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...

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.

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}

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}

Super Doggies | Bo Obama raps in new video by Oscar winning animator

Check me out, dawg! I'm animated and rapping for a really good cause...

In this first video from his new web series, Super Doggies, Oscar winning animator, Eugene Yelchin, teams me (Bo Obama dog) with Vladmir Putin’s pup, Buffy, and Abby, the best fur-friend of Imani, a girl living in a poor neighborhood in Johannesburg, South Africa, to bring attention to the global issue of youth poverty.

Look closely and you'll see Pops (President Obama) bustin' a move too!

 

"The Super Doggies are ‘good citizens’ who want to bring attention to the issue of poverty and work with local communities to highlight their plight," the series' website states. "Super Doggies’s citizenship principles are founded on the conviction that the arts, business and social initiatives can, together, contribute to making a better world."

The site also says that Super Doggies will begin a world tour in 2013! "The spectacular show, brings together the Super Doggies, performing ‘live on stage in breath taking and realistic 3D holographic projections, local dance talent, musicians, magicians, acrobats and performers from all over the world. Through this medium the Super Doggies will take the audience on a heart-warming journey and adventure as they face and overcome social challenges making the world a better place for children."

Check-out the Super Doggies' website and subscribe to be notified of tour dates and other Super Doggies' news!

^{Bo Obama Dog Blog sources: Super-Doggies.com, TheHill.com}

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!

Bo remembers the hero dogs of 9/11

 
2753 lives lost. I've watched many of the television specials showing the events of September 11, 2001 as they unfolded. I cannot fathom what it was like for those people working in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon that day or those innocents trapped on the hijacked planes.

I salute those men, women and canines who lept into action trying to free anyone trapped in the rubble and then searching for remains that could be tested for DNA and bring some much needed closure to the victim's families.

Many of my cousins assisted in the search, rescue and recovery efforts, able to manuever in, around and under the rubble where no human could go.

Watch this wonderful video tribute to the canine heros of 9/11 produced by DogFiles

 

My kin, along with their human co-workers, did their very best in the aftermath of the devastating tragedy and in the midst of so much sorrow, brought what comfort they could to their human counterparts. 

We are called "man's best friend" for a reason. We truly care about you and will continue to do all that we can and all that you ask of us in return for your love and loving care.

Video of the world's smartest dog and dog IQ quizzes for your pup!

 
Personally, I have never doubted the superior intelligence of myself or my canine cousins, as a matter of fact I think our brilliance is quite obvious.

Take me for example, Bo Obama - The First Dog of the United States of America, who wields the power to influence our leader on important world issues like creating a worldwide "Give Your Dog a Bone and All the Treats He Can Eat Day." Granted, humans are not always quick to pick-up on the golden bones of wisdom we so generously toss their way but given enough time, they usually come around.

I present Exhibit A: NOVA's "How Smart Are Dogs" video. Sit back and prepare to be amazed by Chaser, a six-year-old female Border Collie, who understands more than 1,000 words! Still not convinced canines are wicked smart? Then check-out the deductive reasoning acumen she demonstrates during the "Darwin test."

And what about those chimps?! ROTFLOL! Cheetah's got nothin' on me and my dawgs! Boo-ya!

 

In case the video has you wondering how smart your faithful fur-ball is, try a couple of these dog intelligence tests:

Dog Under Towel Test

How to do the test

1. Your dog should be awake and reasonably active
2. Let the dog sniff the towel
3. With a quick smooth motion throw the towel over the dogs head, so it's head and shoulders are completely covered (you may want to practice this without the dog first). Start timing and watch silently.

Scoring

If the dog frees itself in 5 seconds or less ..................................................................................	5 points
In 5 to 15 seconds .........................................................	4 points
In 15 to 30 seconds .......................................................	3 points
In 30 to 60 seconds .......................................................	2 points
If the dog hasn't freed itself after 60 seconds ..........................................................................	1 point

Retrieving from Under a Barrier Test

For this test you will need to create a table low enough to stop your dogs head from getting under it, but high enough off the ground to get it's paw under. You can make it out of some bricks or large books and a board.

How to do the test

1. Make sure your dog is watching you from nearby.
2. Show your dog the tidbit of food and even let it sniff it.
3. With the dogs full attention slowly place the tidbit just far enough under the table, that the dog can use its paws to retrieve it
4. Start timing and encourage your dog to get the food.

Scoring

 

If your dog uses its paws to retrieve the food in 60 seconds or less......................................	5 points
If your dog uses its paws to retrieve the food in 1 to 3 minutes............................................................................	4 points
If your dog uses it's muzzle only and fails to get the bait, or if it uses it's paws and hasn't retrieved the food after 3 minutes ...............................................................	3 points
If your dog doesn't use it's paws, simply sniffs and gives one or two tries with it's muzzle ..........................	2 points
If your dog has made no attempt to retrieve the bait after 3 minutes ...............................................................	1 point

Does Your Dog Know Its Name Test

How to do the test

1. Your dog should be settled comfortably around two meters in front of you.
2. In the voice tone you use to call your dog call "refrigerator"

Scoring

If the dog shows some response to come....................	3 points
If the dog does not come, call "movies" in the same tone. If the dog comes......................................................	2 points
If the dog still has not responded call it's name. If the dog comes or shows any tendency to move to you .....	5 points
If the dog has not moved, call it's name a second time. If the dog comes ..............................................................	4 points
If the dog still doesn't come ............................................	1 point

For more dog intelligence tests and final score results visit Dog IQ Tests.

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABCNews.com, NOVA Science Now}

Bo salutes U.S. Navy Seals Team 6 and Cairo, their Belgian Malinois teammate!

 

 
This is one of those occasions where it is perfectly acceptable to hate both the player and the game. Bin Laden had to go and I'm proud that one of my canine cousins was a member of the elite Navy Seals team who completed the mission.

The 4-legged team member was a Belgian Malinois named Cairo, the only team member to be identified by name. German Shepherd, Dutch Shepherd and Belgian Malinois breeds are favored by the military because they possess the best overall combination of keen sense of smell, endurance, speed, strength, courage, intelligence and adaptability to climatic conditions, essential traits for Military Working Dogs (MWD's). 

Last year a company by the name of K9 Storm Incorporated was awarded an $86,000 contract by the U.S. Navy to supply protective gear for their war dogs. The K9 Storm Intruder Vest is bullet proof, stab proof and shrapnel proof. It includes an infrared and night-vision-enabled camera as well as a transmitter and receiver.

United States Navy Seals dogs complete a rigorous training program to become the best of the best at detecting explosives and enemy troops. They are also expert trackers, scouts and sentries. We look forward to learning details of Cairo's role in the Bin Laden mission.

I'm so proud of my dad, President Obama, and all the men, women and canines in uniform who worked tirelessly to bring Bin Laden to justice, many of them making the ultimate sacrifice for their country. 

If you'd like to learn more about the role of dogs in our nation's military, visit War Dog Heroes.

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: K9 History Pages, Wikipedia, Foreign Policy, HuffPost Green, Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, Discovery News, K9 Storm Incorporated, Dog Files, DogTime.com} 

Betty White will match donations to GDB | Watch Betty's GDB video

 
What a gal! I love watching reruns of Golden Girls, Mary Tyler Moore and even Password where Betty played brilliantly under the supervision of game show host and husband, Allen Ludden. And did you see her host SNL? What a hoot!

But my favorite Betty White role is the part she plays as an advocate for animals all over the world. Her heart knows no boundaries when it comes to the welfare of animals and, if you donate to Guide Dogs for the Blind through May 2nd, Betty will match your donation (up to $60,000)! 

Guide Dogs for the Blind trains dogs and matches them with people who are blind or visually impaired, free of charge. So give what you can, you're contribution will go a long way in helping to change lives.

 

This month Betty White will be honored by Actors and Others for Animals who will present her with the first "Betty White Inspirational Award," which honors "individuals who have inspired public awareness and appreciation of animals and their need for protection and care." Hurray for Betty!