The First Puppy: Some Advice for the Obamas (feature)

This appeared in the “Parental Guidance” features section of the Star-Ledger.  Link to the original is here.  Text below.

The First Puppy: Some Advice for the Obamas

Dad just got a new job. He’ll be working hard, long hours, and the family is going to have to relocate. Mom, Dad and two daughters, ages 7 and 10, are moving into a big empty house in January. Mom and Dad promised their daughters a puppy — where lots of people could hear them and hold them to it.

Several million people, in fact.

“Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the White House,” said Barack Obama in his history-making victory speech. At his first press conference, he acknowledged that the search for a puppy had become “a major issue” for his family — and the American public.

In addition to choosing staffers and cabinet members, President-elect Obama will need to sit down with his family and discuss the First Puppy.

Discussion with the whole family is the best basis for choosing a puppy, says Hoboken resident Christina Duffney, director of publicity for the American Kennel Club.

“It’s really important to do your research first and foremost, not to rely on puppy love at first sight. You want to know the temperament of the breed,” she says, and to plan for things like grooming and how the dog’s activity level will match your family’s.

The Obamas have another aspect to consider. Daughter Malia, 10, has asthma and is allergic to dogs. Out of 158 dog breeds, only 11 are hypoallergenic. Although President-elect Obama joked about adopting “a mutt like me,” he acknowledges Malia’s allergies will be a major factor. Duffney says purebred dogs whose history is known are more likely to be hypoallergenic than shelter dogs.

Knowing the Obama family’s priorities, the AKC did much of the preliminary breed research in July, soon after the puppy campaign promise. More than 42,000 people logged on to presidentialpup.com and voted on the breeds the AKC researched. The race hasn’t been called yet, but the poodle is pretty far ahead in the polls.

Even a family who has decided on a specific breed can adopt a rescued dog. The AKC website (akc.org) lists reputable breeders for all their recognized breeds, as well as many breed-specific rescue organizations, finding homes for abandoned purebred dogs.

Bringing a new puppy into the household brings a lot of changes. Montclair resident Mary Hickey, articles editor for Parents Magazine, advises a family with a new puppy to be prepared for barking when you’re trying to sleep and begging when you’re trying to eat.

“Unless you’re prepared for that reality, you’re not ready for a dog,” she says.

Even the best preparations, intentions and training might mean “losing your best shoes to chewing and your best rosebush to digging.” Watch out, presidential rose garden!

Any home, not just 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., needs planning and preparation before a new puppy joins the family. Some of the basic supplies include water and food bowls, chew toys like rubber or hard nylon bones, a leash (perhaps in a snazzy shade of Democratic blue), a crate to help train the puppy, and some house-training pads to spare the carpet in the Oval Office.

Puppy-proofing is key. Duffney recommends that parents “get on the floor and look around, and it gives you the puppy’s perspective. Anything at that level that’s small could be chewed on. Even the TV remote.” Also, watch out for plants and knickknacks on low tables, where curious puppies can get at them.

The chief of staff will have plenty of budget meetings to attend but also should make plans for the first pup’s financial needs. The first year of a puppy’s life can be expensive for any family. According to a 2004 AKC survey, one-time costs such as the price of the dog, a crate, spaying/neutering and emergency vet care can top $2,000. And a dog’s food, grooming, and annual check-ups can add up to over $2,500 each year.

Before they bring their puppy home, the first family needs to make schedules and assign responsibility for walks, feeding and other dog chores. Malia and Sasha are old enough to take the dog on walks with supervision. Malia might work with her mom to plan the puppy’s daily routine of feeding, walking and playing. The responsibility of pet chores is “good for a kid as well; it teaches discipline, routine, all that goes into owning a dog,” says Duffney.

Taking on that responsibility, cautions Hickey, comes with a learning curve. “Parents can teach their kids responsibility with pet chores but they cannot automatically expect it–even if the child promised to do all of the pet chores before actually getting the pet.”

Parents (or White House staffers) should keep an eye on the girls to make sure the chores get done. Duffney advises that it’s a good idea for adults to take over on big tasks like giving the dog a bath or taking it to the vet. “It might be difficult for President Obama to make time to bond with the puppy. There will be a lot of people coming and going in the White House, so a social, active animal is best.”

Whatever breed the Obama family picks, Duffney and others who work with animals are watchful of the American public’s response. “When the dog’s chosen, we’ll advise people to pay attention. When a dog becomes famous in pop culture, people will just go out and buy it. The majority of the education and outreach AKC does is about how to find the right breed for you and your family.”

Hickey adds: “It’s important for families who are not living in the White House to remember that, unlike the Obamas, they will not have a staff to help with the puppy. Another thing — most people don’t have the front or back yard space that the White House has!”