My exclusive interview with President Abraham Lincoln

Bo: Mr. President, it's an honor and a privilege to be in your presence today.

Abe: I'm very pleased to be here, Bo. And please, call me Abe.

Bo: Abe, you are ranked as one of the top people (living or dead) whom folks would most like to meet. How do you feel about that?

Abe:  Why anyone would choose to while away their time with me rather than a fascinating fellow like Tommy Jefferson has me stumped. He's a lot smarter and a good deal prettier.

Bo: I think you sell yourself short, sir.

Abe: I'm a simple man who had no ambition so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem.

Bo: What role did animals play in your life?

Abe: I've felt a tenderness toward animals since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. As I matured, my appreciation of them, and my compassion for them, deepened. Though I must admit, upon my arrival to my heavenly home I was met by my old dog, Joe, who most generously forgave me for causing him pain during a foolhardy, youthful escapade with my step-brother. That experience caused me a great deal of guilt and I spent the rest of my earthly days an ardent advocate against the abuse of animals, not a popular sentiment in my time.

Bo: Did you have a preference for dogs or cats?

Abe: I was blessed to have the opportunity to care for an abundance of both during my life and found it impossible to turn my back on any animal in need. I returned baby birds to their nest, rescued a stranded pup from a frozen stream, sacrificed my one good suit to free a pig from a mud-hole and brought home countless dogs and cats who had no home of their own. But my wife, Mary, always said that cats and kittens were my "hobby."

Bo: Did you have a favorite pet?

Abe: I was always partial to our dog Fido. That dog followed me all over Springfield as I tended to business. He often carried papers for me and would even wait quietly outside the barber's shop while I got my weekly trim.

Bo: Did Fido accompany you to the White House?

Abe: Sadly, no. As the town folk celebrated my electoral victory it became apparent that Fido was terrified of loud sounds. That aversion coupled with his fear of trains had me worried that he would not survive the trip to our new home in Washington.

We found a family who promised to love and care for Fido and were agreeable to our stipulations that he be an indoor dog, allowed the run of the house and given special treats. We even gave them Fido's favorite horsehair sofa.

Bo: Mr. President, the time I've spent with you today has truly been a dream come true. Would you like to end the interview with a message to the American people?

Abe: I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Abraham Lincoln's Classroom, AnimalRescueOnline, BrainyQuote, Everything LIncoln, IllinoisTimes, The Abraham Lincoln Blog}

Crate-Gate: Seamus Romney defected after infamous rooftop car ride

 
How's the air up there, Mitt? Feel like hanging-out on the roof while we make a 12 hour jaunt to Ontario? I didn't think so...

In case you missed the nightmarish tale of Mitt Romney's family vacation in '83, here's how it went down:

The Romney clan piled into the family station wagon for their annual 12 hour trek from Boston to Ontario. Things being a bit snug inside, Mitt made the executive decision to put the family dog, Seamus, in a pet carrier and strap it to the roof of the car. To make the voyage even more enjoyable for his pet, Mitt made a windshield for the crate.

During the ride, one of the kids alerted Dad that there was a brown liquid dripping down the back window, so Mitt calmly pulled off of the highway and into a gas station where he hosed down the dog and the car, put Seamus back in his penthouse perch, and carried on.

Okay, I get that things were different in the 80's, no seat-belt laws and certainly not the array of products or safety standards for pet travel that we have today but come on...Seamus was clearly in distress (thus the dripping brown liquid) so what does Mitt do? Hose the poor guy off and stick him right back on the roof? You're one frigid fur-father, Mr. Romney.

According to Dr. Russell Cumming, a professor of aerospace engineering at California Polytechnic State University, "He would constantly feel a little less than 3 pounds pressing on his head for the entire trip.

Chances are the windshield would only protect the front of the dog, but the air flowing around the windshield would buffet the side of the dog -- that would be tiring," said Cummings. "My wife's a vet, and she would be more worried by the dehydration of the dog's eyes under those conditions."

We've also learned that Mr. Romney may have left an important detail out of his tale-telling...according to a trusted Politicker tipster, Mitt's sons told reporters that Seamus ran away once they'd reached their vacation destination. Who can blame him?! But wait, Romney's wife, Ann, told reporters that Seamus made it to Ontario in one piece and went on to live to a "ripe old age." Which version is true?

Whether Seamus defected or stuck around for more "good-times" with the family, there's no denying that he was terrified, tired and dehydrated after 12 hours on the roof. If that's Mitt's idea of a fun-filled family vacation, I'd rather let the vet pull a tooth without anesthetic, thank you very much.

Check-out the new Mutt Romney Blues video

 

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: ABC News, Mediaite, Politicker}

President Obama tests Marshmallow Cannon. First Dog treat cannon next?

Did you know that one million additional science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates will be needed over the next decade to fill the growing number of jobs that require STEM skills?  And that fewer than 40 percent of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete a STEM degree?

That's why Big BO started the White House Science Fair, to encourage the talented participants and all young Americans to pursue STEM degrees and careers and help keep America the global leader in technological advances.

At last week's second annual White House Science Fair, Dad was like a kid in a candy store inspecting one clever creation after another, including waste-reducing, dissolvable sugar packets, a food sanitizing UV-light lunchbox, and a concussion-detecting sports helmet.

But it was the Extreme Marshmallow Cannon that really tickled his inner-child. I was so impressed with the gadget that I've requested some official face time with Pops to discuss plans for tweaking the device to launch tasty First Dog treats and make it a permanent fixture on the White House lawn.

Check-out the Marshmallow Cannon video and share my utopian vision...

 

More great inventions from this year's White House Science Fair:

HEADS UP! Helmet - "The helmet is a redesign of the standard-issue military helmet and is equipped with bullet and shrapnel-stopping gels and highly sensitive temperature and air pressure sensors to notify medical personnel of the presence and level of brain injury."

MedPAL - "A smartphone app that works in conjunction with a Bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor to notify contacts in the event of a medical emergency, version 1 of which is currently available for purchase on the Web."

A Robot to Connect Senior Citizens with their Families - "A telepresence robot which moves around the center and allows seniors to connect via Skype with their family and friends when they are unable to visit in person."

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Office of Science & Technology, The Christian Science Monitor, The White House Blog, White House Press Release}

Valentine's Day | A Bloody Beginning

First, let me make it clear that I am a peace-loving, hippie-dog and would never commit a violent act against cupids, cherubs or any other fictional (or real) messagère de l'amour. The picture above is purely in fun, no real cherubs were injured in its creation.

What pops into your mind when you think of Valentine's Day? Hallmark greeting cards with lovey-dovey rhymes? Frilly boxes filled with gooey chocolate confections? Or, does the holiday conjure up thoughts of cherubs leaping hither and yon, ready to pierce unsuspecting singles with their love-arrows? Well, it's time you learned the legends behind the origins of this heart-filled human holiday. I've uncovered two possibilities:

Origin 1 - The Emperor of Rome, Claudius II, (a.k.a. “Claudius the Cruel”) was having a tough time recruiting soldiers to fight his bloody and senseless battles, so ol’ Claude cancelled all marriages and engagements, believing men would be better off married to the Roman army. It's not a job, it's a honeymoon!

But brave Saint Valentine came to the rescue of young lovers and continued to perform marriages in secret. Claude was irate at Valentine's defiance and ordered he be beaten to death with clubs and then decapitated. Is that where the word "overkill" originated?

During his confinement, he fell in love with his jailor’s daughter who was a frequent visitor. Legend has it that before he met his gruesome demise on February 14th, he wrote her a love letter and signed it, “From your Valentine.” The date of his death, his valediction and the sentiment behind it, are commemorated annually.

Origin 2 - The ancient Roman fertility festival, Lupercalia, was dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture, Fauna, and observed from February 13th through the 15th. The festival began with the sacrificing of a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. That is so wrong! Then, these highly civilized humans would dip strips of the goat's hide in blood, and run through Rome slapping women with them. Ewww! The women welcomed the blood-bath hoping it would ensure the birth of a bouncing baby Roman in the coming year.

It is also said that during Lupercalia, single women's names were drawn from an urn by Roman bachelors who would pair with them for the length of the festival, or longer, if there was some actual chemistry going on.

So, there you have it, on Valentine's Day, you're either commemorating the death of a man who was wrongly imprisoned, wrote a love letter to a chick he picked-up while on death row, was beaten to death and beheaded or, you're paying homage to a Roman god of corn who has something against goats and cute, innocent, little puppies. And ladies, I ask you, what says "I love you" better than being smacked with the hide of a dead animal drenched in blood? How romantic!

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: History.com}

Valentine's Day Sweepstakes | Your pup + a shelter = Winners!

Want to spoil your pup with some some serious love this Valentine's Day and make a difference for dogs in need? Enter DogTime’s Valentine’s Day Sweepstakes to win a $500 gift card and a basket of Valentine’s Day goodies from Muttropolis! Plus, DogTime will make a donation of $500 to the shelter of the winner’s choice.

It's so easy — submit your entry starting today, Monday, January 23, 2012 at 12:01AM PST. Sweepstakes will close on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:01 PM PST.

Let all your friends know how they can show their love for pups by entering DogTime’s Valentine’s Day Sweepstakes!

How evil are you people? Watch the video and judge for yourself.

I watch a lot of documentaries on my First Dog flatscreen but seldom do they take my breath away as did the Discovery Channel special, "How evil are you?"

In this installment of their "Curiosity" series, horror film director Eli Roth (Cabin Fever, Hostel, Inglourious Basterds), recreates an experiment first performed in 1961 by Yale psychology professor Stanley Milligram, to see if the average American would apply stronger and stronger electric shocks to another person if instructed to do so by an authority figure. Turns out they did in 1961 and they still would today. Scary stuff...

The authority figure is portrayed by an older, caucasian, male, wearing a lab coat, who insists the participants continue even if they convey reluctance and/or a desire to stop. With the exception of one female, all of the participants continue as instructed regardless of the (pre-taped) screams of anguish coming from the supposed recipient of the shocks.

 

Do the results of this experiment give you an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu? They do me. Remember the Holocaust? How about the war crime trials that followed and the Nazi torturers who defended their actions by stating they were "just following orders."?

• Are Americans actually capable of a similar demonic atrocity?
• Does a man in a lab coat really hold that much power over you?
• Would the subjects in this experiment have gone all the way and shocked the stranger to death?
• Do you think you would have behaved differently?
• Are there other variables that should be introduced into the experiment to provide clearer and deeper insight into the human psyche?
• If humans would do this to a fellow human, what would they do if it was an animal receiving the shocks?

This is one of those occasions where ya'll scare the bejezus out of me! I had to start seeing Shaggy the Shrink on a regular basis after watching this show. If I'm foolin', I'm droolin'!

Lots of food for thought here, folks. Take some time to watch the Discovery Channel video and then discuss it with your friends and family. So, just how evil are you?

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
                                                                                            Edmund Burke

Amen, brother Burke!

 ^{Bo Obama Dog Blog sources: Curiosity.com, Fox News}

Video of dogs barking the Star Wars theme is too cool for Jedi school!

The Force is strong is with this choir of crooning canines...

 

...and may the Force be with you too!

What's an eco-pawprint and how do I shrink it?

Before you can fight the good fight, you've got to know your foe. I've put together the nifty ecological pawprint chart above (based on the Ecological Footprint) to aid you on your eco-education expedition. As Maya Angelou says, "When you know better, you do better."

While I have yet to find ecological statistics specific to pets alone, I did learn that it currently takes Mother Earth, a year and a half to regenerate what the Earth's population uses in a year. Holy cannoli, Batman!

While our eco-pawprints are tiny in comparison to the eco-footprints left by y'all, we do have an impact on the environment and there are things you can do to help us shrink it:

• Buy from companies who are eco-conscious and walk the talk. I've listed several in my Green goods for a smaller eco-pawprint post.

• Buy locally - Less transportation, less packaging, less waste.

• Recycle - Instead of purchasing that new pet bed you've been eyeing, check-out the stylish duvet covers available at most pet stores. You can stuff them with old clothes that are too tattered to donate.

• Recycle - Trade used pet toys with your pet loving friends.

• Reduce your pet's beef consumption - It takes a lots of space to sustain a herd of cattle.

• Switch to biodegradable or compostable poop bags.

• Use eco-friendly kitty litter.

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog sources: Global Footprint Network, Holistic Interior Designs}

Green goods for a smaller eco-pawprint

Well color me green and call me Leif! I've learned some disturbing facts about Mother Earth and the dire state of her health. Did you know that if the entire world lived like the average American, we’d need 5 planets to provide enough resources? And that recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees, 2 barrels of oil, 4,100 kilowatts of energy, 3.2 cubic  yards of landfill space and 60 pounds of air pollution? Mind-boggling, isn't it?

Buying pet supplies that are eco-friendly is one way to shrink your pet's ecological pawprint. To help you get started, I've listed some of my favorite eco-friendly products.

Aroma Paws Chemical Free Grooming & Lifestyle Pet Products
Aroma Paws offers all-natural luxury shampoos, vegan conditioners, organic washes, odor neutralizing solutions and soy candles All chemical free, eco-friendly, bio-degradable and safe on lawns. Shampoos available in 9 fragrances. Pet Secret Shopper Review

FUR+BODY Organic Petcare
Essential oils developed from a vegan, botanical platform; free from chemicals or harsh preservatives; packaged in fully recyclable bottles of 25% post-consumer resin and boxes produced from 65-85% post-consumer recycled materials. Made in the USA. Pet Secret Shopper Review

 

M&J Essentials Holistic Grooming Products
Grooming products free of sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, DEA and TEA. Packaged in reusable or recycled materials and bottles made with PCR (Post Consumer Regrind) plastic. M&J is family owned and made in the USA. Pet Secret Shopper Review

 

West Paw Design's Eco-Friendly Dog Toys
Made and manufactured locally, all products are created with minimal environmental impact. West Paw Design uses non-toxic, organic or recyclable materials and reduces waste by using as much raw product as possible. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Imperial Cat Scratch 'n Shapes
Corrugated cardboard scratcher/lounger combos comprised of 100% recycled materials & 100% recyclable. Comes with organic catnip. Available in more than 80 shapes. Made in the USA. Pet Secret Shopper Review

 

Modern Cat Studio's Bamboleos
Bamboleos (Spanish for rock, roll, and wobble) turn recycled wine corks into stylish cat toys. Handmade using natural cork, sturdy cotton twine, and felt endcaps stuffed with fine-grind organic catnip. The perfect size for chasing and carrying, plus the corks give them a little bounce. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Planet Dog Wood Chuck Orbee-Tuff RecycleBALL
The Wood Chuck" is made from recycled cork scraps and the RecycleBALL is made from "regrind" - 100% 1st quality Orbee-Tuff® material that would otherwise be discarded. Pet Secret Shopper Review

 

 

Canine Caviar Venison Antlers
Eco friendly and long lasting dental chews. Canine Caviar Venison Antlers are cut from seasonally shed racks that are naturally dropped in Oregon’s forest. Long lasting chews that help maintain dental health and are a great source of chondroiton sulfate which aids in maintaining hip and joint health. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Onesta Organics
Onesta Organics’ pet treats are whole-food based, handmade, raw dehydrated meat, all-natural and certified organic. Family owned and operated, Onesta Organics is the first both certified organic and Green America-approved pet food manufacturer in the USA. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Shake A Paw Greetings
The Shake a Paw Greeting's team are expanding their relationships with local farmers, using more organic ingredients and sourcing supplies as close to home as possible. The product packaging is entirely recyclable. They compost, recycle and strive to be more water and energy efficient. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Arm & Hammer Essentials Clumping Cat Litter
Formulated with a blend of 100% natural corn fibers that combine with ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda for instant, natural, odor elimination. Same number of uses as clumping clay litter but half the weight. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Farm Dog Natural Wellness Products
98% of all Farm Dog product ingredients and packaging are sourced within the USA (mainly Elmwood, TN). They support small farms and sustainable sources first and Farm Dog's Full Circle Program encourages consumers to return used Farm Dog product packaging so that it can be used again. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Fur-Zoff Pet Hair Remover
Removes pet hair from carpet and fabrics with a light, sweeping motion. Fur-Zoff is made from 90% post-consumer recycled materials (the stuff you put into your curbside recycling box). It’s also hypoallergenic and odor free. Pet Secret Shopper Review

Olive Green Goods
Olive Green Goods offers environmentally-friendly products that are toxin and carcinogen free and as safe for the humans in your home as they are for your canine companions. All orders ship in low-impact packaging, from recycled boxes to biodegradable packing peanuts. Pet Secret Shopper Review

 

The learn more about your pet's eco-pawprint and what you can do to reduce it, check-out my Ecological Pawprint Chart.

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog sources - PetSecretShopper.com,  WebEcoist}

11 Ways to thank those who serve!

 

1. Give shelter

Homes for Our Troops constructs houses for severely injured veterans who served after 9/11. Donate equipment or help build a home. homesforourtroops.org

2. Offer a vet a ride

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) provides free transportation to men and women unable to travel to VA medical facilities on their own. You can volunteer to drive a DAV van for those in need. dav.org/volunteers  

3. Provide foster care for a pet

Take in the dog or cat of a deployed soldier or a wounded veteran while he or she is on duty or receiving VA medical treatment. guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org  

4. Record a war story

Do you know an old soldier with tales from the front lines? The Library of Congress wants to hear his voice. Go to the website below for tips on conducting an interview or to request a field kit, including biographical data and release forms. loc.gov/vets

5. Put those old cell phones to good use

Instead of stashing your used phones in the junk drawer, ship them to Cell Phones for Soldiers. For each one donated, the organization will pay for an hour of talk time for troops overseas. cellphonesforsoldiers.com

6.  Donate used DVDs

Drop off movies or television shows at your local VA facility, or mail them to DVDs4Vets, a national organization that distributes them where needed. dvds4vets.org

7. Cut coupons

Have some expired coupons lying around? Military families can use them for up to six months past their end date. coupsfortroops.com

8. Contribute to a holiday drive

Operation Gratitude’s annual campaign collects clothing, food, and more and packs it in gift boxes for service members. Pitch in by offering up items; local residents can sort them on-site. operationgratitude.com/volunteer

9. Post a care package

Through the organization Kitchen Table Gang, hospitalized veterans and troops abroad can receive personalized parcels containing everything from candy to board games. Get a service member’s address from KTG, bundle up items with a note of thanks, and send them off. soldierpackages.org

10. Share your expertise

MilServe connects volunteers with vets in many areas: financial counseling or legal services; job search guidance; even carpentry, for building wheelchair ramps. milserve.org

11. Support Big Brothers Big Sisters

The national organization has a special Military Mentoring program for children with parents in the armed forces. The group carefully pairs kids with adults serving in the military, as well as with veterans and civilians. bbbs.org

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog source: Parade.com}