What makes a dog presidential?Visit our new blog, Obama's Dog Blog: Tails from the White House, for up-to-the-minute coverage.
White House material?
Every president since Warren Harding has brought a dog to Washington, and over half of all U.S. presidents owned at least one dog during their terms. (Makes you wonder how the White House lawn stays so green.) The crop of leading presidential contenders suggests the tradition will continue. Hillary Clinton has Seamus, a Labrador Retriever, while John McCain's got Sam, a Springer Spaniel, and Coco, a mutt. Barack Obama, currently without a canine, has promised his daughters they'll get one if he's elected.
All the presidents' dogsPresidential dogs have long been making headlines. Thanks to his famous speech, Richard Nixon's Cocker Spaniel Checkers may enjoy the highest name recognition, but other First Dogs--and their owners--have their own claim to fame:
White House materialSo what type of dog is best suited for the White House? The DogTime team wanted to find out, so we plugged our criteria into the MatchUp tool.Here are the givens: The president of the United States needs a dog who is confident, friendly and calm with people and children of all ages, comfortable in a busy, near frenetic household, and able to adapt easily to change. And here are the results: Any pup who embodies the qualities of the mellow Basset Hound, or super-friendly Golden Retriever would make a superb First Dog. The best fit though, not surprisingly, is a pooch with a Labrador Retriever's sunny, anything goes disposition and laid-back attitude. And getting a Lab, or Lab Mix, isn't a bad political tactic either: For the umpteenth year running (17 to be precise) he continues to be the country's most popular dog, according to the American Kennel Club. Whether purebred or mutt, dogs have been humanizing their presidential owners for centuries; no matter who enters the White House next, having a dog will no doubt make him or her seem more like the rest of us. Or as Harry S. Truman famously said, "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog." |
Comments
|
topics
|
replies | views | last post |
|
>>>
Tammy Grimes: heroine or criminal?
last
Did Tammy Grimes cross the line when she took a suffering dog out of a stranger's backyard? Or did she do the right thing, no matter what the law says? Share your thoughts with other readers here. |
40 | 5756 |
Feb 2, 2010 7:22pm by Ms. Alaska view |
|
Why is it legal to Deer & Moose hunt but illegal to fight dogs?
Shouldn't all hunting down & killing of animals for sport be considered just as cruel as dog fighting? Obviously I'm not ... (continued) |
5 | 294 |
Jan 21, 2010 9:07am by Jaz view |
|
Vizsla PLEASE!!!
I have had 2 Vizslas. I live in Sacramento, Ca. and want a new one. Samson died of cancer after several surguries. I can'... (continued) |
1 | 236 |
Jan 14, 2010 4:03pm by Jenevi view |
|
Mystery Mix!
We rescued my dog a year ago--she was a stray. Ever since, we have been desperately trying to figure out what mix she is.... (continued) |
12 | 1629 |
Nov 12, 2009 3:22pm by Mellissa view |





