In his victory speech President Elect Barack Obama announced that he would be getting his daughters a dog. Most of the speculation and suggestions concerning a dog breed for the White House have focused on the fact that his daughter Malia is allergic and therefore the dog must be "hypoallergenic." There certainly are dog breeds that produce less of the most significant allergen, which is a protein found in saliva and dander. The dander is released when the dog sheds, so non-shedding breeds are best.
Unfortunately, with the focus completely on Malia's allergy the discussion of the correct dog for the president's family has missed the most important considerations in choosing a dog-namely the dog's temperament and how it will fit into the family's life style. So let me provide a brief primer on the temperaments of the hypoallergenic dogs which might be helpful.
First, since the labradoodle has been mentioned as a possible candidate I must issue a warning. There have been several attempts to crossbreed poodles with other breeds of dog in the hope of producing a hypoallergenic dog. The poodle has hair (which grows continuously like human hair) rather than fur which grows to a certain length and is then shed. It is when fur is shed that the allergy inducing dander is released, so poodles are hypoallergenic dogs. Wally Conron, the originator of the Labradoodle in 1989, noted that although the first Poodle-Labrador Retriever breeding produced a success, "our next litter of ten labradoodles produced only three allergy-free pups." The fact is that the characteristics of puppies from crossbreedings are not as predictable as those from purebred breedings, and the crosses may shed or have unexpected or undesirable behavioral qualities from the parent breeds.
One obvious solution to the allergy problem would be a hairless or mostly hairless breed. American Hairless Terrier, Chinese Crested, Peruvian Inca Orchid, or Xoloitzcuintli. These dogs are relatively rare and the average person tends to judge hairless as not very handsome. I doubt that the president's media conscious advisors would be happy if he selected a dog that is not photogenic.
Dogs with hair are the first that come to mind as acceptable. Poodles are ever popular, and the standard and miniature are clever dogs that integrate well in families. They can be a bit aloof, however, and their coats do take work to keep neat. The toy poodle can be a bit yappy and is probably too small and delicate to fit well in a busy White House environment. The two other dogs with hair are the Portuguese Water Dog and the Irish Water Spaniel. Both are very active dogs and a whirlwind in the Oval Office might not be appreciated.
Lists of hypoallergenic dogs often include a number of terriers. Specifically the Airedale, Bedlington Terrier, Cairn Terrier, Fox Terrier (wire haired), Kerry Blue Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Sealyham Terrier, Silky Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Welsh Terrier, West Highland White Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier. These breeds shed very little. Unfortunately terriers are tough, active and independent dogs. Although they can be a delight to have around terriers bark and can be hard to handle and train. These are dogs for experienced dog owners and are not recommended as the first dog that a family with children should get. They certainly could be a distraction for a new president, unfamiliar with dogs.
There are three toy breeds, however, that might make good candidates. These are not only hypoallergenic but also have good temperaments. The first is the Bichon Frise, a small white dog that looks like a miniature poodle with a round face and shorter legs. Its springy undercoat doesn't hold much hair or dander and is recommended by the American Kennel Club for allergy sufferers. More importantly it is a playful and gentle dog that is robust enough to survive rough play.
There are two breeds of dogs derived from the Maltese (which doesn't shed, but has a massive coat that requires lots of work and grooming). These are the Coton de Tulear and the Havanese. They also don't shed and are quiet dogs, best described as "love sponges" that are photogenic and easy to live with. Of course in the charged political atmosphere of the White House the Havanese might be ruled out because it was developed in Cuba-or perhaps it might favored as a peaceful overture to better relations with that country. I'll leave that discussion to political scientists, rather than to this psychologist who is just making recommendations for the first family's dog.
Stanley Coren is the author of many books including: Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? The Pawprints of History: Dogs and the Course of Human Events, How Dogs Think : Understanding the Canine Mind, How To Speak Dog, Why We Love the Dogs We Do, What Do Dogs Know? The Intelligence of Dogs, Sleep Thieves, The Left-hander Syndrome.
