The Petties | Vote for 2012's Best Pet Blogs & Shelter Volunteer of the Year!

The Petties Awards Ceremony | September 7th @ 3 pm PST

Any tom, duck, or herring can jump on the Net and start a pet blog, but it takes an exceptional type of mortal to accurately and entertainingly scribe the scoop on me and my pals.

Thank heavens DogTime recognizes the level of talent and devotion required for this worthy endeavor and gives us all an opportunity to shine the spotlight on some of our preeminent critter columnists by way of their Petties Pet Blog Awards.

And the nominees for the 2012 Petties are...

 

Also known as the "Oscars of the pet blog community," this year's Petties' winners will receive a "Petties" statuette along with a $1,000 donation to the non-profit animal shelter or rescue of their choice! Voting closes Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

And dig this! DogTime Media has added a Shelter/Rescue Volunteer of the Year Award this year! Finally, a chance to spread a whole lot of love to one of many mortals who work tirelessly on behalf of homeless and abused pets  The winner will receive a "Petties" statuette and a $10,000 donation to the shelter or rescue of their choice. Nominations are now open!

Take a minute and scurry up to the Petties' page to vote for your favorite blogger and to nominate an unsung hero. Then, on Friday, September 7th, at 3 p.m. PST, grab your favorite (pet-safe) cinematic snacks, gather your wanna-be-wildebeests together, and tune in to the 2012 Petties broadcast online at http://petties.dogtime.com!

Big BO's "99 Problems But Mitt Ain't One!" video plus little known facts about Prez O

LOL! I'm diggin' me some Iman Crosson today. Lots of folks try to imitate me and dad, but I think this dude's impression of Prez Pop is one of the best!

 

Did you know Prez O collects Spiderman and Conan the Barbarian comic books?

Here are some more interesting facts you may not know about my dad:

• He was known as “O’Bomber” at high school for his skill at basketball
• His name means “one who is blessed” in Swahili
• His favourite meal is wife Michelle’s shrimp linguine
• He has read every Harry Potter book
• He worked in a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop as a teenager and now can’t stand ice cream
• His favourite snacks are chocolate-peanut protein bars
• He ate dog meat, snake meat, and roasted grasshopper while living in Indonesia
• His favourite drink is black forest berry iced tea
• He promised Michelle he would quit smoking before running for president – he didn’t
• He kept a pet ape called Tata while in Indonesia
• He can bench press an impressive 200lbs
• His favourite book is Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
• His favourite films are Casablanca and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
• He carries a tiny Madonna and child statue and a bracelet belonging to a soldier in Iraq for good luck
• He applied to appear in a black pin-up calendar while at Harvard but was rejected by the all-female committee.
• His favourite music includes Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Bach and The Fugees
• He enjoys playing Scrabble and poker
• He would have liked to have been an architect if he were not a politician
• He hates the youth trend for trousers which sag beneath the backside
• He repaid his student loan only four years ago after signing his book deal
• Daughter Malia’s godmother is Jesse Jackson’s daughter Santita
• His favourite fictional television programs are Mash and The Wire
• He was nicknamed “Bear” by his late grandmother
• His favourite artist is Pablo Picasso
• His speciality as a cook is chilli
• He keeps on his desk a carving of a wooden hand holding an egg, a Kenyan symbol of the fragility of life

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Best of the Left Podcast and Blog}

President Obama Hosts 4th Annual "Salute to the Military" on White House Lawn

This 4th of July, President Obama and the First Lady will celebrate by hosting their fourth annual "Salute to the Military" USO concert on the White House lawn.

Festivities include a barbecue, family games, "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band, a performance by Grammy award-winning country music artist Brad Paisley, and a stellar view of the fireworks on the National Mall.

A three-time Grammy Award - winner, Brad Paisley has had more than 20 singles at the top of the charts and been awarded 14 Country Music Association Awards including the 2010 “Entertainer of the Year.”

This year's jubilee is expected to draw 1,200 troops and families, and will be streamed live at: http://www.whitehouse.gov.

Salute to the Military | July 4th, 2011

 

I plan on sticking close to anyone under four feet tall in hopes that some delicious morsels slip off of their plates! How are you celebrating the anniversary of our Nation's independence this year?

Please, don't forget to keep your pets safe this July 4th: Pet Safety Tips for the 4th of July.

White House Celebrates Supreme Court's ObamaCare Decision!

There's a lot of hootin', hollerin', and fist bumpin' going on here at the big, white, house thanks to the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold Dad's Affordable Care Act.

I sure am proud of big BO today. I always knew Dad was on the right track but having the highest court in the land put their stamp of approval on Obamacare sure is nice.

I'd like to give a big bark out to Chief Justice Roberts for his bipartisan vote. You rock, sir!

I'm sending a special message skyward to my godfather, Senator Ted Kennedy - Congratulations Pops! We finally did it!! P.S. How's the sailing up there? I bet it's awesome!

Thanks Dad for your wisdom, perserverance, and for keeping our country's best interests your top priority. Next step, vet care for all pets! Now wouldn't that be something?

 

Nobody does a victory dance quite like you Big Dawg!

Bo Obama's letter to Betty White

This week I had the unexpected honor of meeting someone I've admired since pup-hood, the incomparable Betty White.

My heart went all-a-flutter as she gently touched my head. I was so overcome with emotion that all I could do was pant! Doggone it! There's so much I wanted to say...

My Dear Betty,

On behalf of all animals, furry and non-furry, I want to thank you for your steadfast devotion to helping us, defending us, and caring for those of us who have no home to call our own.

 

Your love and compassion for those who cannot speak for themselves has touched so many lives, including the humans who have become aware of our plight through watching and listening to you. 

Oh sweet Betty, if the eyes are the windows to our souls then your soul glows as bright as the sun, for the sparkle in your eyes reflects a bright and beaming spirit that brings joy to all who are lucky enough to bask in its glow, if only for a moment.

Your Faithful Furry Friend,

 

 

 

First Dog of the United States of America

Bo remembers the dogs aboard the RMS Titanic

One hundred years ago today, the much anticipated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic ended in terrible tragedy. Of the 2,224 humans aboard, only 710 survived. The total number of dogs who were aboard the luxury liner is unknown it is believed there were a dozen or more of which only 3 survived.

Among the pups who perished that night were:

An Airedale and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, names unknown, belonging to the Carter family. The family survived.

A French Bulldog, Gamin de Pycombe, owned by Robert Williams Daniel. Daniel survived.

A Chow, name unknown, owned by Harry Anderson. Anderson survived.

An Airedale, Kitty, owned by John Jacob Astor and his wife. The Astors did not survive. 

The survivors were two Pomeranians, one named Lady, and a Pekingese named Sun-Yat Sen, owned by the Harpers of the book publisher Harper & Row.

The passengers in Titanic's lifeboat #4 also reported a Newfoundland, Rigel, whose barking aided in avoiding a near collision of the Carpathia with the lifeboat. Rigel was believed to have been in the water searching for his master, First Mate Murdoch, who did not survive the sinking. He was adopted by a crew member of the Carpathia.

While it has been a century since that fateful night, my heart still breaks for my cousins and their humans who were thrust into a harrowing situation fraught with moral dilemmas, fear and grief.

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Petside.com, Squidoo.com, Wikipedia.org}

Bo and Mama Obama kick-off Month of the Military Child

Mom and I kicked-off 'Month of the Military Child' by joining a pre-Easter celebration with military families and children at the Fisher House on Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Fisher House gives families of military members a place to stay to be near their loved one during hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury. These 'comfort homes' provide a valuable service to those who defend our country and their families who sacrifice so much.

As you can see in the photo above, I was a little reluctant to wear the bunny ears that Mom brought. Hey, I'd do anything for the military and their families but those things pinched my sensitive little head and when I'm in pain, I don't feel I'm operating at my First Dog best!

For those of you who aren't familiar with Month of the Military Child, let me give you the 411. It was founded in 1986 by then Defense Secretary, Casper Weinberg, who wanted to recognize and honor military kids for their sacrifices and courage.

Did you know:

 There are approximately 1.9 million military children, ranging in ages from newborn to 18 years old, 1.3 million military children are school-aged.

765,000 of our military children have active duty parents, and approximately 225,000 have a parent who is currently deployed.

More than 700,000 children have experienced the deployment of one or more parents since 2001.

April give us all a super opportunity to make our littlest heroes feel special and appreciated. For info on 'Month of the Military Child' activities in your area, visit the OperationMilitaryKids.org. site. If you don't see anything going on locally, just pick a day, fill it with fun activities, lots of love, and a big dose of quality time with you!

I, First Dog Bo Obama, officially salute you, my pint-size amigos! And I send each and every one of you a big sloppy 'Bo' kiss too!

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: About.com, Bethesda.med,  DODLive.mil, OperationMilitaryKids.org}

Video of Mama Obama doing some Bo-braggin' on Letterman

Mama Obama said some very nice things about me on the "Late Show with David Letterman" this week...

I constantly amaze her with my superior intellect:

"Bo is wonderful. He is the smartest dog on the planet. He is my son. I have two girls and a boy."

And I know how to communicate when it's time to do my "biz" on the White House lawn:

"He will come up and he'll put his paw on your leg and he kind of nudges you and then you're like, 'What do you want?' and then he gets excited and you say, 'You want to go out?' and then he starts barking," she said.

Ahhh, the life of a famous Fur-st Dog:

"He has a very busy schedule. I mean appearances. I'm thinking about getting him an agent."

And thanks for having my pack's back when Dave talked smack about PWD's being "loopy:"

"No, they're not," Mama said, "He's a very sweet dog. I'm not being biased. He is really a good dog."

 

Gotta give a holla

out to Mama Obama...

Your braggin' to Letterman

really pumped my adrenaline.

Sayin' I'm an Einstein,

good lookin' with a fine mind,

and "Bo's oh so good!"

I'm 'bout to go all Hollywood!

And Dave, I'm not loopy

or I wouldn't be your groupie! (then again, maybe I would)

Seriously though, Mom was really on the tube to talk about the initiative she started with our buddy, Jill Biden, called Joining Forces.

Mom says it best, "This campaign is designed to make sure that every single member of our armed forces, our veterans and their families understands that they live in a grateful nation."

Visit joiningforcesallforgood.org for more information on how you can join the Force!

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Joining Forces, The Hill}

Wouldn't it be cool if... | Young inventors' contest | Time Warner

Wouldn't it be cool if... there was a website where kids could go to share their ideas for inventions that could change their community or even the world? Well, now there is! From now through March 28th, kids between the ages of 10 and 15 years can visit wouldntitbecoolif.com to submit their crazy-cool ideas for making the world a better place.

Four finalists will get to pitch their ideas to artist will.i.am, inventor Dean Kamen and other judges who will choose one grand prize winner to work with Farenheit 212, a leading innovation firm, to develop their idea!

 

You can enter by yourself or as a team with a limit of 3 members. You must have your parent or legal guardian's permission to participate. The public gets to vote through April 3rd!

Each entry must consist of the following:

• a completed Contest registration form;
• an essay of no more than fifteen hundred (1500) characters describing your idea powered by math or science to make the world "more awesome" including what it does, who you want to use it, and how you thought of it (" Essay #1 ");
• an original drawing showing your idea (" Drawing "); and
• an essay of no more than fifteen hundred (1500) characters describing what math and science tools you need to make your idea work (" Essay #2 ").

What's your favorite invention: electricity? the zipper? cell phones? Did you know that Thomas Jefferson invented the swivel chair? And that Abraham Lincoln was the only US President to hold a patent? I'm working on my own super-secret First Dog invention!

You could be next! Put your thinking cap on and get busy!

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Wouldn't It Be Cool}

Bo Obama's video invitation to the 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll

On Monday April 9, 2012, my crew and I will host the 134^th annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This year's theme is “Let's Go, Let's Play, Let's Move” and more than 35,000 people will be joining us on the South Lawn for games, stories, cooking demonstrations and, of course, the traditional egg roll on the Lawn. 

 

Starting at 10 am EST on March 1 you can click here to enter the lottery and win a chance to join the 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll (lottery opens on March 1 at 10 am EST and closes at 10 am EST on March 5, 2012).

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog source: WhiteHouse.gov}