The Obamas have finally welcomed their Portuguese Water Dog, named Bo, to the White House.I am a little disappointed that he is not actually from an animal; rescue centre.  It is true that his first owners gave Bo up because things were not working out with their existing dog, another Portuguese Water Dog. They gave him back to the breeder, and this was the breeder from where Ted Kennedy bought his own Portuguese Water dog.  The Senator  was obviously on the lookout for a dog from this breed, it was he who advised the family to get one.  The Portuguese Water dog sheds very little hair, making it suitable for anyone with allergies – also for people who do not want to clear up mats of dog hair every day. The Portuguese Water Dog is set to become known as the “Hypoallergenic Dog Breed” now the Obamas have given it such prominence.

Bo is still a puppy – just six months old – so he has had some upheaval in his short life. He was born in Texas, his first owner lived in Washington, DC, he returned for just a day to the breeder, then spent a month being trained for his new role in Virginia, before moving on to his new home at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Before his arrival at the White House the First Family’s dog spent a month with a dog trainer. Was this necessary? Hard to tell: a trained puppy can be allowed to stray into more public events, I suppose.

It is not always necessary to buy from a breeder if you want to adopt a specific breed.  There are plenty of rescue organisations who rehome one breed of dog, and a quick search online should find you a rescue organisation for the kind of dog you would like to own.  While there are so many dogs available for adoption, it makes no sense at all that breeders are producing so many puppies – many of whom are rejected by their owners in later life. And the Kennel Club continues to rubber stamp this culture.