The people have spoken. The change we need is a Labradoodle.
That's the preference of FOXNews.com readers who answered a poll that posed a simple question: Should the Obamas adopt a Labradoodle or Portuguese water dog to be the next "first pet"?
Of the 1,878 respondents who voted, 59 percent recommended the Obamas fetch a Labradoodle, while 41 percent said they preferred the underdog.
President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday that the presidential pooch will be one of the two breeds, because both are non-shedding dogs -- a trait that is important because his 10-year-old daughter, Malia, is allergic.
"We're closing in on it," Obama said on ABC's "This Week," adding, "This has been tougher than finding a commerce secretary."http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/13/fox-poll-labradoodle-favored-portuguese-water-dog-pet/

Shelters deal with influx of Christmas-gift pets

VIRGINIA BEACH
Cocoa, a 4-month-old black pit bull puppy, was purchased from a pet store a few weeks before Christmas by what was to be her new family.
A month later, she was in a cage at a Virginia Beach shelter with a broken leg, waiting to be taken to another new home. Too much rough play with the family's two other dogs, the shelter staff was told. Cocoa just wasn't going to work out.
It's that time of year again. After Easter, animal shelters see an influx of chicks and bunnies. In the weeks after Christmas, shelters across the nation brace for a slew of animals like Cocoa: cute puppies and kittens picked up for the holiday season. Continued

Dog Allergies

If your dog is always itchy and constantly scratching and biting at his skin, then your dog has allergies. There are 5 different types of allergies your dog may have: flea, contact, bacterial, food, and inhalant. To learn more about the difference of these allergies and ways to treat it, please go to this site for more information. http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/allergies.html

Is Cooking For Your Pet A Good Thing?

If the recent pet food scare makes you want to fire up the stove and fix your own dog and cat cuisine, hear this: "Dogs have nutrient requirements that not all homemade diets are going to meet," says Andy Sokol, a veterinarian at Caldwell Mill Animal Clinic. "Once in a while, cooking for them is not going to cause a problem. But I do not recommend a homemade diet for the life of a dog or cat."

Taurine is a particularly critical component of a cat's diet, Sokol says, so whatever you do, don't leave that out of a recipe. "Without taurine, a cat could develop a heart condition and die within a year." He also recommends two vitamins a day for dogs who get homemade meals.

If you still want to treat your pet, check out these recipes from Liz Palika, author of "The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook: Homemade Goodies for Man's Best Friend" (Wiley, $14.99) and "The Ultimate Cat Treat Cookbook: Homemade Goodies for Finicky Felines (Wiley, $14.99):

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