Homestead mailing list

[SJC <indexer AT localnet.com>]

bob ford wrote:
> All of the newsites are saying that Obama will soon get his little girls a 
> dog.  I would guess from his personality he would probably like a small 
> poodle, but he would know that wouldn't be a cool public type dog.
>
>   
Hey, poodles are perfectly good dogs, unless you mean the comic book 
little-old-lady-minipoodles.....and maybe they are good for little old 
ladies.   Son (40's, Marine Corps, just picked up a couch and turned in 
on end and carried up the steps and around 2 corners and set it in place 
yesterday, singlehandedly, snarly grump sometimes) has a poodle.  Hunts 
with him, swims and kayaks with him, smart, trained easily, personable 
and good with kids....good dog.  Stays with me when son gone, one day in 
my way when I was loading washer,  told him to sit, he did, I forgot 
him.   Maybe 7-8 hours, after supper, when I fed dogs he wasn't there.  
Went hunting him, still obediently sitting right beside washer where I 
left him.  You've just met the wrong poodles.....

> So, what kind of dog does a man like BO, get for his little girls, to be in 
> the spotlight at the white house.
>
> Politics aside , we all like dogs ..  I will guess --- Jack Russell Terrier.
>   
Terriers are good.  I have a Bedlington Terrier, Streak.  He is smart, 
death on vermin (hopefully not needed in the White House), great 
company, protective, but quieter than many terriers.  Gets along with 
other dogs and with all humans for whom he has an OK.  He never wears a 
show cut.  He was 12 years old yesterday.  So far in great shape and I 
dread the day I lose this guy.
> Anyone who wants to guess along, I'm interseted in your guess ...bobford
Presuming the kids themselves aren't allowed to choose said critter and adults go for 'popular' or other 'appearance' issues---lab or retriever are still big.  Pointers are coming along but have a reputation for being 'only' hunting dogs.  SharPei's have pretty much gone by the by.  

Jacks are sometimes really nice little dogs but often badly bred these 
days, always a problem with 'popular' breeds.  Many breeds you don't 
hear much about are excellent dogs, either as pets or utility critters, 
but the folks who have them deliberately do not promote the breed for 
fear of their new-found popularity having disastrous results.

Many Heinz 57 types are great dogs, especially as pets.  Nothing like a 
hybrid.  And many rescue dogs (and cats, interestingly enough; they 
whose purpose in life otherwise seems to be nothing but to be aloof)  
seem to understand that they have it good in their new homes and turn 
into spectacular pets.

SJ