http://cbs11tv.com/local/obama.family.dog.2.983103.html
Apr 11, 2009 10:15 pm US/Central
Obamas Pick Portuguese Water Dog From North Texas
WASHINGTON (AP/CBS 11 News) ―
It's decided: the Obamas have chosen a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog to be the first pet.
And CBS 11 has learned the dog is from North Texas.
In what was one of the White House's most tightly kept secrets, President Barack Obama's daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, have settled on a black and white pup, a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told The Associated Press Saturday night.
The dog, a gift from Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts who owns several Portuguese water dogs himself, will make his big debut Tuesday afternoon.
The Washington Post reported in its online editions Saturday night that Obama's daughters chose the name Bo for the pup because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley. The name for the dog was an apparent reference to the singer "Bo" Diddley.
White House aides told the AP that the office of the first lady arranged an exclusive deal on the dog story with the Post. The officials, who demanded anonymity because of the deal with the Post on exclusive details, said the dog was not in the White House as of Saturday evening.
Throughout the day Saturday, celebrity Web sites and bloggers had been abuzz with rumors of the first family's selection of a Portuguese water dog; one site even claimed it had pictures of the future first pet.
The president, for his part, earlier had embraced the frenzy: "Oh, man, now, that's top secret," Obama joked Friday to reporters.
Obama promised his daughters a puppy during the campaign.
"This is Washington. That was a campaign promise," Obama said when he appeared on Jay Leno's talk show last month, as the audience roared with laughter. "No, I'm teasing. The dog will be there shortly."
The president and first lady had said their choice was down to either a Portuguese Water Dog or a Labradoodle because they were considered good pets for children who have allergies, as Malia does.
The dog is said to be from a Kennel near Fort Worth. The owners tell CBS 11 the dog has been in Washington since December.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
