The XX Factor: What women really think.

Did the Obamas Want a Poodle?

People breaks the news that the Obamas have settled on a breed for their new pup: Portuguese water dog. In January, the president revealed that two breeds were in contention, the Portuguese water dog and the Labradoodle (a cross between the poodle and the Labrador retriever). Allow me to posit a theory about these choices: The Obamas really wanted a poodle.

Consider the evidence. The family narrowed the field to two breeds that are not very allergenic and of good size. A third breed that fits this description and shares the desirable traits of being smart, friendly, and easily trained, is the standard poodle. (To my knowledge, most other less allergenic dogs are on the small side, and the prez has famously dismissed smaller dogs, like Barbara Walters' Havanese, as too "girly.") What's more, the Labradoodle and PWD both look a lot like the poodle. The poodle, however, would be an unacceptable choice for a modern president, especially one who has already confessed that he prefers wine to beer and considers arugula a staple: It is derided, incorrectly, as a a froofy pet for mincing elites who enjoy bedecking hounds in rhinestones and taking them to the hairdresser. Could it be that the Obamas considered the optics of poodledom and demurred?

If so, for shame! At the risk of sounding like a poodle partisan (which I am), I will note the breed's superior intellect and working-class roots. An all-time great Slate "Explainer" reveals that the traditional poodle haircut kept the dogs hydrodynamic but warm-jointed when they were hunting in marshes and moors. If Obama wants us to look past idle stereotypes and embrace change, he should put his doghouse where his mouth his: Standard poodle '09!

Check out Slate's slide show of presidential pooches.