Warning from Bo! Children's toys + Dogs = Deadly combination

Bo Obama here with a warning to all my fans about those cute, stuffed toys that may show up under the tree on Christmas morning. We all know how kids love stuffed toys, but so do we dogs. We find it an irresistible challenge to see how quickly we can rip them open, pull the stuffing out, and chow down!

Did you know that the stuffing used in your kid's plush toys contains dangerous, flame retardant chemicals? Well, they do! These chemicals are toxic to dogs and kids so keep the cuddly critters away from your pets and, for your children's sake, check them daily for rips and tears!

Check the info below for the steps to take should you ever suspect that your pet has been poisoned.

Gotta run! Playing some rainy-day, inside games with the girls!

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, do the following:

Take samples of the poison

If possible, take 30 to 60 seconds to collect a sample of the poisonous material and the poison product container if you have it. If your dog vomits, also collect a sample of the vomit in a sealable plastic bag.

Go to the vet or call poison control

If your dog's having seizures, is unconscious or losing consciousness, or is having difficulty breathing, take her to your local vet or emergency clinic right away. If possible, phone ahead to let them know you're coming.

If your dog doesn't need immediate medical attention, you can call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for a $60 consultation fee. The telephone number is (888) 426-4435. Be ready with the following info:

• the breed, age, sex, and weight of your dog
• your dog's symptoms
• what the poison is (if known), how much your dog ingested, and how long ago

^{Bo Obama Dog blog sources: bestfitpetsit.com, DogTime.com}

Check Bo's time table for the December 2010 lunar eclipse

 
It's Bo Obama here, sending you greetings from beautiful Hawaii! I just had to remind you all to catch the full lunar eclipse that will happen this Monday and Tuesday. We'll get to see the moon turn red! This is the first total lunar eclipse anywhere on Earth in three years!

Some folks said their dogs howled like crazy during the last lunar eclipse. I'm not a big howler but maybe tonight's the night I'll start!

Check the time table below for eclipse times where you live.  

 
 ^{* Event occurs on evening of December 20, 2010}

You'll find more great charts and information about the lunar eclipse in December 2010 on these websites: CityStateTimes.com and MrEclipse.com.

Bo Obama confirms "It's true! The President scoops my poop!"

 

In an exclusive interview with this DogTime.com reporter, Bo Obama revealed, "Yes, it's true, the President scoops my poop whenever the need arises. Hey, he's had plenty of practice considering all the manure he had to move when he first took office. The previous administration left a virtual mine field of meadow muffins he had to bag and toss before he could get down to business!"

Former First Dog, Barney, was unavailable for comment.

^{Disclaimer - This is all in fun folks! Bo Obama was not actually interviewed for this post!}

Obamas head to Hawaii with best body-surfing pal Bo!

  
I'm so happy! As much as I love playing in the snow, I really dig running down the beach with the girls! So this Saturday it's goodbye snow...hello surf! I'm going to show-off my new body surfing moves on the Big Dog (when he gets there). I know he'll be impressed. I hope the paparazzi catches my best side. I'll send you a postcard from "the land where palms trees sway." Mele Kalikimaka!

Bo's list of the top 5 weirdest Christmas traditions!

 

1. Caracas, Venezuela - on Christmas Eve, the roads in the city are closed to cars so that everyone can roller skate to Mass.

2. Mexico - they have "The Night of the Radishes" where competitions are held for nativity scenes sculpted and carved from giant radishes.

3. Spain- they make presents called Caga Tios, or poop logs, which are hallowed-out logs with legs and painted faces. The logs are "fed" fruit, nuts and candies. On January 6th, children sing songs and hit the log with a stick to encourage the log to "expel" its bounty of treats.

4. Slovakia & Ukraine - At the beginning of Christmas Eve dinner, the head of the family takes a spoon of Loksa (a mixture of bread, poppy seeds and water), and throws it up at the ceiling.  The more mixture that remains glued to the ceiling, the richer his crops will be the following year.

5. Austria & Hungary - Krampus is an evil demon who accompanies St Nick, punishing and warning bad children. On December 5th, people dress as Krampus and roam the streets looking for someone to beat with a stick.

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog resources: guy-sports.com, wickedlilpixie.com, mentalfloss.com, wikipedia.org}

Bo Obama's nightmare before Christmas: A scraggly robotic clone!

 

 

Say it isn't so! A little, yappy, battery operated, beady-eyed, mechanical dog being sold as me, Bo Obama, the nations' First Dog? I'm much more handsome than this scruffy bag of fur and gears, and I don't yap!

Bo Obama's best dog gift picks for Christmas 2010

 
 
Please, not another new food bowl this Christmas! Take it from a dog who knows, dogs want gifts that are fun or that taste good. Better still, give them a gift that's fun and tastes good and they'll think they've won the doggy lottery! No more leashes, nail clippers or dog slippers...please! Give us something we can sink our teeth into or chase.

I scanned the Secret Shopper's pet product reviews and picked out my favorites to sent to Santa Paws. I'm sharing my wish list with you in hopes you'll get the hint and give my cousins a Christmas they'll want to tell their grand-pups about!

 
These Tough by Nature Invincible Chains look really fun! I can either chew-on them at my leisure or engage my peeps in a little tug-of-war challenge. The Secret Shopper says they're tough enough to withstand the mighty jaws of her Great Dane!

 

 

  
Mmmm...I can just taste the real cheddar cheese, peanut butter and bacon bits stuffed into these Red Barn bones. Maybe this will sway you...the naturally abrasive surface of the bones will help us maintain our healthy, adorable smiles!

 

 

You can never go wrong giving Kong toys as gifts. These things are indesctructible! We especially love the ones that hold treats like the Kong Suff-A-Ball. Remember? Fun and tastes good! Hint, hint...

 

 

Okay, these Tripe Treats may smell like last week's garbage but the smell puts me and my friends into a lunar orbit! And the taste...OMG! My pal Rocko says he once had an out-of-body experience while munching on a tripe treat. Put a bag of these in my stocking Mr Santa Paws...please?

 

 

When my family is busy with meetings, school, political events, or just solving world hunger, life can get pretty boring for a First Dog. I hope, I hope, I hope I get a Nina Ottoson puzzle game like the Dog Twister to help pass the time. Everyone tells me that I'm incredibly smart, I bet I can find those treats quicker than you can say "cats-got-your-tongue-and-dogs-in-the-garbage" 3 times, fast!

 

 

Talk about a party in your mouth! My buds down at the fire hydrant are always reminiscing about the last time they savored a Blue Dog Bakery treat. Do your dog a favor and buy these scrumpdillyicious snacks by the case, he'll thank you with a thousand face licks!