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.

Here is a funny picture from President Obama’s visit to Buckingham Palace. The president came to London with a huge convoy of cars to carry him and his advisers around – plenty of tyres for a dog to pee against, then…. But yesterday the presidential car was parked in the wrong spot at Buck house. It was blocking the route that the Queen’s Corgi use to for their afternoon walk. One of the courtiers, leading four of the Queen’s Corgis, called President Obama’s driver to move the reinforced Cadillac when he found it was blocking the garden entrance. Nice to know the dogs were not forgotten in all the fuss.

The Queen has always had Corgis as pets, but they are not such a popular breed now in the UK as they were some years ago. They are an example of dogs that have been bred with very short legs and a tendency to gain weight. I hope the new Kennel Club rules will help put an end to this practice: for the dogs already suffering, perhaps there will soon be a diet pill that works to make their lives more comfortable.

We already expect the Obama dog to arrive in April, what kind of dog will it be? The favourite breed so far seems to be a Portuguese Water Dog, and it will be an adult dog. There are plenty of breed-specific rescue organisations who will try to match you up with a dog needing a new start. It is a good idea to avoid getting a puppy, as the restrictions of living in the White House make life difficult for a younger dog.

All dog adoptions can be revoked if they do not work out, this is something like returning engagement rings after breaking up! It is better to admit it if the adoption does not work out and the charity will find the dog a more suitable new home.

I am as curious as everyone else to know which breed of dog the Obama family is going to adopt. They have already confirmed they intend to get a rescue dog, which is a good example to set.  Like us, they have decided to time the arrival of their new dog after their spring vacation.  There is no point in booking cruises straight after getting a new pet!The first family will be back home in April so we can look forward to the patter of four tiny new feet around Easter.