Bo Obama's approval rating: what do you think?

Dog Whisperer Michelle Obama?

We thought that First Dog Bo was literally the first dog for the Obama family. But in a recent speech at a visit to the Corporation for National and Community Service, Michelle Obama named dog trainer as one of the various and sundry jobs she held before her rise to eminent First Lady. Who knew?

No word as to whether she used positive reinforcement methods to train dogs to sit, stay, and come -- nor do we know how successful she was at garnering the desired behaviors. Have a feeling, though, most pups had no doubt about who was in charge.

Wanda Sykes and rescue dogs

Conservatives are apparently upset with comedian Wanda Sykes and some of her remarks at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner last weekend. Without getting into politics, we did enjoy a laugh at her joke about President Obama and his new dog.

Critics, she said, "even gave  you grief about the dog, about Bo. You know, animal rights people on you. 'Why didn't he get a rescue dog? Why didn't you get a rescue dog?' Look, the man has to rescue a country that was abused by its previous owner. Let him have a fresh start with a dog."

Joe knows Bo?

Maybe not a typical Joe Biden gaffe -- after all, there's no way to prove its accuracy or not. Still, we were a little surprised to learn that the VP was so bold to announce that his dog is smarter than Bo Obama! One thing's for certain: We'd prefer to see either dog, over either politician, in the next presidential debate...

A quilt just for Bo

Doris LaRoque of Missoula, Mont., might end up being named the White House's official quilt maker -- if the White House had an official quilt maker.

LaRoque, who is 96, recently created a quilt just for First Puppy Bo and has a promise from Montana Sen. Jon Tester that it will be presented to the Obama family.

How did all this happen? According to the Missoulian newspaper, LaRoque made a quilt for Gov. Brian Schweitzer's dog Jag last fall. Her daughter-in-law, Tammy LaRoque, suggested that she also put one together for the Obama's new puppy. They agreed it was a good idea.

Tammy works at a local hotel and happened to be there several months ago when Sen. Tester checked in. Tammy asked if he would make sure President Obama got the quilt when Doris finished it. He said he would.

And now they're hoping that Tester makes good on his promise.

But the new quilt, which is four feet by four feet and depicts Bo and the Obama family, isn't for the new dog to sleep on.

"It's more like a wallhanger," Doris said. "It's especially for the dog and for the girls."

Meet Bo's big brother

Before the Obama family laid claim to the First Puppy, President Obama said he wanted a "big, rambunctious" dog. It looks like he might get his wish.

Karen Douglas, who owns Bo's 14-month-old brother Solo, said Bo's sibling likes to chomp on shoes, books, toilet paper, purses -- you name it, he's chewed on it. She calls Solo a "whirling dervish."

Bo, of course, is already known to nibble on people's feet, but Douglas, who lives near Washington D.C., says Solo enjoys pleasing his owner and is undergoing training.

When she first saw him last August, Douglas said, “I saw a certain gleam in his eyes that said, 'I just want to please, but no one seems to know how to talk to me.'"

Hopefully, there will be a family reunion soon.

(Photo: Lee Anderson/photolee.com)

Biden and Bo

It isn't always easy being the vice president of the United States.

Even though Joe Biden has been given the very important task of overseeing the distribution of billions of dollars of stimulus money, he's still the occasional brunt of late-night jokes like this one from David Letterman:

"Right now, the dog and Joe Biden are working out who brings in the morning paper."

We hope neither Biden nor Bo was offended.

A picture-perfect Bo

The White House recently released some images of Bo getting used to his new digs. If you ask us, he looks very much at home.

Bo's got a lot of pull with the president.

Bo gets a greeting from President Obama after a long day of playing on the White House lawn.

Brian Mosteller, the White deputy director of Oval Office operations, seems to want to protect his shoes from Bo's teeth. Wise decision, given Bo's reputation as a chewer.

Walk the dog? Me?

If we remember correctly, part of the agreement in getting a dog was that Malia and Sasha Obama would do all – or at least most – of the walking of Bo.

Oh, well. Kids aren’t too good at keeping promises, are they?

At a lunch audience of congressional spouses Thursday, First Lady Michelle Obama confessed: "I got up at 5:15 a.m. in the morning to walk my puppy. Even though the kids are supposed to do a lot of the work, I'm still up at 5:15 a.m. taking my dog out.

“So for everyone who has a child asking for a puppy – you have to want the dog. As I do. I love my Bo."

Sounds like Bo the Portuguese Water Dog is starting to belong to mom. She called him “my dog” or “my Bo” three times.