Meet the special dogs guarding The White House in Washington DC…
Secret Service K-9 Hurricane – black Belgian Malinois, left, and Jordan – black/tan Belgian Malinois. (Courtesy of U.S. Secret Service)
Secret Service guard dogs are in spotlight after latest White House fence jumping
Posted in special dogs and awards
Tagged belgian malinois, dogs, Secret Service, Washington DC, White, White House
The White House’s latest edition, Sunny, appears to be settling in well as the nation’s Second Dog (the title of First Dog belongs to Bo).
Official White House photo by Pete Souza, taken 19 August 2013
When interviewed about the new addition, President Obama said that he and his wife are seeing less of their daughters now that they are growing up with active lives of their own. “I think there is an element for Michelle and me of, you know, we see what’s coming and we need to make sure that we got somebody who greets us at the door when we get home.”
Sunny, who is a year old, is a Portuguese water dog like Bo and will be a companion for the First Dog, who is also feeling the need for company since Malia (15) and Sasha (12) are busier. President Obama said, “Bo was getting a little down in the dumps inside the house.”
But what I really liked about the interview, and this will resonate with Christchurch dog owners who are really suffering from high rentals and pet bonds (see A mixed news week for dogs in Christchurch), was President Obama’s admission that Sunny had had a few accidents.
“We live in rental housing. We didn’t have to put down a deposit, but we are making sure that it gets cleaned up for the next occupant.”
Congratulations to the Obamas for becoming another well-adjusted multiple dog household!
(And in case you missed it, here’s the official White House video announcing Sunny’s arrival)
Whoopee! (or should I say ‘woof woof’). This week the White House put out an official statement concerning its position on breed specific legislation. And it’s great news…
“We don’t support breed-specific legislation — research shows that bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources.
In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at twenty years of data about dog bites and human fatalities in the United States. They found that fatal attacks represent a very small proportion of dog bite injuries to people and that it’s virtually impossible to calculate bite rates for specific breeds.
The CDC also noted that the types of people who look to exploit dogs aren’t deterred by breed regulations — when their communities establish a ban, these people just seek out new, unregulated breeds. And the simple fact is that dogs of any breed can become dangerous when they’re intentionally or unintentionally raised to be aggressive.
For all those reasons, the CDC officially recommends against breed-specific legislation — which they call inappropriate. You can read more from them here.
As an alternative to breed-specific policies, the CDC recommends a community-based approach to prevent dog bites. And ultimately, we think that’s a much more promising way to build stronger communities of pets and pet owners.”
Ginger Girl is one of the ex-fighting Pit Bulls saved from Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels and rehabilitated. She lives in a loving home.
Pit bulls are often the subject of breed specific legislation; yet they are very sweet dogs capable of much affection and devotion.
Posted in special dogs and awards
Tagged Bo, decorations, First Dog, holidays, White House
Well done to the White House!
Not for any policy platform or new piece of legislation, but for their Christmas decorations this year. The First Dog features in almost every room of the White House along with 37 Christmas trees. Tributes to military personnel who have been lost in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts also feature – something I think is really important to recognise the families who have lost loved ones.
The Daily Mail provided some really good coverage and photos of the different models of Bo. Check out their article here.
DoggyMom.com 