I agree Anna. I understand that for some (me) starting with a puppy is better than with an adult dog if for no other reason than ease of training. I also understand that sometimes people (me) want a specific bread and that cannot always be accompolished through a rescue (I dont qualify for the local rescues because I dont have a fenced yard). But the 'support' they will have raising a dog outweight that of a small town...there would be no obstacles to rasing a rescue. - Shannon - GlassMistress

I love how people are getting upset over this. I heard the Humane Society said that Obama NEVER said that he was going to definitely get a dog from the shelter. I can't believe people got all bent out of shape over this when there are more important things to get upset over. - Molly Song ;)

Isn't there a non allergenic requirement? -- so that limits the possibilities pound or no pound. - Brian Sullivan

@Molly: I wouldn't describe myself as "upset"-- more disappointed. Obama did suggest he's get a shelter dog, though it's not like he had some sort of binding contract to do so. The reason people like me are disappointed is that a high percentage of purebred dogs come from puppy mills that keep their animals in deplorable conditions, while thousands of wonderful mutts are put down every day in shelters. The president adopting a shelter dog would encourage more people to do the same, rather than seeking out the latest "designer" breed. The lives of both the poor puppy mill dogs and the unwanted shelter dogs *are* worth getting upset over, IMHO. - Shannon Jiménez

Do first doggies have any statutory rights and powers in the US? I'm not sure if I'm serious asking this :) - Çağdaş Karataş

can't they just have the dog they want (I have a portie, wonderful temperament) without everyone projecting their own expectations and criticising? - Iphigenie

same here @ shannon J - Richard Lawler

We can be pretty sure this dog did not come from a puppy mill though - there are no portuguese water dog puppy mills, they are (were) not a fashionable breed. Too smart, too active etc. There might be now if every stupid person want the same breed, but hopefully it will be hard for puppy mill type people to get their hands on a breeding pair - much easier to make some poodle/lab crosses and sell them off as porties. And exactly what is not "all american" about this dog? - Iphigenie