RK ARCHIVE - A Dog for Malia and Sasha Obama

I've read suggestions from Poodles, to Labradors, to Pugs, to Beagles, to Doodles! Since we want this to be the dog's forever home, I certainly hope they do select a dog that will have the least affect on Malia's allergies, first and foremost. It would be tragic to get a dog and then not be able to keep him. However no matter what breed of dog the Obamas select for their family, how they raise that dog is what's really important.

I remember when I was a little girl and passionately wanted a dog of my own like Malia and Sasha Obama. I didn't suffer from allergies, but my mother was very resistant to adding a dog to our family for a number of reasons.

Firstly, as a single parent she had limited time and resources to devote to a dog. Secondly, she didn't grow up with a family dog herself, so she really didn't understand that connection you can develop with a canine family member. On the other hand, I was a bit of an anomaly in my family. I simply loved dogs for as far back as I can remember. My mother tells me that even as a toddler riding in my stroller, my gaze would often affix on the nearest dog in sight and it was hard to pull me out of the trance.

Okay, so yes, I was the weird one in the family, born with an unfamiliar doggy gene, and finally when I turned 12, my uncle convinced my mother to get me a dog. Mamie, a Beagle and Dachsund mix became the first love of my life.

We played together, I told her all my secrets, and when I wasn't allowed to go out to play, Mamie was always there. However the most interesting thing about Mamie and my relationship is it was also my introduction to both caring and being the caretaker for another one of God's creatures. I believe how I treated Mamie set the stage and formed the foundation for not only how I would treat subsequent dogs in my life, but humans as well.

Back in those early 70's when I was mommy to Mamie, I was a "positive dog trainer" before there was a term for it. I quickly learned that the easiest way to teach her something was to provide a reward when she complied and to repeat it over and over. It worked well and Mamie was a star! She learned many tricks and together we won almost every pet show we entered. Most importantly she was smarter than any of my friends' dogs.

We had a wonderful relationship and I never had to dominate or intimidate her. I couldn't. After all, she was the one whose shoulder I cried on when I didn't make the cheerleading squad. She was the one who laid patiently with me when I was sick. She was the one who kept me from being scared when my mother had to work late. There was just no way I could fathom doing anything harmful or aversive to her. No, I had to learn those compulsive, aversive and intimidating methods later in life from dog trainers who said it was the right way.

I had it right 34 years ago when I trained Mamie, and thankfully science has validated positive dog training methods for the past 10-15 years now. We've learned that it is unnecessary to dominate or make a dog fearful to get him to perform. Unfortunately during the past few years we are seeing a shift backwards to more aversive methods.

On a recent trip to Los Angeles just about every other dog I saw on the street was wearing a prong collar - you know, those metal collars that look like a Medieval torture device. I even saw a few wearing shock collars - out in public!

Well let me state unequivocally, just because you see a popular trainer doing something on television doesn't make it right. Being a "pack leader" doesn't have to mean intimidating your dog. It means being a strong yet kind, benevolent leader to your dog who trusts you to treat him fairly and humanely. It is just not okay to cause pain to a dog to get him or her to perform.

President-elect Obama's victory is historic and symbolic and demonstrates our country's shift towards more tolerance, more unity, humanity and a hope for a better society. It is my hope that the new Obama Puppy-elect will be the recipient of this change and be raised humanely with positive, dog friendly techniques. It is my hope that Malia and Sasha can learn, as I did, that a dog can not only be a child's best friend, but an example of how to treat others regardless of species.

Comments

I agree with this, but... (Lowell - 11/8/2008 6:53:11 AM)

...I think the single most important thing is that, if all possible, they rescue a dog from an animal shelter. There are millions of dogs that needs homes out there, including rescued pure breed dogs, and I strongly encourage the Obamas to adopt one. My guess is that, with the training methods you describe above, they will be very happy with the dog, and as an added bonus they will have set a great example for everyone out there regarding adoption vs. buying from a breeder.

Unfortunately (Laurie Williams - 11/8/2008 12:01:26 PM)

..... many dogs that are given up to shelters are given up for behavioral issues. So unfortunately many dogs that are adopted have a short lived stay in their new homes, only to be turned back in. :( It's a vicious cycle. If people were proactive in training their dogs properly, there would be a lot less dogs given up to shelters to begin with. Responsible dog ownership, which includes proper training is key.

Aren't you the same Laurie Williams (Catzmaw - 11/8/2008 2:53:22 PM)

who was on "The Greatest American Dog"? My 87 year old mother was enchanted with the show and I would go over each week just to watch with her. She was a big fan of you and Andrew and very disappointed that you didn't get the win.

My family has always had dogs. We kept mutts, a German Shepherd, and went through a Doberman phase. We raised our Dobies to be gentle, happy dogs. They were protective of our household, of course, but it was when we had them that I realized what a bad rap the breed was getting due to the way some people were raising their Dobies.

My family later started adopting Jack Russells, and I am still mourning the sudden loss to a heart attack of our adorable little JRT a few weeks ago. Like most JRTs he was hyperactive, but incredibly smart and very responsive to proper handling. What I've learned from years of being around dogs is that you have to take into account the nature of the breed along with the dog's basic personality, and make sure your expectations for what the dog can do are not excessive. I could never have expected that little dog, no matter how much time and effort we spent with him, to become a calm and quiet little lap animal. It wasn't in his nature. So instead we gave him the opportunity to be himself without letting him become destructive as the aptly named Jack Russell Terrorists can be without adequate training. Personally, I think mutts can be a lot more steady than purebreds.

Thanks again for your insight. I learned a lot just from watching the way you interacted with little Andrew.

I loved the contestants but the show was a farce (Annie - 11/10/2008 10:37:33 PM)

Laurie wuz robbed as were some of the other deserving contestants. The actor/bartender who won was obviously set up to be the winner and the show was run by folks who weren't "dog people".

I think the most important thing is that the Obama family get the dog that is right for them. It could be a shelter dog or it may not be given the special needs of the family. I think positive advice is good (like Laurie's) but we shouldn't have a cow if they don't choose the "mutt" that everyone is pressuring them to get.

love'em all (hereinva - 11/8/2008 5:46:45 PM)

I support a local no-kill shelter and its always tough to pass up a friendly pooch regardless of breed/mix.

A couple of friends adopted Greyhounds. One greyhound was a couch potato and the other still preferred to chase small furry critters (but kept properly leashed).

I guess for children having a puppy works best, and there are plenty of pups available for adoption. My personal faves wouldn't work out with the Obama's due to the allergy issue: Collies, Border Collies, Jack Russells.But, love em all.

My Recommendation For The Obama's Dog A "Doodle" (Shawn - 11/9/2008 9:09:32 PM)

The press continues to report on President-elect Barack Obama's promise to his daughters to get them a dog ... one criterion is that it must be hypoallergenic since his daughter Malia is allergic ... plus he's a "mutt" or as I'd personally call our next President a "hybrid" ... so if I were asked I'd easily recommend the Obama's consider a golden-doodle like the one pictured above with my son Joe ... if they want to test drive one we could let them visit with "Senator Dick Durbin" ... he's a great dog and even happens to be in the Chicagoland area right now ...

cross posted on VirginiaDem