ohmidog!

President-elect Obama expressed a desire for “a big rambunctious dog,” as opposed to a “yappy,” lap-sitting, “girly dog” in an ABC News interview with Barbara Walters.

Here’s the exchange that took place between Barack and Michele Obama when Walters  suggested that the First Family get the breed of dog she has — a Havanese, which she referred to as a small, “non-allergenic” terrier.

Obama: “But it’s, like, a little yappy dog …”

Mrs. Obama: “Don’t criticize small dogs…”

Obama: “But it, like, sits in your lap and things.”

Mrs. Obama: “Yes, it’s a cute dog.”

Obama: “It sounds kind of like a girly dog … We’re going to have a big rambunctious dog of some sort.”

Walters had sent Michele Obama a picture of her Havanese, Cha Cha, short for Cha Cha Cha. Obama, in the interview, seemed against the idea of a small dog, but, as he also points out in the interview, Michele often gets the last word.

Obama told Walters that his promise of a dog for his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, has produced an avalanche of advice and dog pictures. “We’re getting more advice about this than my economic policy,” he said with a laugh. “No doubt about it.” He also wanted to be certain that his daughters are going to be willing to “scoop the poop” on the White House lawn.

The interview airs at 10 p.m. tonight on “A Barbara Walters Special: Barack and Michele Obama.”

The beagle — not the turkey — will be dominating this Thanksgiving Day, at least on NBC.

Uno, the first beagle to win best in show at Westminster, will not only make an appearance on The National Dog Show on NBC, he’ll also be in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The National Dog Show, sponsored by the Philadelphia Kennel Club — is actually taped ahead of time. (It was held over the weekend in Reading, Pa.) Hosted by John O’Hurley (who played J. Peterman on “Seinfeld”), the show is presented by Purina .

O’Hurley is joined by dog expert and veteran show announcer David Frei, who’ll also be riding with Uno on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade float. Of course, Uno won’t be the only beagle in the parade. Perennial favorite Snoopy — in the form of a giant balloon — will also be there.

The dog show airs at noon on Thanksgiving, right after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

An Oregon man is recovering from being accidentally shot over the weekend when his dog jumped into a boat and set off a shotgun.

Matthew Marcum was shot in the legs and buttocks on Tillamook Bay Saturday. His own 12-gauge shotgun fired when his 3-year-old yellow Lab, Drake, jumped into his boat, according to Oregon State Police.

Marcum’s father, Henry Markum, confirmed that the dog set off the 12-gauge, but said neither he nor Matthew are mad at their pet. He added that Drake is a good dog and the shooting is “just one of those things.”

(Photo: Markum’s boat, with hole, Oregon State Police)

The city council in Monroe, Washington – heeding the call of many concerned dog owners –  has opted to avoid targeting pit bulls, Akitas and other breeds for now, and has passed a temporary dangerous dog ordinance that focuses on a dog’s record rather than its bloodlines.

The interim ordinance gives the council extra time to research recommendations for dangerous dog legislation that have been sent to the council from dozens of agencies and dog organizations, said City Councilman Mitch Ruth, who opposed the breed-specific language, according to the Herald in Everett, Wash.

“We’re trying to find an ordinance that gives adequate teeth for enforcement,” he said. “We want to ensure public safety without using breed-specific language.”

The City Council began considering stricter regulations on dogs after people living in a Chain Lake neighborhood demanded the city do something about dogs involved in several incidents.

Monroe, like most area cities, uses a two-strike approach when dogs become aggressive. Dogs earn the label of potentially dangerous if they bite or act aggressively once. If a second incident happens, the dogs are registered as dangerous.

The council considered a proposal that called for the first warning to be skipped in cases involving about a dozen breeds, but that proved unpopular with many dog owners.