A new hobby for George W. Bush - painting dogs!

There's a presidential election going on, feisty debates, political pundits filling the airwaves with their political perspicacity, but where in the world is our former Commander-in-Chief, George W? According to a recent article in the New York Times, he's painting dogs! A former aide told the NY Times reporter, "I find it stunning that he has the patience to sit and take instruction and paint."

Another source stated, "He’s become increasingly agoraphobic." and, "...he doesn’t like people, he never did, he doesn’t now." Note to Mr. Bush: there are a bounty of homeless dogs who would love to be your companions. The more the merrier! As you know, dogs are refreshingly non-judgemental, loyal, loving, supreme secret keepers, and enchanting models.

I wasn't able to find any photos of Mr. Bush's objets d'art so I put together my own rendering of Mr. Bush enjoying his new pastime under the watchful eye of his Dick Cheney garden gnome. Who knows, perhaps Dubya will be the new Donatello of the dog world.

I too have attempted to put canine on canvas. My most recent composition titled, The Lavender Lady, is from my Binders Full of Women With Whiskers Collection. You like?

I think I was successful in capturing Lou Lou's smouldering sensuality as well as her penchant for puppy puzzles. In my opinion there's nothing hotter than a bewhiskered babe with brains.

Oh mon Dieu! My assistant just informed me that Josette, my Maltipoo model, polished off a bottle of Merlot Over and Play Dead Zin I had hidden in my studio, then ran into the hallway where she threw up on Speaker Boehner's Ferragamo wing-tips. Cherchez la femme!!

Big-O and Mama O's "Who's the boss of Bo?" video

I suppose even First Dogs have to have rules, but I know I'm awfully hard to say "No!" to when I stare up at Mom and Dad with my soulful brown eyes and give my head a slight tilt as if to say, "Don't you love me?"

When it comes to who lays down the law most often, I would have to say Mama-O. Mainly because we spend more time together while Pops is off running the country. But I couldn't hope for a kinder "boss." She is simpatico to my impish ways.

 

I can just feel the love whenever they talk about me! Right back atcha mes parents extraordinaires!

On the bed or off, I have no complaints. I have a loving family that adores me and spends lots and lots of time with me. If only every dog were as lucky...

Bo's birthday secret | "I'm in love with Lady Penelope!"

As I celebrate my birthday, I find myself reflecting on my many, many, blessings: my family, my friends, my wonderful home, and the private moments of passion shared with one very special "doll."

As I opened my birthday cards this afternoon, I knew the lavender scented envelope with the elegant handwriting could only be from one puppet, my darling Penelope. We've shared so many adventures and secrets. I think of her often and long for the day we are reunited.

Many of you may remember Lady Penelope from one of the most awesome kid's sci-fi TV shows of all time, Thunderbirds, that ran from 1965 through 1966. The Thunderbirds were marionettes extraordinaire who captured the imaginations of children everywhere. I'll bet Jim Henson was a fan!

 

Though she's been off the air for nearly 50 years, she doesn't look a day over 24. Not a splinter in sight. She's a high maintenance dame but all those soaks in her linseed oil bubble baths have certainly paid off. Ah, "Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." Here's lookin' at you kid!

Catch epsisodes of Thunderbirds on Netflix, Xfinity, and YouTube.

An original Lady Penelope electronic marionette sold for $54,000 at auction in 2011.

New iPad & iPhone game app | The Crate Escape: Seamus Unleashed

You've probably heard the sad tale of Mitt Romney's dog, Seamus, who had to endure a 12 hour car ride strapped to the roof of the family station wagon. The poor guy vomited, was hosed off, and put back on his perilous perch for the remainder of the trip. Ay yi yi, amigos!

Now, Seamus is the hero of his own (free) iPhone/iPad game app, The Crate Escape: Seamus Unleashed. In Crate Escape, Seamus breaks out of his crate, avoids obstacles, grabs power-ups, energy boosters, and other rewards while chasing down rascally Romney. As you proceed through the game other political pet celebs (i.e. moi) can be unlocked to assist Seamus in his quest for vengeance.

Preview the new game app The Crate Escape: Seamus Unleashed

Hey, every dog has his day and Seamus more than earned his. Now let's start thinking about the next blockbuster mobile game app starring the sweetheart of the nation, that playful PWD, the Bo-ster with the mo-ster, ME!

In my app (which I hope is developed soon), I would like to be the President of Dog USA where I would look out for the 99%, re-establish the canine middle-class, redistribute the kibble wealth, and erect a temperature controlled doghouse on every lawn!

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog source: PRNewswire}

100% of homeless pets don't pay taxes. Who worries about them?

A video of Dad's political opponent, Mitt Romney, (secretly recorded at a high-brow fund raising event) surfaced on MotherJones.com yesterday and caught the GOP's Presidential Candidate making some "off the cuff" comments including the revelation that it is not his job to worry about 47% of Americans because they don't pay taxes; believe they are victims; will never take responsibility for their own lives and; expect the government to take care of them. Say what?!

And where does that leave our non-tax-paying homeless pet population? Who will worry about them?

I'm proud (and relieved) to say that I personally know plenty of folks who not only take responsibility for their own lives, they are also willing to take responsibility for those of us who cannot speak or help ourselves.

These unsung heroes do worry about my displaced cousins. They worry they won't be able to find them homes or that they're so damaged from abuse that they may not be able to save them. They cry themselves to sleep at night thinking about the dogs and cats who are curling up alone in cages and those pets whose euthanasia they tearfully assisted with that day.

These noble crusaders take on the burden that many other humans won't, for fear that working around these precious pets would cause their hearts to literally break into two, but who are eternally grateful to those who step up to the plate and do what they cannot.

I thank all of you for the often thankless jobs you do, from sweeping the shelter floors to cleaning out the cages; answering the phones to walking the dogs; stroking the cats to talking to your frightened charges in hopes of calming them and assuring them that there is love for them in this world.

DogTime.com recently accepted nominations for an Unsung Hero Award to honor one of these selfless heroes. They received hundreds of nominations, heart-wrenching stories about shelter and rescue volunteers who give of their time when they have none to spare; forgo a salary when they are barely making it; endure incredible amounts of pain from physical ailments that should keep them bed-ridden, but whose passion and love for our abandoned pets pulls them out of bed every morning with the hope that maybe today their contributions will help one more homeless pet find a home.

I want to invite you to join pet lovers from around the world in a celebration of pet bloggers and animal shelter/rescue volunteers at the 2012 Petties Award Ceremony on Friday, October 12th. You can join the festivities at petties.dogtime.com where pet bloggers from 10 categories will be announced along with the winner of the Unsung Hero Award.

The Petties is the largest annual pet blog awards program on the Internet, with nearly 10,000 nominations and $30,000 in awards.

Dog coat plays Papa Obama's DNC acceptance speech

Talk about awesome! This dog coat by TheWoofer.com can play anything, including the fantisimo acceptance speech Pops made at the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina this month.

Hey, maybe dogs don't have the right to vote yet, but we all know dogs have a considerable amount of influence over their humans. Let's keep that little tidbit on the downlow, folks.

I've just gotta get one of these!

 

I'm sending some primo First Puppy love out to Matthew Baron, who says:

"He (President Obama) said that the campaign can seem small. Well I made the campaign seem very small in this Philadelphia dog park. People were laughing and making comments about the election. I sparked interest and laughs. That is want I want to bring to the people with The Woofer. Clothes for dogs that let you play the music you want to hear."

Keep on spreadin' Big O's words to all creatures big and small! You rock Matthew!

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog source: YouTube}

How the Republican Elephant and Democratic Donkey were born

I've often wondered how we ended up with the donkey and elephant as the mascots for our Democratic and Republican parties.

Why a pachyderm and an oft maligned member of the horse family? Why not a dog and cat, or Mickey and Donald, or a mongoose and cobra? I just had to know!

I soon learned that it didn't take an act of Congress to set these two party symbols in stone, nope, just one creative Harper's Weekly cartoonist by the name of Thomas Nast .

Nast first featured a donkey (in a cartoon) in 1870 in Harper's Weekly. The donkey represented the Copperhead Press whom Nast saw as Northern Democrats who were anti-union and racist. The donkey is kicking a lion that represents President Lincoln's deceased Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton.

We first saw the Republican elephant in 1874 in Nast's cartoon "Third Term Panic." The elephant bears the title of "Republican Vote" and, frightened by a donkey cloaked in lion's skin, he stumbles toward a pit labeled "Inflation" and "Chaos."

Democrats boast that the donkey is smart and brave, while Republicans tout the elephant as strong and dignified.

At a rally in Virginia on November 4, 1960, JFK said, "You have seen these elephants at the circus, with their heads full of ivory, thick skins, long memory, no vision, & when they move around the circus ring, they grab the tail of the elephant in front of them."

Thomas Nast was one of the most influential cartoonist's in American history. Nast played a part in creating the images of Uncle Sam and Santa Claus that we're familiar with today. Nast was a Republican before the parties shifted their philosophies.

The German-born American caricaturist and editorial cartoonist passed away in 1902 at the age of 62.

Fascinating stuff to a trivia buff like me!

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog sources: FactMonster.com, HowStuffWorks.com, Wikipedia.org}

Bo dishes on his diet and shares primo Poodle work-out video

Have you ever had a parent totally embarrass you in public? Multiply that by about a billion and you'll have a clue as to how I'm feeling this week. 

Monday, Dad popped into the East Room to congratulate the winners of Mom's first ever healthy recipe contest at the Kids' State Dinner and just had to go and spill the beans on my diet (mmm, some red beans and rice sound mighty tasty).

Way to go Daddy-O...I thought my caloric cutback was a matter of national security and therefore top secret. Next thing I know, the Net is bubbling with news of my ample anatomy, referring to my fan-flippin-tastic physique as "pudgy," "plump," and even "portly." Step back Jack!

I confess there was an instance when I was chasing my squirrel buddy on the South Lawn and my derrière got wedged between two closely set trees. That's when I knew it was time to seek guidance from my personal Yoda of physical fitness, Mama Obama.

Mama-O taught me about the health risks a few extra pounds can cause (arthritis, heart disease, diabetes), and the importance of striking a balance between diet and exercise. I thought there was just more of me to love!

Here are some of the tips I picked-up...

Exercise

Exercising can be fun! And dig this, you're not only burning calories every time you play fetch with your human, you're also releasing endorphins that make you feel happy and calm. Now keep this tip on the QT - playing with you is also good for your humans!

More great ways to exercise are: swimming, running, tug-of-war, Frisbee, flyball, hiking, and soccer. 

Now this is my kind of exercise class! Check-out the poodlicious vixens in this work-out video. Rrrrruff!

 

Eat smarter

These tips are tough but we can do it gang!

• Bark a polite "No thank you!" when your human offers you table scraps
• Encourage your peeps to replace those beef jerky treats with some nice carrots, broccoli, peas, asparagus, or ice cubes with bits of fruit in them (I know, I know...)
• Substitute that second helping of kibble with some dog/human cuddle time

Hang in there my fine furry friends, before you know it you'll have regained the figure of your youth and have that dog park dolly (or dude) panting like a dog.

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog sources: DogTime.com}

Can your pet read minds? Try the psychic pet test!

As far back as the Ancient Sumerians, animals have successfully predicted everything from battle victors to changes in the weather.

I think I posses a little ESP. Take for example the time I was sitting on the south lawn envisioning a plump, friendly, little squirrel, scampering to and fro in front of me. Within about 5 minutes there he was, Tooturm, my best (middle-class) squirrel buddy ever, chattering like a monkey about losing most of his nuts to taxes if Pop isn't re-elected!

Psychic Animal Celebrities

Paul- psychic octopus, who correctly predicted Spain's World Cup victory  

Jim the Wonder Dog - predicted 7 Kentucky Derby winners and a World Series

Oscar the Death Cat - correctly predicted the deaths of 25 nursing home patients

Punxsutawney Phil - the groundhog who (every February 2nd), predicts when winter will come to an end

Take the Psychic Pet Test

 

The imagined walk (or food) test

Dog - when your dog is sound asleep, and you have a friend stationed near him, take his leash into another room and imagine the two of you on an incredibly joyous walk. Imagine everything you would see, smell and hear on this walk and repeat over and over in your mind, "Walk, walk, walk!" After a few minutes, have your friend gently wake your dog.

If your dog comes running to where you are there is a strong possibility that he or she can read your mind!

Cat - same exercise but replace the leash with her food bowl. Now imagine filling the bowl with tuna while experiencing the texture, taste and smell of this irresistible delicacy and focus on the word, "Tuna, tuna, tuna!"

If your cat comes to you, it's highly likely he or she picked-up on your telepathic tunalicious wave lengths!

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog Sources: Psychic & Mediums Network: Your psychic pets; Enzinemark.com: Greatest psychic animals}

Bo shares very cool "Great Day at the Dog Park" video!

Man, am I jealous! I found this video on the Net and have watched it 36 times. Every time I pretend that it's me behind the camera, sniffing butts, chasing tail, and just plain palling around with my canine compadres at the dog park. Life is good!

 

I'm gonna ask my peeps to check-out this GoPro HD HERO2® camera. Imagine the hysterical, oh yeh, and historical moments I could capture during daily rounds of my big White House and that other building, the one with the upside down dog bowl on top. I could have my own reality TV show! I could call it, "Undercover Bo: Primo scoop on political poop."

Maybe one day I'll get to experience the thrill of hanging with my dawgs at an off-leash dog park where I can show-off my moves and try out my best pick-up lines on the lovely ladies, like this one: "Hey good lookin', let's head-on back to my place where we can chew on my favorite liver flavored Romney squeaky toy!"

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