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Bo the Dog Biography

Dog / Political Relative

Photos ( See all 15 )

Known as the First Puppy or First Dog, Bo is the new family pet of President Barack Obama and his family. Bo is a Portuguese water dog who was six months old when he joined the First Family in April of 2009. After Barack Obama's election on 4 November 2008, he told his daughters Sasha and Malia in his acceptance speech, "You have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House." Bo was chosen months later, in part because Malia Obama has dog allergies and Portuguese water dogs are hypo-allergenic. Bo was a gift of Senator Ted Kennedy, who is a fan of the breed. According to The Washington Post, the pup "had been living with another family, but it wasn't a good fit, so the Kennedys acquired him for the Obamas." (His previous name was Charlie, the paper said.) Bo succeeds the previous First Dog, Barney, a Scottish terrier belonging to George W. Bush.

Extra credit: Bo was bred in Pennsylvania and born in Texas on 9 October 2008, according to an April 2009 report in The Washington Post... The Bushes also had a second Scottish terrier, Miss Beazley, which President Bush gave to his wife Laura in 2005... Previous First Dogs have included Buddy, the chocolate labrador of Bill Clinton, and Millie, the White House dog under George Bush the elder... The term "First Dog" is a play on "First Lady," the title traditionally given to the president's wife.

Blog posts mentioning Bo the Dog:

• Bo's Shame
• The New First Dog is a Puppy Named Bo
• First Photos of the First Dog
• First Dog Coming Soon?
• "This Has Been Tougher Than Finding a Commerce Secretary"
• "India," First Cat, Dies at White House
• 'Peru Offers Bald Toothless Dog to Obama Family'
• OK, Daddy's President-Elect -- Now Go to School
• Obama Praises 'Puppy Power'
• New Profile: The First Dog