personality
Elena Gretch, a dog trainer and owner of two Portuguese water dogs, attributes some of that to the fact that the dog is good for allergy sufferers. Malia Obama, 10, has allergies.
Michelle Obama also praised the dogs' personality and size in the People magazine interview.
"Temperamentally they're supposed to be pretty good," Michelle Obama said. "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."
Gretch worries that if the Obamas choose the breed, puppy mills will sprout.
The dogs cost $1,800 to $2,500 and aren't as common as other popular breeds. They're prone to hip dysplasia, so finding a good breeder is important, she said, and the dogs don't often end up in shelters for adoption.
The dogs also require a lot of attention, grooming and outdoor exercise. "It's agile, it's a great swimmer, it loves to be outdoors," said Gretch, founder of the pet care and training service It's A Dog's Life in New York City.
Portuguese water dogs are usually not great for first-time dog owners, said Freeman, because it takes experience to train them.
"These are dogs that if you don't keep them busy, they will be busy and do something you don't want them to do," he said.
Steve Brooks, a dog trainer who works with celebrities, said he's already training more Labradors, which may be the result of "Marley & Me."
After "101 Dalmatians," the shelter where Daphna Nachminovitch worked was flooded with Dalmatians. Parents broke down and bought the puppies, she said. As the puppies got older and harder to manage, the kids lost interest and the dogs ended up in shelters.
The Obamas have said they plan to adopt from a shelter, something Nachminovitch, now vice-president of cruelty investigations for PETA, hopes others will keep in mind.
"With the way the economy is now, animal shelters are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of abandoned animals. It's certainly not a time to make more dogs," she said. "We have plenty of dogs in animal shelters who need a home."
"Temperamentally they're supposed to be pretty good," Michelle Obama told People magazine. "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."
Michelle Obama said the family plans on getting the new pet shortly her daughters' spring break trip in April.
She said they are still deciding on a name, but so far have nixed Frank and Moose.
"Oh, the names are really bad. I don't even want to mention it, because there are names floating around and they're bad," she said.
"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."
To see the latest on the OBAMA FAMILY DOG, check out the popular website PUPPY DOGS INFO: at http://www.puppy-dogs.info
Rrrruff!
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