Althouse: Obama is like Bush.

October 4, 2010

Obama is like Bush.

Lets his dog walk him.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...: Dogs always know who's in charge, they can spot a mannequin a mile away just like BO has.

Obama, no pack leader he but what a set of Chiclets, eh?; 10/4/10, 9:40 AM
MadisonMan said...: I let my dog run ahead of me -- he's off leash all the time, please don't call the cops -- but he'll always come back if I call him. So he does know who is boss.; 10/4/10, 9:48 AM
Steve M. Galbraith said...: After two years or so in a relationship, the dog winds up walking you.

Happens to everybody.

Canine whipped.

Kind of like...well, guys, you know what.; 10/4/10, 10:10 AM
jerryofva said...: I am not a big fan of the AKC dog show rules of proper behavior. I have two Coonhounds and just because they are out in front of me most of the time doesn't mean that don't know that I am the alpha. You have to take into account the behavoral characteristics of the breed.

Coonhounds and similar dogs have the urge to be out front leading you to the game. Because I live in an suburban evironment I have to keeep them on leash so they won't get hit by cars. When we are in the country they run free and I march to the sound of their howling.

I like Ceasar and understand his point of view but there is no such think as a well behaved scenthound.; 10/4/10, 10:21 AM
jerryofva said...: I wish more blogs allowed post-posting editing to fix my mistakes.; 10/4/10, 10:23 AM
Unknown said...: Every day Quantum has to re-learn that pulling on the leash is not tolerated.

After the first time I had to discipline her, it hasn't been so bad, but it still has to happen.

Quasy and Sherlock, OTOH, know better. (Then again, they're smaller); 10/4/10, 10:27 AM
Anonymous said...: I saw that clip yesterday. Man, does Obama look like a wimp! Oh well, at least he's not bowing.

For all your "off leash" people, please, my leg was mangled by an off leash "good dog." Be a good citizen. Leash your dog. He's not having fun, he's confused and mixed up with no leader to guide him.; 10/4/10, 10:32 AM
Bob Ellison said...: In Soviet Russia, General Secretary walk dog! In America, dog walk President! What a country!; 10/4/10, 10:40 AM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Politico.com)
Just let me take this opportunity to point out that Obama is walking to victory, with BO. First in 2010, and then again in 2012.

The best you GOP people can hope for is a victory in 2016, UNLESS Chelsea runs.

A great deal of your problem is your TEA Party members, who are stupid, because they don't think like me. If they thougth like me and visited my webstie, they'd stand a chance. Once they saw what I had written they'd be much smsarter and then they culd win elections, until then...not so much.; 10/4/10, 10:54 AM
Trooper York said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/4/10, 11:08 AM
former law student said...: Obama like Bush? Not from the facts presented. As pointed out in the video, it was the very first day the Obamas got Bo that he pulled on the leash. There would be no dog trainers if every dog behaved perfectly on leash from day one. I'm surprised a celebrity trainer like Milan would not point that out. Let's see how Bo walks with Obama now.

Further, "walking ahead" is not the issue but pulling is. In the AKC show ring, the dog should be walking ahead of the handler, to show itself off. But pulling is the sign of an undisciplined and thus less desirable dog.

In fairness to GW's handling skills, terriers are bred to be independent -- when they're down in a rodent burrow they can't ask the master for instructions. So they're nowhere near as trainable as, say, a Lab.; 10/4/10, 11:08 AM
Irene said...: fls said, "Let's see how Bo walks with Obama now."

Here.; 10/4/10, 11:23 AM
MadisonMan said...: For all your "off leash" people, please, my leg was mangled by an off leash "good dog."

I'm sorry someone's dog injured you.

I never said, though, that my dog was good. He's an idiot and extremely timid. Oblivious to any other dog and scared to approach any human. But he loves sniffing every single blade of grass and every single hosta leaf he can find.; 10/4/10, 11:39 AM
MayBee said...: Does Bo travel with the first family any more?
I don't see him in the pictures of them returning from Camp David this weekend.; 10/4/10, 11:49 AM
Irene said...: MayBee, after the Maine mix-up, I think the White House might prefer to keep Bo's travels under the radar.; 10/4/10, 11:56 AM
former law student said...: Bo's walking nicely on a loose lead (for Michelle) here, from their weekend in Maine:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/38789146/Scenes_From_The_2010_Obama_Summer_Vacations?slide=8; 10/4/10, 12:17 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Having your dog on a leash when taking your dog for a walk, is not only good discipline: it is safety for your pet.

Unless your dog is extremely extremely obedient, the chances are that it will at some point dash out into the street and get killed or seriously maimed. I accidentally hit a dog that dashed into the street away from its owner. The dog had decided to rush another dog on the other side of the street. The dog's owner was devastated and SO WAS I. I had nightmares for a very long time. Keep your pet safe and don't inflict this horror on an innocent passerby.

Taking your pet to a 'dog park' or another outdoor location where it can run free is great exercise for the dog and for you too. Keeping your pet on a leash in a non-wilderness setting is only smart.

That being said. It is also smart to keep control as Cesar Milan says. Maintain your status as the pack leader.

Obama and Bo is an example of what happens when you have a pet for vanity or just publicity reasons. Dog as a prop. You never have a real relationship with the animal.; 10/4/10, 12:22 PM
MayBee said...: Irene- you are probably right. I'm guessing the Obamas really just aren't dog people. One big perk of having private air transportation for me would be the ability to bring my dog on weekend getaways.; 10/4/10, 12:30 PM
holdfast said...: Joe - I think you used the wrong sock puppet - was that supposed to be "America's Politico"?

I don't mind my pups walking in front of me - they are meant to hunt, and so they like to scout out the ground. I will not tolerate them pulling at the leash - it has to be slack or else there will be a sharp tug back. I only go offleash in the neighborhood very late at night when there aren't a lot of other people around.

All that said, a President's dog is exposed to a lot of stuff like motorcades with sirens and idling helicopters which could cause a dog to startle or jump and pull on the leash like in the pics of Bush and Obama).

Finally - no mention of Buddy the First Dog (R.I.P.)?; 10/4/10, 12:31 PM
holdfast said...: FLS- so clearly Bo Knows who the real Alpha in the WH is.; 10/4/10, 12:33 PM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)
Joe - I think you used the wrong sock puppet - was that supposed to be "America's Politico"?

I like to get a lot of mileage out of my posts, if you can get Aemrica's AND Lonewacko.com, i say go for it....; 10/4/10, 12:40 PM
jungatheart said...: Sweet pic, fls; hee-hee, holdfast.

DBQ, the adult Obamas may not be dog people, but chances are at least one of the girls is gaga over Bo.; 10/4/10, 12:59 PM
Irene said...: MayBee said, "One big perk of having private air transportation for me would be the ability to bring my dog on weekend getaways."

Exactly! We stopped traveling long distances because of the dogs. I'd rather have a "staycation" than leave my poochies with a stranger.

The poodles travel very nicely in the car.; 10/4/10, 2:14 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: Even Bo knows to distance himself from Obama- lest he ruin his political career.; 10/4/10, 2:18 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: chances are at least one of the girls is gaga over Bo.

I sure hope so. Every dog, cat or other pet deserves to 'own' a loving human.; 10/4/10, 2:20 PM
traditionalguy said...: Obama being a Muslim naturally knows nothing about dogs. Bush had Dick Cheney and Cheney's famous whisperer, Scooter Libby, training the White House dog, or if it disobeyed, Cheney would threaten to "Take the SOB hunting."; 10/4/10, 5:03 PM