Bo ?America's First Dog

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     Bo is a Portuguese water dog, or Portie, and lives at the White House as part of President Obama's family. He is affectionately known as the First Dog. Because one of the president's daughters has problems with allergies, they sought a hypoallergenic breed of dog. A friend gifted them with Bo and the dog immediately earned his place in history.

Bo is a cute dog with thick black curly hair and white feet. His breed is one of the rarer ones. Although Bo earned his name after Bo Diddley, the Portuguese water dog derives its name from the fact that it has been used around the Portuguese coast for driving schools of fish into the nets of fishermen. They have an inborn love of water and were even used at one time to be ship to ship or ship to shore messengers.

There is some debate as to whether they are truly hypoallergenic but they do not shed and that has made them quite popular in recent years. However, their hair continues to grow and can become problematic if not regularly groomed. For instance, the hair can grow over the eyes or get long and matted.

To be kept in the best shape, a dog like Bo needs to be brushed at least every other day and have his hair trimmed about every two months. The Portuguese water dog is not low maintenance and if the grooming is not carried out at home, the cost can become quite expensive.

Portuguese water dogs make excellent family pets and companions for kids. They are very smart, loyal, and easy to train. They get along well with humans and enjoy being petted and fussed over. Because they have been bred to be working dogs, Porties are easy to train and enjoy following commands. These traits make them good breeds for service dogs for the hearing impaired or therapy dogs.

Although Portuguese water dogs love people in general, they tend to bond with one particular person and don't like to spend time away from them. It has not been revealed who is Bo's favorite Obama but all indications are he has fit in nicely at the White House.

Having a Portie as First Dog brought attention to this unusual and loveable breed of dog. Bo's incredibly cute pictures have surely caused many people to want a pet like that for their own. However, Porties are not for everyone. Besides needing frequent upkeep, they also need a lot of stimulation and exercise. They are not couch potatoes by any means and if not given plenty of attention, they may become destructive.

Bo is not the only famous Portie in Washington. He was born to Cappy, a Portie belonging to Senator Ted Kennedy. Kennedy also had two other Portuguese water dogs, Sunny and Splash. Splash was a fictional narrator in one of Kennedy's children's books. While to the Obamas, Bo is a beloved family pet, to the rest of American, he has gone down in history as a First Dog and is in good company with other notable canines such as Barney, Buddy, Millie, Liberty, and Checkers.