The Obamas New Dog

The Obamas are getting a Portuguese Water dog according to the new reports. What do you think of this suggestion? What do you think they should name it? Do you think they would be better with their second choice a "Labradoodle"?

The whole world, it seems, wants to know: What kind of dog are the Obamas getting and, for goodness sake, when?

Speaking to PEOPLE at the White House recently, Michelle Obama leaned in and confided: "You're getting some scoops here." So, when? In April, Mrs. Obama says – after she and the President take daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, on a vacation for spring break. Here's a sample of a typical family conversation on the matter: "So Sasha says, 'April 1st.' I said, 'April.' She says, 'April 1st.' It's, like, April!," Mrs. Obama recalls. "Got to do it after spring break. You can't get a new dog and then go away for a week."

And what kind of dog will soon be frolicking on the South Lawn? Mrs. Obama says she thinks she is going to look for a rescue Portuguese Water dog who is "old enough" and a "match" for the family dynamic. "Temperamentally they're supposed to be pretty good," she says of the breed that Sen. Ted Kennedy has also lobbied for (he has two Water dogs of his own). "From the size perspective, they're sort of middle of the road – it's not small, but it's not a huge dog. And the folks that we know who own them have raved about them. So that's where we're leaning."

The Name Game

The only thing still up in the air is the name. And Mom's not feeling it with some of the names her girls have come up with. "Oh, the names are really bad. I don't even want to mention it, because there are names floating around and they're bad," Mrs. Obama says with a laugh. "You listen and you go – like, I think, Frank was one of them. Frank! Moose was another one of them. Moose. I said, well, what if the dog isn't a moose? Moose. I'm like, no, come on, let's work with the names a little bit."

Asked if she can believe the public interest in her family dog search, Mrs. Obama shakes her head. "Okay, that's surprising," she says. "One of the things I didn't anticipate is the level of the excitement about the dog. I knew my kids were excited. They've been excited for years. They've even calmed down, because they feel like, 'They said we're going to get one, so let's just shut up about it.' "

Diplomatically, and careful not to insult enthusiastic dog-lovers, she adds: "It's all great and gracious attention. People are just being as helpful as you can imagine. So I know that we will find the perfect breed. And we'll find people who are caring folks who will help us find the dog of our dreams."

Source: People

Pom Pom Rope Dog Toy

If I purchased every dog toy I sell for my dog, I wouldn't have any place to live. I do get the ones that I think he would love. I recently added the Pom Pom Rope Dog Toy to Poochieheaven. I thought that Duke would love his toy for several reasons. The first being it was huge. Duke is a big dog and so this toy would fit him perfectly. Second he could destroy it. He loves ripping apart toys and tearing arms and tails off stuffed animals.

I was right! He loooved chewing on this toy. I was kept busy picking up pieces of red string all over the house.

The fun ended though when playing tug of war and the entire thing ripped apart. When I can convince myself to clean up after another toy, I will be getting him another.

If you have a dog that loves to rip apart toys and tear off arms and legs this toy is for you!

Picture is Duke with the remains of the toy as a "wig".

Goodbye Socks the Cat

The Clintons Bid Farewell to Socks the Cat
By Sharon Cotliar-people.com


Former First Cat Socks, one of the world’s most famous felines, died Friday at the age of 20 after battling throat cancer since November. A stray cat rescued by the Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, Socks lived in the governor’s mansion in Arkansas and later moved with the family to the White House. "Socks brought much happiness to Chelsea and us over the years, and enjoyment to kids and cat lovers everywhere," the Clintons said in a statement, released first to PEOPLE.COM.

"We're grateful for those memories, and we especially want to thank our good friend, Betty Currie, for taking such loving care of Socks for so many years." Currie, the president's personal secretary, and her husband, Bob, took over care of Socks after the Clintons left the White House. It was near their home in Maryland that Socks was put to sleep Friday morning. "He could no longer stand and wasn’t eating," according to family friend and presidential historian Barry Landau.

His Pal Buddy the Lab

Though much was made of the fact that Buddy, the family’s beloved brown Labrador retriever – who died after being hit by a car in 2002 – remained with the Clintons while Socks did not, Landau says, "The truth be known, Betty asked if Socks could come live with her. The Clintons didn’t abandon Socks. They were totally conflicted. It broke their hearts, but they knew it would be the right thing for Socks’ welfare.” "Betty had lost a close family member and a dog and they wanted to do something nice for her," continues Landau, noting that Hillary Clinton had just been elected to the U.S. Senate.

During the family's days in the White House, Socks had become attached to Betty, with whom he spent many hours every day. "Socks was always curled up on a blue striped silk chair, next to Betty," in her office outside the Oval Office, Landau says. "Socks didn’t act like a cat. Socks was very dog-like, and Buddy and Socks got along well.” Landau adds that even visiting heads of state asked to have pictures taken with the cat.

A Taste for Chicken

In the years since he left the White House, Landau says, "Socks had an incredible life. Betty cooked for Socks," he said, noting the cat loved chicken. He was also the subject (along with the family dog) of a book by Hillary Clinton titled Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets.

On Thursday, Currie took Socks for one last walk; she plans to have the cat cremated.

Happy Birthday Duke!

Happy 4th Birthday to Duke!

I'm making dog cupcakes for him and his friends later today.

His birthday presents to all of you is taking a discount on all of your orders! Visit www.poochieheaven.com for more information!

Junebug the Cat!

Here are some cute pictures of Junebug the cat, a happy Poochieheaven customer.

Junebug needed custom made cat shirts due to some medical issues.

Submit your pictures to info@poochieheaven.com

“Peternity” Leave

Wouldn't this be nice!?

This week is the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, when type-A dog owners show off their pampered pooches to a panel of judges.

Some pet owners can actually get company-blessed time off for pet-related matters, in what are dubbed “peternity” leaves, according to the Sloan Work and Family Research Network blog.
Virgin Mobile in Australia recently announced that it now offers peternity leaves for employees with new puppies or kittens under 10 weeks old. Such employees, who must have worked for the company for more than two years, can get five unpaid days off. (Owners of other animals, such as birds, fish or hamsters, can’t take advantage of the policy, alas.) Several U.K. and Canadian companies, including the Bank of Scotland, also offer time off to care for new or sick pets or for pet bereavement.

The trend doesn’t seem to have caught on yet among U.S. businesses, although some companies, such as Google, do allow workers to bring pets to work. (From Google’s Dog Policy, printed in its code of conduct: “Google’s affection for our canine friends is an integral facet of our corporate culture. We like cats, but we’re a dog company, so as a general rule we feel cats visiting our offices would be fairly stressed out.”) Most pet owners, however, have to take personal days or lunch breaks to care for a new pet or to deal with a sick or dying animal. (In this week’s episode of “The Office,” there was a subplot about taking time off for cat-care.) And, of course, being able to take any company-sanctioned leave to care for an animal is a luxury in this tough job market.

Several years ago, when my husband and I adopted our shelter dog, Bosco, as an eight-month old, we sure could have used some more time off. Our dog was skittish, shy and unresponsive to commands. We squeezed in sessions with our trainer during lunch breaks, but could have used more time off for naps, since we were up half the night from Bosco’s barks and whimpers.
Readers, have you had to take time off from work to care for a pet? How pet-friendly is your employer?

Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2009/02/11/westminster-dog-show-taking-peternity-leaves/

What are your thoughts?

January Winner

Congrats to Maryellen and her dog Radar. They are the January Pet Gift Winner!