ohmidog!

Seldom, if ever, has so much weight been put on a single family’s choice of dog.

And seldom if ever has getting a dog –  normally a personal and joyful affair — become such a public exercise in risk management and political correctness.

At first it was a simple campaign promise to his daughters, Sasha and Malia, that they’d get a dog after the election — only slightly complicated by the need for that dog, in deference to Malia’s allergies, to be hypo-allergenic, if there even really is such a thing.

Now there’s talk that the Obama’s eagerly anticipated choice of dog breed, or hybrid — Newsweek magazine’s April 13 issue says to expect some developments within the week — could lead not just to a surge in purchases of whatever breed they choose, but could cause a boom to the puppy mill industry as well.

The logic, as outlined by Newsweek, goes this way: If the Obamas get a Labradoodle — even a rescued Labradoodle — it will spark an increase in demand for the hybrid, and since most hybrids are bred by puppy millers, they’ll start churning them out to meet the demand, or in anticipation of it.

If the Obamas get a Portugese water dog — the other choice they’ve mentioned — the same thing would happen because not a lot of that breed can be found in shelters or rescue.

In other words, Obama can’t win. The fear is any breed, or hybrid, the First Family picks could have a  “101 Dalmatians” effect: a sudden burst in popularity that breeders will try to capitalize on it by mass-producing similar dogs.

Even with Obama’s popularity, I think the fear is being slightly overstated — and I can’t think of any precedent for a president’s choice of dog leading to mass purchasing of the breed. I don’t think the presidency of younger Bush led to a surge in Scotties, anymore than the popularity of beagles was boosted by Lyndon B. Johnson. (History buffs, please correct me if I am wrong.)

Then again, with the Obamas, there are cute kids involved, and photo ops and, I’m sure, a media onslaught of tremendous proportions once the dog arrives, if how much coverage the issue (or non-issue if you prefer) has already gotten is any indication.

All this is another good argument for what was my personal preference, and really the only politically correct choice –  a shelter mutt. That way, the only copycat surge would be in the number of people going to their shelters to adopt dogs that already exist and need homes.

Of course, that was before I decided it was none of my business – that, ideally, a family’s choice of dog should be left up to that family, not pundits, political pressure, or internet polls. Has any other president been held to this level of scrutiny — or any scrutiny at all — regarding his choice of dog? (Note to future presidential candidates: Get a dog before you start your campaign.)

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but I’m not sure, at this particular moment, if they’re Obama’s.

(Photo: Posters by Shepard Fairey)

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Here’s Ben Stein, on CBS’s Sunday Morning, with some advice on how to get through the recession — or just about anything else.

Two pit bulls were set on fire and burned so badly that they had to be euthanized, police in Dallas say.

Authorities say the male and female pit bull terriers, both in flames, were seen running from an intersection, prompting several calls to police Saturday night.

Several neighbors rushed to help the dogs while others tried to chase down the 15- and 17-year-old believed to have set the dogs on fire before turning them loose in the street.  By the time police arrived, the teenagers were gone — though they were later identified, the Dallas NBC affilliate reported.

“The two dogs were in agonizing pain,” said Jonnie England, director of animal advocacy for the Metroplex Animal Coalition.  Of the female dog, which was either pregnant or nursing, England said, “Her face was practically burned off.”

“Ironically, April is Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month,” said England.  “People have to understand that if you abuse an animal, you will go to jail.  Thankfully, more people are stepping up and speaking out for the animal victims of crime — like the neighbors in this case who called the police and tried to help the dogs.”

Dallas Animal Services is launching an investigation into the abuse. They have already impounded six other dogs found at the home of the teens.

Two fatal pit bull attacks on infants in Texas has the state legislature taking a look at revising the state’s dangerous dog laws, including breed specific legislation, creating a separate category for dogs that appear they could be ”vicious” and — believe it or not — maybe even weight-specific legislation.

“I think we ought to by state law determine that if you are a vicious dog, we ought to prevent you from going to public parks, to schools where kids congregate and if you live in a city with more than one million citizens, require that any dog that over 40 pounds be enclosed in a fence,” said Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, (D) San Antonio.

Specifically, that section of his proposed law reads: A person who owns or keeps custody or control of a dog weighing 40 pounds or more shall ensure that the dog, at any time the dog is not on a leash in the immediate control of a person, is kept inside a residence or in a secure enclosure on the premises where the dog is kept.

Perhaps the most troubling part of the bill, though, is that, unlike “dangerous” dogs, who are so deemed because of their actions, the criteria for judging a dog “vicious” is based only on appearance — does he snarl, is he jumping at the fence? No aggressive action needs occur, according to the Texas Humane Legislation Network.

On March 31 in San Antonio, a 7-month-old boy, being taken care of by his great-grandmother, was attacked by her two pit bulls when she went to get a bottle for the child, according to UPI. The week before, in Luling, about 25 miles east of San Antonio, an 18-month-old boy was killed by a pregnant pit bull his mother was dogsitting, according to the Austin American-Statesman.