Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Michelle Obama on Barack, Kids and a Dog
Mrs. Obama, talks about her husband, the kids, and what the kids want most of all: a dog.
Can we recommend a terrier? No other dog say "Yes, we can" quite like a terrier, and no other dog is more likely to get it done when the odds are stacked against it.
And, of course, we would recommend ignoring all the nodding know-nothings and their paper pedigree fixations. The true test of a dog -- and especially a terrier -- is what is in its mind and in its heart.
If the dogs have taught me anything, it is that.
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3 comments:
Wait, so what is it? "No, You May Not Pet My Dog" or "Can we recommend a terrier?" Considering that we're dealing with two very busy adults and two young children. Not ripe grounds for success at terrier ownership.
And I don't think terriers subscribe to the "we can" philosophy, much more the "I am going to do whatever I want and you're welcome to tag along" philosophy.
Ignoring the time and space restrictions that also hamper your choice of terriers, I would suggest that the humble Border Collie is an excellent choice.
Not only are the Border Collie's teamwork qualifications superior, they embody a certain multicultural flare that is appealing to the big tent. They are black and white (like Barack), they are rural, suburban and urban, they are both flashy and capable, and they certainly take up more than their fair share of the limelight.
If we had to subscribe a Terrier or a Border Collie to the front runners, I'd suggest that McCain and Hillary fit the Terrier mold much better. Gritty, dirty, determined, and fierce. McCain gets bonus points for fighting and surviving in dark damp places under hostile control. Hillary gets bonus Terrier points for the win at all costs mentality.
Politically, I would recommend a Chihuahua to appeal to the "Si se puede" crowd, since that is Obama's weak point. His "yes we can" message doesn't translate so well despite its origins in the immigrant movement to begin with. That dog has certainly done a lot to mascot legal immigration from Mexico to America more than Corona, Margaritas, and Taco Bell combined. Since this choice would obviously be a political one, why not steal Hillary's only thunder with his choice of dog.
I would not recommend a WORKING terrier -- more a Cairn or Cairn-cross mutt.
Terriers come in a lot of calibers and do not fit one "type."
See what I recommended for my own brother (three kids) and why >> http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2006/03/missing-part-of-cairn-terrier.html
In fact, terriers have been the most common Whitehouse dog (see http://www.terrierman.com/presidentdogs.htm ) and have graced the Whitehouse from John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, to Teddy Roosevelt and George W. Bush.
No President has had a Border Collie, so far as I know, though Brian Schweitzer (the current Governor of Montana) has a border collie he takes to work and Schweitzer is Presidential material, I think. (Note, he is also a working rancher).
No urban family with two working parents and small kids should ever get a border collie in my opinion; about like a 5 foot woman getting a Harley hog with straight pipes, except that the Harley (a mistake) can easily be disposed of and/or parked in the garage, while a dog cannot -- it's simply a 15-year mistake that will probably make itself and its family miserable a good chunk of the time.
P.
I suggest an AmStaff - being good with kids and other people is their forte. Little grooming, almost no health issues, medium sized, hardy, endearing and bred to be pets for over 100 years. And to top it off, they are an American breed.
An AmStaff would send the right message, imo. Let me know if he wants one, I can make a couple of calls. :>)
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