White House Dog Spotted In The Family Quarters Of The White House

Has the BIG DAY finally arrived? I think the answer is YES! The President returns today from Europe and is expected to unleash the new First Dog to the American people. According to POLITICO a dog has been spotted by a senior staffer. http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0409/spotted_6a1d4afc-db99-4824-814e-1c2fae703a13.html

Both Arbo and I think that there is still HOPE for the Labradoodle. We shall see!

Arbo UNLEASHED In The Baltimore Sun

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/mutts/blog/2009/02/obama_dog_portuguese_water_dog.html

By Mary Corey

One thing I learned yesterday during the It-is/It-isn't-a-Portuguese-Water-Dog drama was this: There are some very funny, clever and informative Web sites and blogs out there devoted solely to the soon-to-be First Dog.
I was tipped off by Greg Nelson, who yesterday was cheering when he learned that his beloved Labradoodles may still be in the running. He even has a new site devoted to his cause. He calls himself the founder and his 18-month-old miniature Labradoodle Arbo (above) the president. To show your Labradoodle love, you can even buy yard signs, buttons and dog T-shirts. All proceeds of sales go to animal rescue organizations and shelters.
If you're way into First Dog news (and who isn't?), here are some other not-to-be-missed sites and blogs on the topic.
American Kennel Club provides useful info on the search, materials on hypoallergenic breeds and facts on past presidential pets. Don't miss: The video of too-cute Portuguese Water Dogs
Dogtime.com has an amusing Obama dog blog. Don't miss: The poll with questions including: What name should the Obamas choose? (Chief and Veto are options as answers.) What should the First Dog's first toy be? (Osama bin Laden plush toy or Barack Obama's basketball shoes?)
The Portuguese Water Dog Club of America has a comprehensive site on the subject with everything from grooming tips to handling behavioral issues. Don't miss: The Test your PWD Knowledge quiz

Home Stretch For The Next FIRST DOG

President Obama gave a few tidbits of information about the future First Dog during his March 19 appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
After tackling serious issues such as the country's economic crisis, the AIG flap and Obama's NCAA tournament picks (OK, so maybe it wasn't all serious), Leno asked the President the real question on everyone's mind (or at least those of us who look forward to seeing a pup playing on the White House lawn): "When is the dog coming?"
Obama quipped, "This is Washington. That was a campaign promise," before adding over the laughter of the audience, "I'm teasing."
He went on to semi-cryptically suggest that the family has already chosen a family dog, saying, "The dog will be there shortly. We have actually sort of been laying the groundwork here. We've got a trip... I've got to go to the NATO Summit. When we get back, the dog will be in place."
The NATO Summit is April 3-4, so depending on how one interprets Obama's statement, this means the presidential pup may be in his or her new home in just a few weeks.
Leno did not press further as to whether the dog is from a shelter or a breeder, if it is male or female, or the dog's age. Instead, he asked about the dog's breed and if it was true they would be getting a "Portuguese Water Head" - meaning, of course, a Portuguese Water Dog, which, in an interview with PEOPLE Magazine, Michelle Obama had indicated was the family's breed of choice.
Obama neither confirmed nor denied the breed speculation, simply stating, "We're going to get a dog that I think the girls will have a great time... uh, I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with it."
He then added, "They say if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog, so..."
And with that, the interview concluded, leaving those of us anticipating the First Dog's arrival wanting more. It seems we'll just have to wait a few weeks for that.

White House to Receive Eco-Friendly Doghouse

http://sustainablepet.com/obamadog.html

Sustainable Pet Design has created an eco-friendly, non-toxic doghouse, "Summa Canum," for the First Dog. Green companies across the country have donated materials and services, including rock legend Neil Young, who is driving it to the White House this month. The dog home is intended to be used as a vehicle to introduce the American public to sustainable materials and practices.Summa Canum features a greenroof, reclaimed wood and zero-VOC paint. Vegetation will be sent to the White House after the dog home is received so that the Obamas may plant it themselves if desired. The home is built with cedar reclaimed from Andrew Jackson’s estate after a tornado felled trees on the property in 1998. Many of these trees were planted by Jackson himself. A certificate of authenticity for the wood is included with the dog home.Neil Young will be driving to the White House in March 2009 in his super-efficient hybrid 1959 Lincoln Continental to promote environmentally responsible vehicles; Summa Canum will be riding along in the convoy and delivered to the White House. The dog home generated enough enthusiasm among members of the green community that almost all of the materials were donated.Summa Canum is more than a doghouse—it is an effort to promote and introduce sustainable materials to the American public through an accessible object. Sustainable Pet Design and the sponsors of Summa Canum hope to create excitement through the idea that green is cool and patriotic. The interest it generates will provide an opportunity to present greenroofs and eco-friendly materials as concrete ways to decrease climate change and waste, lower health concerns and provide green jobs.

More HOPE!

White House tosses water on dog tale

by Rebecca Cole
Labradoodle lovers, take heart.
After months of speculation, it appeared that the selection of a first dog was at hand. People magazine, with a fetching report on its Website today, revealed that First Lady Michelle Obama has narrowed the family's choice to a rescued Portuguese water dog. All that stands in the way now is Spring break - then comes a dog in April.

"You're getting some scoops here,'' the first lady told the magazine, People reported, and "the only thing still up in the air is the name."
But is the magazine barking up the wrong tree?
The first lady's press secretary, Katie Lelyveld, threw cold water on the report today, suggesting that a decision actually has not been made.
"They have not selected a breed," Lelyveld said. "Mrs. Obama likes the Portuguese water dog, but she is only one of four votes.''
The Obamas have not narrowed the search down to a particular breed, the spokeswoman said, but "their primary focus now is that they get a dog that works with their lifestyle." President Barack Obama had allowed in an earlier interview that the family had narrowed its search to the water dog or a Labradoodle, not a breed really, but a cross between a Labrador retriever and the Standard poodle.
(First Lady Michelle Obama may grace the cover of People magazine, with the story of the dog hunt, but President Barack Obama is featured on the cover of LA Tails, a complimentary magazine for pet lovers which dedicated a recent edition to rescue puppies.)
If the Obamas do decide on a Portuguese water dog, that might be difficult, says Mary Harkins, coordinator of rescue and relocation for the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America. A very active breed, some Portuguese water dogs "are without an off-switch - they just go all day," Harkins explains. "It might be a little bit too much for a family who has never owned a dog before, especially this family."
The No. 1 reason that Portuguese water dogs are rescued, Harkins says, is because owners who bought them as puppies didn't realize their prodigious activity levels.
Intelligent and a strong swimmer, historically used as a net-tending working dog by Portuguese fishermen, the PWD was taught to dive underwater and herd fish into nets. The relatively obscure breed is described by the American Kennel Club as providing an "indelible impression of strength, spirit, and soundness."
Finding a rescue PWD may be tough: Last year, only five PWDs were rescued , she says, and she already has a long waiting list.
"It's pretty difficult," Harkin says. "We're not that big of a breed that we would see a lot of dogs."

Not Good News For The Labradoodle

Michelle Obama: White House Dog Coming Soon!
By Sandra Sobieraj Westfall

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20261257,00.html

The whole world, it seems, wants to know: What kind of dog are the Obamas getting and, for goodness sake, when? Speaking to PEOPLE at the White House recently, Michelle Obama leaned in and confided: "You're getting some scoops here." So, when? In April, Mrs. Obama says – after she and the President take daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, on a vacation for spring break. Here's a sample of a typical family conversation on the matter: "So Sasha says, 'April 1st.' I said, 'April.' She says, 'April 1st.' It's, like, April!," Mrs. Obama recalls. "Got to do it after spring break. You can't get a new dog and then go away for a week." And what kind of dog will soon be frolicking on the South Lawn? Mrs. Obama says the family is looking for a rescue Portuguese Water dog who is "old enough" and a "match" for the family dynamic. "Temperamentally they're supposed to be pretty good," she says of the breed that Sen. Ted Kennedy has also lobbied for (he has two Water dogs of his own). "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."
The Name GameThe only thing still up in the air is the name. And Mom's not feeling it with some of the names her girls have come up with. "Oh, the names are really bad. I don't even want to mention it, because there are names floating around and they're bad," Mrs. Obama says with a laugh. "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." Asked if she can believe the public interest in her family dog search, Mrs. Obama shakes her head. "Okay, that's surprising," she says. "One of the things I didn't anticipate is the level of the excitement about the dog. I knew my kids were excited. They've been excited for years. They've even calmed down, because they feel like, 'They said we're going to get one, so let's just shut up about it.' " Diplomatically, and careful not to insult enthusiastic dog-lovers, she adds: "It's all great and gracious attention. People are just being as helpful as you can imagine. So I know that we will find the perfect breed. And we'll find people who are caring folks who will help us find the dog of our dreams." For more from this interview, including Michelle Obama's views on fashion and her family's daily White House routine, pick up the new PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday
Get up-to-the-minute celebrity news and photos on your cellphone, iPhone or Blackberry at www.people.com!

First Dogs: Raising the Woof in the White House

By Bridget Gutierrez, Newseum exhibits writer

If you want a friend in Washington, the old saying goes, get a dog. Since the days of George Washington, most U.S. presidents have.
Hundreds of pets have lived at the White House, including parrots, goats, raccoons and cats. But dogs top the list as the favorite presidential pet.
A new exhibit, "First Dogs: American Presidents and Their Pets," at the Newseum, showcasing some of the top dogs who have resided at the nation’s most prestigious address.
On display are images of dogs belonging to 22 presidents. Journalists helped turn many of the pets into national celebrities, including Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier, Fala, who had his own press secretary, and Warren G. Harding’s Airedale, Laddie Boy, who had his own chair at Cabinet meetings. A book "written" by George H.W. Bush’s English springer spaniel, Millie, sold more copies than Bush’s own book.
President-elect Barack Obama said he intended to fulfill a very important campaign pledge to his daughters Malia and Sasha — that they would get a dog after the election. Newseum visitors can vote for their choice for the next presidential pooch while viewing the exhibit.
Some highlights of other presidents and their pets include:
• Abraham Lincoln’s dog Fido was the first presidential pet to be photographed, but it wasn’t a happy occasion. Lincoln was leaving Fido, a mongrel, in Illinois and wanted a memento for his sons before setting out for his 1861 inauguration in Washington.
• Calvin and Grace Coolidge maintained a menagerie during his 1920s presidency, including 12 dogs and a pair of raccoons. On display is a photograph of their white collie Prudence Prim showing off her Easter bonnet for Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon.
• Herbert Hoover won fans, and possibly his 1928 election, by posing with his police dog, King Tut, for campaign photos. He and his wife, Lou, kept nine dogs at the White House, including their Norwegian elkhound, Weegie.
• John F. Kennedy was allergic to dogs. Even so, the Kennedys had nine, including Clipper, Charlie, Wolf, Shannon and the mixed breed Pushinka, a gift from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev.
• In April 1964, dog lovers protested after seeing front-page photos of Lyndon B. Johnson lifting his beagles, Him and Her, by the ears. Insisting to reporters that the dogs didn’t mind, Johnson demonstrated the move again days later.
• Forced to account for $18,000 in questionable gifts during the 1952 election, Republican vice presidential nominee Richard M. Nixon insisted to a television audience that the only gift he received was for his children — a cocker spaniel named Checkers. He won voters’ sympathies when he explained, "The kids love the dog … and we’re going to keep it."
• Gerald R. Ford’s photographer, David Hume Kennerly, was looking for a golden retriever for his boss in 1974 but didn’t want to reveal who the owner would be. "Do they own or rent?" the breeder asked. "I guess you could say they live in public housing," Kennerly deadpanned. Ford named the dog Liberty.
• George W. Bush joked that his Scottish terrier, Barney, was the son he never had. Bush’s "Barney Cam" videos, showing life at the White House from the dog’s view, were an Internet sensation. Barney made news again in November 2008 when he bit a reporter who tried to pet him.

Muttpuppies on Trial Makes Interesting Case For Labradoodle

Posted 2/13/09 on : http://muttpuppiesontrial.blogspot.com/

It seems like half the dog world is waiting with bated breath to see which breed of dog President Obama will adopt into the White House: Portuguese Water Dog, or Labradoodle?As something of an, ahem, critic of muttpuppies - or at least of the ideas that surround them - I feel obligated to share an opinion. Mine may surprise you.First we have the PWD, also known as "those shaggy dogs with the shaved butts". Fantastic! They're purebred and low-shedding and holy crap they have shaved butts. What's not to like?The Labradoodle, on the other hand, is equally shaggy and sadly lacks a snappy trim, but is also low-shedding and quite intelligent. Hmmm.In one corner, a smart, hypoallergenic, hairy monster. In the other corner, much the same.

Doodle and PWD. Or is it PWD and doodle?I would pick the Labradoodle.I will not lie. I love a dog with a shaved hiney almost as much as I love a dog with a beard - and I love a dog with a beard. But there are several other, indeed more important factors to consider, some of which may be known to the president and his family, some maybe not. Health, for instance.The PWD is not a healthy breed. They're terrifically inbred, for starters. Long story short, the Portuguese Water Dog Club was founded in 1972 when there were 12 known PWDs in America. Ten short years later and the number had hiked to 650. Around this time, PWDs were registered with the AKC, both officially submitting them to the closed registry system, and causing their numbers to soar. And ever since then, the gene pool has been strangled more and more. God forbid the AKC ever entertains the notion of admitting an outcrossed dog or open registries! So the breed gets sicker and sicker. Thanks a lot, Snidely. This isn't my real concern since the Obamas probably aren't planning on breeding the First Dog. Probably. But we are talking about a nation who apparently caused a rise in breed popularity not only after 101 Dalmatians was released, but also following Beethoven. BEETHOVEN. The movie about the dog that slobbers and sheds and eats his owners' belongings (and probably fantasizes about eating them too, oh my God!). Some people just have no idea what breed they want when they get a dog, till the first one that looks remotely interesting drifts into their line of vision. Well, if it's good enough for the president ...!
And of course, with demand, comes supply. The last thing PWDs need now is a spike in popularity.
The AKC and Westminster, of course, wholeheartedly back the idea of a Porti First Dog. Health issues be damned, they'd love to see that resulting registration money, and I imagine they'll be crowing enthusiastically about how President Obama endorses purebreds after all the flack they're gonna be taking. Sort of like that time-old playground defence that that other kid can't be mean to you because you have an older brother in the sixth grade who'll beat him up. Did that ever work, by the way?
In comparison, there are a lot worse dogs to select than a Labradoodle.
I yammer about unpredictability a lot, and before you stone me, I'm not backing down from that conviction. But this is one of the many reasons why getting a designer dog from a shelter, as the Obamas plan to do, is so much better than going for a breeder. Labradoodles can be low-shedding ... they can also shed quite as much as their Lab parent does. When you adopt from a shelter, for one thing, you don't have to pay the exorbitant sum that (what amounts to) mutts are going for these days, and secondly, you're probably getting a mature dog. There will probably be people there who can tell you about his temperament and they may even know whether he qualifies as "hypoallergenic" or not. And there's no shame in taking a shelter dog home for a trial run.
And let's face it: Whether the mutt's got hybrid vigour in its favour or not, a Labradoodle is bound to be vastly healthier than a PWD.
So there we are. MoT is championing a muttpuppy over a purebred. Don't get used to it. ;)
Besides, it's all about public image. I feel a snooty purebreed will not be well-received by America. No worries... I hope.

Show Your Love For A Homeless Animal This V-Day!

http://www.warl.org/events/Valentine.php

Celebrate Valentine's Day with Washington Animal Rescue League. Give an original gift that shows just how much you care -- sponsor a homeless animal in honor of your special valentine! A homeless dog or cat will get a special treat, your valentine will get a thank-you email from the animal, and a valentine card with your loved one's name on it will go up on the animal's den.

Put Your Pet in the Obama White House

Create an Obama Family Pet e-card at www.pawfun.com. Where in the World Is Arbo?

Looking For A Rescue Doodle?

One the goals of "Labradoodles For Obama" is to raise awareness and resources for animal rescues and shelters. Labradoodles are wonderful dogs but they need plenty of exercise, love, and attention. Arbo wants to make sure that any family or individual that is considering getting any kind of a dog picks a breed appropriate for their lifestyles.

http://www.idog.biz/IDOGRRR.html

IDOG Rescue/Rehome Resources (IDOG RRR) is a program of the International Doodle Owners Group, Inc. IDOG is a not for profit 501(c)(3) public charity devoted to educating and supporting Labradoodle and Goldendoodle Owners and committed to protecting doodles in need.

dogtime.com Features Arbo's Efforts

Check out http://www.obama-dog.com/. Obama’s Dog Blog: Tails from the White House is brought to you by DogTime.com and DogTime Media

http://www.obama-dog.com/blog/2009/02/labradoodles-lobby-the-president.html

What would Washington be without lobbyists?

In the nation’s capital, there’s a fellow – actually, he’s a marketing executive and entrepreneur – who wants the First Family to adopt the same breed of dog he has: a Labradoodle. But Greg Nelson is doing more than just writing emails to President Obama – he recently launched a full lobbying effort, including a Web site, a store and a publicity campaign to make sure the Obamas knows that Labradoodles are “super fun,” “super cute” and “super smart.” (Of course, Portuguese Water Dogs are all those things, too, but we get the point.)
Nelson’s site, LabradoodlesforObama.com, includes a blog, photos and a shop where visitors can buy buttons, T-shirts, yard signs, coffee cups – heck, you name it and they sell it. Nelson’s home is actually the closest single-family home to the White House, so we guess he just wants to add another Labradoodle to the neighborhood.
The campaign, Nelson said, is really intended to promote responsible pet ownership, foster a sense of community among dog owners and raise awareness for the need for more dog-friendly green spaces in Washington D.C.
Hey, we support that.

Labradoodles For Obama Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Greg Nelson
Labradoodles for Obama
http://www.labradoodlesforobama.com/
(202) 669-2896
gregnelson22@gmail.com

LABRADOODLES LAUNCH LOBBYING EFFORT TO BECOME OBAMA FAMILY FIRST DOG

Washington, DC—Prepare to cast your ballot once more; the campaign for First Dog is heating up. The announcement by President Obama that the first family has narrowed their choice for the family dog to either the Portuguese water dog or the Labradoodle has launched a new season of campaigning.

Marketing executive and entrepreneur Greg Nelson is lobbying for a Labradoodle in the White House through his newly created organization Labradoodles for Obama.

Nelson initiated the effort out of pride in his own Labradoodle, Arbo, and his interest in seeing the first family adopt their own mixed Labrador-Poodle breed. However, his message behind Labradoodles for Obama goes much deeper. Nelson champions three specific issues important to many animal advocates. First, individuals and families should practice responsible dog ownership, specifically by choosing a dog and breed appropriate for their lifestyles and by proper maintenance and care throughout the animal’s life. Second, as owner of the closest single family home to the White House, Nelson believes the sense of community fostered by dog ownership is an important benefit that should not be overlooked or discounted. Finally, Nelson hopes to raise awareness for the need for more dog-friendly green spaces in Washington, D.C.

Through his organization Labradoodles for Obama, Nelson is raising awareness and resources for local animal shelters by donating proceeds of merchandise profits from the website www.labradoodlesforobama.com to the Washington Humane Society.

“At the very least, the best result for the Labradoodles for Obama campaign is the money we raise for the Washington Humane Society” said Nelson. “Beyond that, if Arbo is invited for a play-date on the South Lawn, well, that would be a great bonus.”



Labradoodles For Obama
1609 16th Street NW § Washington, DC 20009

Labradoodle First Pup Campaign Heats Up In People Pets

http://www.peoplepets.com/news/pets-in-the-news/labradoodle-first-pup-campaign-heats-up/1


The Labradoodle is ahead in the polls. If Americans got to vote on First Puppy, the Doodle would win in a landslide. But Labradoodle owner Greg Nelson is leaving nothing to chance: he has launched a campaign to bring the Labradoodle to the White House. Nelson, who lives in the closest single family home to the White House with his 18-month-old apricot miniature Labradoodle Arbo, set up Labradoodles for Obama after President-elect Obama said that two breeds were on his short list: the Labradoodle and the Portuguese Water Dog.

In an open letter to the Obamas, Arbo sells his hypoallergenic breed as “SUPER FUN, SUPER CUTE & SUPER SMART.” “I jokingly have aspirations that maybe the South Lawn could be a new dog run,” says Nelson. On its first day Labradoodles for Obama attracted over 3,000 votes (88% pro-Labradoodle) and sold $2,500 in merchandise. (Profits go to the Washington Humane Society.)

The grassroots Labradoodle campaign will have to face off against the more traditional American Kennel Club, which is backing the Water Dog: “We have concerns about the Labradoodle only because it isn’t a purebred dog and … I think it’s important for the family to know what they’re getting,” says Daisy Okas, a spokeswoman for the AKC.

Should the Obamas get a Labradoodle or Portuguese water dog? Cast your vote now!

Washington DC Headquarters

The "Labradoodles For Obama" 16th Street DC Headquarters.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/01/labradoodles_for_obama_a_leg_u.html

by Mark Silva
Here's a question for the Obama White House, with all its new lobbying rules about who can come into the administration and what they can do there, based on what interests they've represented.
If an organized lobbying effort is waged on behalf of Labradoodles, can the first family accept a pet of that variety for Obama daughters Sasha and Malia?
This is only one of the questions for the newly organized Labradoodles for Obama, which announces its formation with the advisory that "the campaign for First Dog is heating up.''
Having seen no organized effort on behalf of the Portuguese water dog, which is the other breed - actually the only breed, inasmuch as the fact that the Labradoodle, half Labrador retriever and half Standard poodle, is not a recognized breed - that the president has publicly mentioned in the family's dog hunt, it would seem that the Labradoodle lobby has a, uh, leg up, on the water dogs.
Washington marketing executive Greg Nelson, voicing "pride in his own Labradoodle, Arbo,'' is behind this campaign, which is aimed not only at placing a Labradoodle at 1600 Pennsylvania, but also at raising awareness about the need to rescue puppies, and the grown variety too, from shelters.
At the very least, the best result for the Labradoodles for Obama campaign is the money we raise for the Washington Humane Society" Nelson says. "Beyond that, if Arbo is invited for a play-date on the South Lawn, well, that would be a great bonus."
And, before you go and get too wound up about another dog posting here in the Swamp, please remember, it's Saturday.
We're headed for the dog park. Woof.

Welcome to our blog!

Welcome to "Labradoodles For Obama". Arbo and I look forward to hearing from you and we promise to keep you posted all " Obama Dog" and "Labradoodles For Obama" news related stories. Tell your friends, family and fellow animal lovers about the site and remember, "VOTE LABRADOODLE!" Wags, Arbo & Greg!