Obama Dog Bo

Well the votes are in and the Portuguese Water Dog won. I do think it's rather appropriate Bo came from President Kennedy's brother Teddy since Obama has been compared to JFK in so many ways. I think it's also neat that Portuguese Water Dogs are being used for genetic study. There are only about 1000 of these dogs in the world, the breed started from 30 core dogs and the breeders especially in the United States have always tried to breed out deformities and any disease that may crop up so the bloodlines are easily traced. PWD are also good genetic subjects because they are small and large and different colors. Geneticists studying these dogs have isolated a gene that may cause dogs to be small which I think is fascinating. The story on how the PWD helps genetics research is summarized here in the La Times.

Bo is also a rescue which is what President Obama wanted, it seems he had a previous family that just didn't quite mesh with him or something. So it all turned out good except Bo is supposedly banned from President Obama's bed. That is probably true for now, wonder if it will stick? I'm sure Bo will never know that he is probably one of the most famous dogs in the world, he will just think this is the way life should be like my little white rat (OK he's fluffy and looks more like a giant q tip than a rat but I call him my white rat) thinks, he doesn't think he's spoiled, this is just how life should be!

I wonder if the Obama's will stop @ one dog? Bo might get lonely? President Obama seems to be plenty smitten with this dog considering it was a present for his children? Bo is truly and animal that gives pause and probably one that will give paws too, pun intended.