White House Going to the Dogs

Wow, this week has been filled with an insane amount of focus on what type of dog the Obama family should bring to the White House.

Not to be over shadowed, Barney (the Bush family’s terrier) bit a reporter. Gina over at the Pet Connection voiced my sentiments that and many of us would like a glimpse of real news instead of a lot of speculation and the excessive Obama dog related commentary.

First, let me say that reporter Jonathan Decker broke the rules of proper petiquette and so got bit by Barney–who is currently in the dog house–I mean White House.

Is Barney grumpy because the White House will no longer be his home or is he grumpy because Democrats will take over his residence in a short time?

Hard to say.

My big tip for the day: I’d caution reporters (and others) to be less invasive of an animal’s space in the future. Let them approach you before taking liberties to pet them.

Above: Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Road to the Dog House

Then of course the Daily Show had to jump on the band wagon with the Road to the Dog House Report.

Funny.

So, far the one poll I’ve seen indicates that people want the Obama family to get a mixed breed shelter dog.

Don’t  you think it is a bit presumptious to tell the new President Elect and his family what type of dog they should get?

Besides the NY Times already reported that Malia Obama has been researching dog breeds (you go girl!) and was considering a goldendoodle.

Would you like if everyone told you what type of pet to bring into your home?

I certainly wouldn’t.

Now the world is celebrating this President Elect like has never been done before–so is this a sample of what to expect in the life of a public figure?

I can only hope the family stays grounded enough to deal with this issue and the many others that will surface.

What do you think about all this hoopla over the puppy headed to the White House?

Presidential Pets

The most common White House critters are dogs and cats. This may be in part because exotic animal menageries today require special permits and unique diets, housing, and care–but in the past these exotic critters lived as presidential pets.

When it comes to presidential pets there are a few that stand out from the crowd.
Some of the more unusual creatures collected by Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929) were a pygmy hippo, raccoons, a bobcat, and a wallaby. (Photo at right: Grace Coolidge with pet raccoon. Note: They do NOT make god pets!)

Coolidge also thought has a few lion cubs to complete his zoo—but he was not the only one. Martin Van Buren received a couple of tiger cubs (1837-1841) and Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) kept large cats as part of his collection.

Theodore Roosevelt had a passion for the wild and so made sure that he had a zoo like collection with many animals including a zebra, several bears, a coyote, and a hyena.

Theodore took mercy on a bear cub during a 1902 Missouri hunting trip. Shortly after, an imaginative toy maker then came up with the “Teddy Bear” a stuffed animal that remains popular today.

But Teddy Roosevelt was not the only bear fan–Coolidge and Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) housed bruins as well.

Now it is rare to see birds or reptiles on the roster but John Quincy Adams (1825-1829) kept an alligator and William McKinley (1897-1901) and James Madison (1809-1817) each kept a parrot.

And the largest White House pet? Believe it or not James Buchanan (1857-1861) had elephants!

Horses, goats, sheep, cows, rabbits, bald eagles, guinea pigs, a snake, and a variety of other animals graced the grounds of the presidential palace, too.

You can see more of these paw-litical animals listed online at the Presidential Pet Museum.

Now we know that the Obama family will be bringing a puppy in to the White House but I have to ask…

What is your favorite presidential pet? Leave a comment below.