LIL' BUDDY'S BLOG - Who's Gonna Be The Obama's FIRST DOG?
THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!
Hey, hey, you dogs!
Well, we've got a New President of the United States - and he's from CHICAGO. Wooof!!!!! How cool!
You know, final Chicago Election Stats show that just over 85% of City Humans voted for Barack Obama to be our country's Alpha Male. But, among us dogs, the unofficial number is far higher - over 90%. (The vote count is not yet complete, as there are some spoiled ballots in a few city precincts, due to, well . . . you know!)
The big buzz in the Moss Household these days comes from me and my Pup Reporter, Lil' Gracie Moss, pictured below. It seems that the new First Family will be getting a new dog when they move into the White House!
Said Mr. Obama to his daughters, Sasha and Malia, in his Victory Speech at Grant Park in Downtown Chicago on Election Night, last Tuesday, "You've earned the puppy that is coming with us to Washington." Indeed, he did promise his young daughters a new puppy, whether or not he had won the presidential election.
But what kind of puppy should the Obama Family adopt? A big dog? One that's little - like Gracie and me? One that's hypo-allergenic (bet you didn't think I could spell big hyphenated words, did you?) Or, a shelter dog, from a pound?
Well, which dog the Obama Family should select depends on who you speak with.
Ten year old Malia Obama has already said she wants a Goldendoodle. This breed is allergy-resistant (great for Malia, who has allergies), and is actually a hybrid between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. They are typically not found at animal rescue shelters, and are not recognized as a true pure breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
In a survey completed recently by the AKC, their respondents voted for a pure-bred Poodle. This breed is the eighth most popular in the U.S. Although they require frequent grooming, those with allergies usually do not have an adverse reaction to them.
The runner up in the AKC survey, of which 42,000 responded while the candidates were campaigning last summer, was the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier. Poodle and Terrier were only several hundred votes apart in the survey - far closer than the actual Presidential Election.
Other breeds on the list - the Miniature Schnauzer, the Bichon Frise, and the Chinese Crested. According to the American Kennel Club, all of these breeds have stable social temperaments, non-hyper energy levels, and are hypo-allergenic for most humans.
But hey - what about us Pekingese, or, as Lil' Gracie seems to be, a part Peke, part Shih Tzsu? Not even in the Top 5, apparently! We do shed a moderate amount (although, Gracie, less so), and some humans may sneeze and tear up when they meet us. Further more, some in our breeds do get a bit standoffish - present company excepted, of course!
"Most of our Presidents kept purebreds in the White House," AKC Spokeswoman Lisa Peterson relates. "When times get tough - during a bad economy or when presidential pressures are at their peak -- these dogs serve as personal companions and give much relaxation and laughter to our leaders during difficult times."
Many, however, favor a Pound Puppy for the new First Dog - including nearly 53% of respondents to a Chicago Tribune survey taken online over the last few days. Bring a mutt to the White House, versus a "snooty" purebred, would imply the Obama's are just ordinary folks - not among the elite.
Also, nearly 19,000 unclaimed Shelter Dogs are euthanized each year here in Chicago alone, although this tragic statistic has been coming down precipitously in recent years. No-Kill Animal Shelters like PAWS ("Pets are Worth Saving") on Clybourn Avenue here in Chicago do thousands of free or low-cost spay or neuter surgeries each year, and public awareness on the availability of hundreds of adoptable pets has placed many in loving families.
As for us - we'll support whatever puppy decision the new Pres makes - although acquiring a PAWS dog would make a fantastic political statement here.
And, Mr. & Mrs. Obama, Malia, and Sasha - we'd love to come over and visit your new pet, once you're in Washington DC next January. We do hear the treats they serve in the White House are YUMM -EEE!
Read Stacy St. Clair's article in yesterday's Chicago Tribune for more on this important national story, and check out the results on the informal opinion poll of which breed of dog the Obama Family should select.
YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,
BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
( With Recent Adoptee GRACIE MOSS Nearby!)
