Toys & Activities

White House Dogs: The Obama Dog Is A Portuguese Water Dog

Dogs of U.S. Presidents always get a lot of attention — both inside the White House and in the news.

Following are some photos, videos, and fun facts about President Barack Obama’s dog, Bo.

For starters, Bo is a rather unusual dog breed. He’s a Portuguese water dog.

white-house-dog

 

Heck, Bo has even got his own Facebook Page!

 

Fun Stuff About The Obama Dog

Initially, there was a good deal of discussion about which dog breed the Obama family would ultimately choose.

Would they get a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water dog?

Everyone had an opinion on Labradoodles vs Portuguese water dogs:

 

 

Here’s Michelle Obama’s interview about the White House dog and Portuguese water dogs in general.

Temperamentally they’re supposed to be pretty good. From the size perspective, they’re sort of middle of the road — it’s not small, but it’s not a huge dog. And the folks that we know who own them have raved about them. So that’s where we’re leaning. —Michelle Obama

 

Ultimately, Michelle and President Obama chose a Portuguese water dog for their girls, Sasha and Malia.

On April 12, 2009, the Obama family welcomed a 6-month-old Porty named Bo into their family — and the White House.

Here are photos of Bo’s first day in the White House:

 

white-house-dog-bo-jpg.webp

 

president-obama-dog-bo-jpg.webp

More photos of the First Dog, Bo, at the White House.

 

 

 

Almost immediately, Portuguese water dog owners began to fear the Obama effect, making the adoption of Portuguese water dogs a trendy thing.