First Puppy: two breeds left in the four-legged White House race

The longest running saga of Barack Obama's transition is nearing an end: the President-elect has almost decided what sort of dog to take with him to Washington. On election night on November 4, Obama famously paid tribute to his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 8, telling them he would reward them with a puppy. Since then, the world has waited for Obama to pick a breed and thereby announce the winner of the four-legged race for the White House.

Speaking on Sunday, Obama said the contenders have been narrowed down to the final two: Malia and Sasha will take care of either a Portuguese water dog (pictured left) or a Labradoodle (right).

The new first family has had to weigh up a multitude of contributing factors in deciding what breed to select including Malia's allergy issues (for which a Peruvian hairless dog was suggested as a solution) as well as demands that they should adopt a rescue dog from a local pound. Following Obama's hint that his family might not plump for a purebred but instead go for "a mutt, like me," will the crossbred labradoodle find favour? Or might the allergy-friendly Portuguese water dog – which does not shed its hair – now move its nose in front?

The President-elect claims he has received more advice about dogs than he has about economic policy during a quest for the perfect White House hound. If he needs any more help, Obama could consult Vice President–elect Joe Biden who already owns a Labradoodle – a dog that has only been around since the 1980s when breeders began to deliberately cross poodles with Labradors. He might also see how Senator Ted Kennedy feels his pair of 'PWDs' – which have webbed paws to help them swim – have settled into life on Capitol Hill.

Finding the right dog, says Obama, referring to the recent withdrawal from the post of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, "has been tougher than finding a Commerce Secretary".

FIRST POSTED JANUARY 12, 2009