Dog Tip of the Day

Tips for the Obama Family on Selecting a Dog

It sounds like the Obama family has settled on a dog breed--a Portuguese Water Dog--and will be looking for a shelter dog in April. (You might have read about Senator Ted Kennedy and his Portuguese Water Dog, Splash, in our Celebrity Canine section.)

In our last contest, we asked what advice you would give the Obama family in selecting a dog...and you had lots of great advice! Some tips covered what type of dog the family should consider (suggestions ranged from chihuahuas to labs to hairless breeds) but plenty of advice dealt with selecting and raising a young dog in the White House.

Here's a look at the first half of the advice DogTipper.com's readers had to pass along to the Obama family (more tips tomorrow). These words of wisdom that would apply to just about any family looking for a new four-legged member of the family:

• Rescue a puppy that both of the daughters will love and play with no matter what.
• Check the size of the paws. The bigger the paw, the bigger the dog!
• Make sure whatever breed you pick will be one that will fit with the family...activity level, temperament, maintenance of coat, etc. It's very important to consider all.
• Adopt from a shelter.
• Get a puppy that is not hyper.
• Get a big dog, there is more to love.
• Don't get a dog that’s hard to potty train.
• Seriously- don't just pick what the stars have or the most popular...maybe a puppy is not best since it is the White House-- know there are allergies- search out the pounds and shelters and I am sure there is one for you. Only get a puppy if there is going to be time from you folks..not caregivers.
• Make sure you love it to pieces.
• Give them the reins in the White House. Just remember they are the "TOP DOG".
• Get a dog that likes to cuddle!
• One word: RESCUE.
• Get one that does not bite.
• Whatever kind of dog you decide on, please please make sure to find one in a shelter as this would be such a good example to set for our country.
• Please rescue a puppy from an animal shelter.
• No puppy mill puppy. Get it from a shelter.
• Make sure everyone in the family is able to understand all the work and attention a new puppy will need.
• Please adopt a homeless dog of a mixed breed....maybe other people will follow.
• Just take good care of your puppy
• Get an older dog from the pound
• A shelter dog is so the way to go. I know they have allergy issues in their family but if they look hard I bet they can find one that is non-allergenic at a shelter - it's amazingly sad the dogs that are abandoned to shelters.
• Find one that is not frightened easily and one that everyone will love.
• Get a shelter dog - these are the greatest.
• Hypoallergenic is necessary, a shorthair will shed less. Choose a happy friendly dog.
• RESEARCH before you buy ANY dog!
• Get a mutt from the pound!
• DON'T LET YOUR DOG BITE REPORTERS.
• Make it a big one to scare the press.
• Choose a dog that will fit your lifestyle.
• Choose a dog that does not bark much like a Boston terrier.
• Love the puppy unconditionally and everything else will take care of itself.
• Be nice to your dog.
• Select one that showers you with kisses when you first meet.
• Look for an older mixed in need of a home dog and get two.
• Make sure your heart is really in the one you pick!
• Buy a puppy you and the girls fall in love with...forget anyone else's advice.
• My advice is simple. Choose a puppy that you can see yourself & family becoming best friends with and growing older with. Just like when people say you'll just know who you're meant to be with, same applies for man's best friend. In the end, it's not you who chooses the puppy, it is the puppy who chooses YOU. Good Luck & Lots of love.

Part two of our reader's tips for the Obama family

Labels: Obama dog

posted by Paris and John @ 2:16 PM