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. I suppose the first trick a Water dog should learn is how to turn on a tap, as long as it isn’t a shower faucet.

“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 is still the subject of family discussion, with some strong backing for personal choices. But they are not revealing very much – apparently Frank was one dog name that had some backing. Over here in the UK, naming your dog with a ‘human’ name is quite popular. Our dog, of course, was named Kevin, and my brother’s dog is called Charlie. Kevin had canine friends including Louis, Jack, Toby Gracie and Lola – obviously Lola’s family are fans of the Kinks! I hope the Obamas will choose a name they love: maybe Jumble, like the beloved pet of William Brown in the Just William books.

Lost Dogs of Hurricane Katrina.
The forgotten victims of the horror of Katrina were the pets. Residents who were evacuated were not allowed to take their animals with them – in fact many were forced to leave their homes at gunpoint by the emergency services.
This 80-minute documentary by novice San Francisco film maker Geralyn Pezanoski reduced audiences to tears at the SXSW Film Festival last week. The film is titled “Mine”, and it describes how hundreds of pets were left at the scene of Hurricane Katrina. Many of their owners have dedicated their efforts since then to finding their lost loved ones. Deaths of the pets were inevitable, but the survivors were mostly picked up by animal rescue volunteers. Rehoming to new families has now ended in tug of love cases between the distraught Katrina victims and the new adopting families. Have the tissues ready as you watch this tearjerker and see how much the love of a dog means.
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A dog breed that I have always found attractive and amiable is the Cocker Spaniel, My brother had a Cocker Spaniel crossbreed and this dog – Charlie – was a fantastic, energetic pet. There were problems with his socialisation, though: he was apt to snap at children, especially if they passed by his front gate.  I also met a Cocker Spaniel owner whose black Cocker puppy bit her in an unprovoked attack!  So I was surprised to see the breed described as follows:

• Conveniently sized and athletic
• Has a pretty feathered coat in a variety of colors
• Is lively and playful, with a tail-wagging nature
• Is usually polite with everyone
• Is peaceful with other pets

For me, the jury is out on their expected temperament. This is also a breed that sheds fur excessively, and I do not want to take on a dog that moults fur again. there is also a health insurance lead concern with this breed – they suffer from serious eye problems.

The Lakeland Terrier is quite close in appearance to the Welsh Terrier, but the Lakeland comes in a wider variety of colours. One advantage of the Lakeland terrier breed is the fact that it is a dog breed with minimal hair shedding.

The Lakeland was devleoped in Cumbria and Westmoreland – the English Lake District – to catch foxes that would otherwise kill young lambs. Despite this breed characteristic, the Lakeland Terrier is also a gentle and loving pet. These are energetic dogs, though – like most Terriers they cannot be trusted off-leash. They will take off, regardless of your frantic shouts, after anything that runs.

Lakeland terriers have a varied appearance. Some are like the handsome show dog pictured above, and others have the rather unkempt look of the little chap pictured on the right.  At least this is not a dog breed that tends to put on weight so you will not be likely to need diet pills for a Lakeland Terrier.  There are a good number of Lakeland Terriers available for adoption through animal rescue charities, especially those devoted to terriers.

The Welsh Terrier is another breed of dog that I am considering for adoption. They are handsome black and tan dogs with a wiry coat, and a life expectancy of up to 12 years. The look of this breed is quite similar to the Wire Haired Fox Terrier, but the Welsh Terrier has a slightly more placid temperament. They are more easily trained to socialise well with other dogs, and can learn to refrain from chasing everything that moves! Welsh Terriers do not need excessive grooming, although clipping a few times a year will help keep their handsome lines. In appearance they are a kind of compact form of the Airedale Terrier, which is a breed that I would find too large.

There are no particular health problems associated with the Welsh Terrier breed. They are all round good performance parts, in fact. There are fewer Welsh Terriers available from the dog rescue charities around here but I remain hopeful.

Welsh Terrier Club Rescue
Mr T Spencer, Wakefield, Yorks. Tel: 01924 210517

One of the dog breeds that I might look at when the time is right is the Wire Haired Fox terrier. I have fond memories of children’s push-along toys that used this breed as the model! In real life, this is a breed of dog that is sturdy and tough in spite of its small size. The Wirehaired Fox Terrier does not shed a lot of hair, but the Smooth Haired Fox Terrier loses lots of fur.  To me the smooth coated Fox Terrier (pictured below) is much less attractive. Also, after experiencing Kev’s exuberant moulting all over the house I would prefer to find a dog that sheds a little less. That is easy to say in advance, but of course if you fall in love with a dog at first sight all those considerations fly out of the window!

One thing I need to check about this breed of dog is the famous terrier temperament. In common with other terriers the characteristics that can be challenging are:
- lively, bossy, stubborn, impulsive and keen to chase and bark.

These dogs need plenty of stimulation and exercise,needing regular opportunities to let off steam.  Recall can be a problem as they forget everything else when there is something to chase, so many Wire Haired Fox Terriers need to be kept on an extending lead when they go out.

With such an inquisitive and energetic breed, high fences are another must – but it is a bad idea to leave them – or any dog, in fact – unattended in the garden.

Thia is a fairly long lived breed, often reaching the age of 14 as long as they receive pet supplements and a good diet.  There are plenty of rescue centres here in the UK, specialising in rehoming Wire Haired Fox Terriers.