Bidens get new dog.

[PoodleMommy]

I dont know if anyone else saw this... but I saw today that the Bidens have officially purchased their new dog. He is a four week old German Shepard from a breeder in PA. The breeder will be keeping and training the dog until after they are settled in to their new home and then the pup will be moving in.

I know a lot of people are going to be upset that he didnt rescue... but I really feel that him (and Obama) can make a statement by choosing a dog that best fits their lifestyle and not dumping it after four or eight years (which I am not saying they will do, Biden at least seems to be a real animal lover and Im sure his new pup will be a lifetime investment).

I saw a pic and I think the pup is ADORABLE.

so... thoughts?!

 

[BrownFCR]

Not much cuter than a GSD pup, especially that one with ears going in different directions -- too adorable! I think that it's great that he went with a breeder and in fact had those with experience check them out for him. From the website, their dogs appear to be European working lines, not showlines. Biden himself is knowledgeable about the breed.

I didn't see anything about health testing on the breeder's website, but I'm not going to assume that they don't, as I know the breeder of my dog doesn't post that info either, but she's a fanatic about health testing. In fact, she not only does she do health testing on her own dogs, but she's put it in the sales contract that all of her puppy buyers do health testing also, because she wants to know what she's producing.

I can't wait to see more pics and to watch this little guy grow up! They said they'll let the grandchildren name him.

 

[CaliTerp07]

Personally, I still would have rather he got a dog from the shelter, to hopefully inspire others to do so. I don't think that should be a reason to adopt a shelter dog though, so if this is what he wants and he's going to provide it a good home, I'm not going to squabble! (If that makes sense?)

 

[Renee750il]

Their dog is going to be living in the spotlight, so I do think it's a good choice to go with a well bred German Shepherd that will be trained. Much as I would love to see the example of a rescued dog, I can also imagine the harm it could do to rescue if there were to be an incident.

At any rate, it's good that it looks like there's going to be a well-trained dog in DC.

 

[TheGoldenRetriever]

Their dog is going to be living in the spotlight, so I do think it's a good choice to go with a well bred German Shepherd that will be trained. Much as I would love to see the example of a rescued dog, I can also imagine the harm it could do to rescue if there were to be an incident.

^^^ Excellent point, and one not brought up in recent discussions about how the Obamas should obtain their first dog. (Seems the Bidens were planning a new dog as well.)

Adoption is wonderful, but anyone who is or has worked in rescue will say that you don't get a "perfect" dog through adopting adults from rescue or shelters. (Dogs like "Lassie" and "Air Bud" don't show up there.) Certainly possible to get wonderful pets through rescue, or at least ones with potential to be wonderful pets. But also best to be realistic.

Dogs in shelters and rescues most often originated from BYBs, puppy mills, pet shops, or "ooops" litters ... becaused GOOD breeders will always take back dogs that owners can no longer keep. With rescue, at best you get a dog that has been neglected to some degree; at worst you get one that had been abused. That does NOT mean they can't be wonderful pets ... but probably not the best choice for a pet that will live in a public fishbowl as the "First Dog" belonging to the Prez or the "Second Dog" belonging to the VP. The general public is not dog savvy and tends to be unforgiving of "incidents". Some people will even have harsher attitudes toward any "incidents" if they happen to disagree with the particular politician's stand on issues ... even though the dog had nothing to do with the politician's voting record.

(And yes, we have had and currently DO have rescue animals ... dogs as well as cats. They are wonderful and we love them dearly ... but each came with either behavioral problems due to lack of any training at all or with health problems from neglect. A few came with both.)

 

[Sweet72947]

I'm glad Biden chose a good pup for his family.

For some reason, a lot of people seem to want the Obamas to get a pit bull. I belong to a pit bull forum and most of the people on there really do NOT want them to get a pit bull, because they are terrified of what could happen to their breed if the white house pit bull ever did something wrong. I agree with them.

There was a "Mutts" comic strip in yesterday's Washington Post where the dog and the cat are talking about what kind of dog the Obamas should get, and the cat says "maybe a pit bull with lipstick!" My response was "oh good lord!"

 

[release the hounds]

who cares where they got a dog from, it's there choice. I sure as heck wouldn't allow anybody else to tell me where I can and can't get a dog from.

 

[Fran101]

oh boy with bolt and this..
people are going to be getting GSDs like crazy..

very cute puppy tho

 

[borzoimom]

never pictured him a shepherd person, and fail to understand why the pup was set at 4 weeks old.. but hard to say.. The rest of my comments I will leave out on political bias. But he hardly strikes me as a shepherd person.

 

[Sweet72947]

oh boy with bolt and this..
people are going to be getting GSDs like crazy..

very cute puppy tho

Bolt is supposed to be a GSD? I thought he looked more like a bull terrier.

 

[bubbatd]

I personally think he was wise to go to a good breeder if he wanted a GS......especially if he wanted a pup .

 

[borzoimom]

Bolt is supposed to be a GSD? I thought he looked more like a bull terrier.

:rofl1: uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yup.. :rofl1:

 

[Fran101]

ya, saw it on disney, hes a german shepherd

 

[Fran101]

lol i thought we was something else at first also, but after really looking at him, he looks very white gsd

 

[Sweet72947]

lol i thought we was something else at first also, but after really looking at him, he looks very white gsd

That's true, now that I look at that pic you posted. *waits for influx of white GSD pups named Bolt*

 

[Lizmo]

*waits for influx of white GSD pups named Bolt*

Yeah, same thing I thought when I saw the picture. Now we are going to have bazillions on white GSDs in shelter/HS.

 

[PoodleMommy]

never pictured him a shepherd person, and fail to understand why the pup was set at 4 weeks old.. but hard to say.. The rest of my comments I will leave out on political bias. But he hardly strikes me as a shepherd person.

He didnt take the pup at 4 weeks old... that is just how old he is right now.... he is still with the breeder.

What does politics have to do with the dog he chose? I didnt vote for Obama/Biden but its not like they make Liberal dogs and Conservative dogs.

 

[Lizmo]

but its not like they make Liberal dogs and Conservative dogs.

:lol-sign: :lol-sign:

 

[jess2416]

He didnt take the pup at 4 weeks old... that is just how old he is right now.... he is still with the breeder.

What does politics have to do with the dog he chose? I didnt vote for Obama/Biden but its not like they make Liberal dogs and Conservative dogs.

what she said ^^

 

[Brattina88]

Wasn't one of the girls allergic? I was wondering how she'd do with a german shedder?