Since little Bo arrived at the White House he has attracted at least as much attention as his famous owner! So I will confine myself to saying that he looks very cute, and wishing the family and Bo many years of fun together. I will also point out for you some interesting comments.
Beverley Cuddy, Dogs Today editor, in her blogpost Bo Selected, wonders about some of the more controversial aspects of the First Dog. She considers the health implications of the breed, and whether the lifestyle of the first family really suits having a dog at all. The comments on this blog make interesting reading too.
Dr. Nancy Kay, author of Speaking for Spot, has a different take on Bo. In her post Bobama she points out the advantages for children in owning a dog. As a child I yearned for a dog, and only briefly had one (it's a sad story). It was a yearning that did not diminish with adulthood, and when the time was right, we got a dog for our daughter to grow up with. Then we got her a dog of her own, and now I'm working on number three - so you see the deprivation of my childhood has had a lifelong affect on me. Should I sue? Anyway, the point is I agree with Nancy that Michelle and Barack have been wise in giving in to their daughters' requests for a dog. Mind you I think they have more help around the place than my parents did.
My last pick comes from Bo's himself. Well it purports to, but I've never met a puppy who would hold such grumpy and cynical opinions as this blogpost contains! It's a bit of fun though, so check out My humiliating debut as First Dog in the Telegraph. That link also contains some video footage of the family with Bo, which is good to see. One of the best messages about the way the Obama's have got their dog is how patiently and thoroughly they prepared for him. If every family approached dog ownership in this way, the shelters would be out of business. Someone's obviously been teaching those girls well about how to train the dog, and to give positive rewards too.
It's touching to see the President of the United States stooping down, petting and trying to get the attention of a mere puppy; but that is the power of a dog!
Take care,
Julie x