On the Trail of a First Dog
Persuading Your Parents Is Just the Beginning of the Hunt

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

You probably have heard by now that the young daughters of Barack and Michelle Obama, the soon-to-be president and first lady, persuaded their parents to get a puppy when they move to the White House. Now Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, are reported to be researching breeds and other information for the second negotiation: what kind of dog.

Big or small? Female or male? Two things they know: It can't bother Malia's allergies, and they must wait until spring to get their pet.

Lots of kids have been in the same situation as Malia and Sasha: having to persuade their parents to get them a pooch. Take, for example, Sean and Maggie Maloney of Silver Spring.

The two, who attend St. Andrew Apostle School, desperately wanted a dog, but their parents weren't convinced. So the kids came up with a plan to win them over.

"We had to persuade them to think about it and show them we would be responsible," said 12-year-old Sean, a seventh-grader.

Sean and 9-year-old Maggie created a computer presentation, drew a poster and wrote a speech to present their case for a dog that would not trigger their 14-year-old brother's allergies. Maggie, a fourth-grader, dressed "professionally" in a skirt and nice shoes.

"We told them that it would teach us responsibility and be a nice part of the family," Sean said. "And we estimated how much it would cost to keep."

Added Maggie: "We also cleaned the house when they went out so they could see we were responsible."

Their parents finally agreed, and the kids went to an online service called Petfinder (http://www.petfinder.com) to find a dog that has been given up for adoption. They are still searching for the right pet, but just like Malia and Sasha, they know it's coming.

Alexander Levy, 13, has advice on what to look for in a pet. The seventh-grader at Georgetown Day School is a dog lover who reads a lot about them and attends dog shows. He has not one but three dogs: big basset hounds that are more than a handful to walk. Together the dogs, named Cow, Sebastian and Ozma, weigh nearly 200 pounds.

Here is what he says to do when selecting a dog:

· Check for health problems. "Make sure nobody in the family is allergic, and find out about the health of the dog."

· Pick a good-natured dog. "You want a dog with a sweet, playful personality."

· Pick a dog that will be a good neighbor. "You don't want a dog that tries to bite every other dog it sees."

· Pick a dog you can train. "Make sure the dog will obey your commands. Sebastian is very smart but doesn't listen."

-- Valerie Strauss