First off, sorry for the lack of a post yesterday, but for once the biggest thrill of my night wasn’t searching for sea otter videos. I’m still in an elated mood 24 hours later, and honestly don’t see myself dropping off this high at any point this week. Which is great since I have horrible Medill-related matters to take care of.
As President-elect Barack Obama (oh, just typing that!) pointed out in his Grant Park speech last night, America can’t revel in this glow for too long. This country has a lot of important matters to attend to in the coming months.
So lets confront one of the biggest questions right now: What kind of dog should the First Pup be?
Mr. President-to-be promised his daughters a puppy during his speech last night, and once you promise anything to a kid, you have to follow through (still waiting for that Sega Dreamcast, mom). And the American people are just as interested in Obama’s canine choice as his kids are. In an otherwise excellent article, Garrison Keilor wrote that Obama shouldn’t get a dog. The comment section exploded in pro-dog rhetoric, as readers offered up their suggestions and sounded downright giddy about a puppy running around the Oval Office. The eyes of the pet-loving world are upon you, President Obama.
But what kind of dog should he get? Here are a few contenders, based on the types of dogs I’d want to see in the White House. Feel free to shout out any of your own ideas.
Beagle
A surprisingly underrepresented dog breed in the White House (Lyndon Johnson was the only president to keep them as pets), beagles have always struck me as super loyal, a trait a presidential pet should have in spades. Plus, the greatest American dog ever happened to be a beagle.
Boston Terrier
One commenter on that Keilor article suggests the Boston Terrier as a tribute to all the great support Obama has recieved from the state of Massachusetts (Ted Kennedy, John Kerry). While I disagree with the dog’s title (BOSTON), I can’t argue with how cute the puppies look.
Labrador Retriever
Not only cute, but also would be a great tie-in for the upcoming film Marley & Me. Think of the boost this could give the economy!
Labradoodle
Cons: Might not win over those citizens who think “funny sounding dog breed” equals “French.” Pros: the First Labradoodle is a pretty nifty dog title.
Pug
Wikipedia notes the dog’s “remarkable personality despite its small size.” Not only does this work great for the kids, but it also shows that any dog, if he sets his mind to it, can become the most pampered pet in America.
STOP THE PRESSES! As I was writing this post, NBN’s own Lisa Gartner informed me that the New York Times is saying Obama’s daughters want a Golden Doodle dog. At first, I was distraught because my whole post went up in flames (though that won’t stop me from posting it) but after researching the Golden Doodle… I can honestly say these kids have the right idea.
I would applaud this choice. Even if it prevented me from posting my vote for First Pup (sorry Corgi).
America, prepare to have your hearts melted by your puppy-elect.