The first official Obama family portrait has been released from the White House today, and people have already noticed that while President Obama, First Lady Michelle, and both Malia and Sasha are all smiling at the camera, First Dog Bo is missing from the shot.
Though not in the Obama family portrait, the dog was a highly-anticipated addition to the presidential family. Bo, a black-and-white Portuguese Water Dog, was a gift to Malia and Sasha from Senator Ted Kennedy. The girls' father publicly promised them a puppy during his presidential campaign, and in January of this year, Obama told reporters the front-runner breeds were a Portuguese Water Dog and a Labradoodle.
There was likely much debate about the exact composition of the Obama family portrait from where it would be taken to how the family would be posed, and even how broadly each family member would be smiling. Everything the Obamas do is evaluated and critiqued by the media and public, and a family portrait is no exception. The decision of whether or not to include Bo was probably a difficult one.
Animal lovers can be assured that Bo does get quality time with the Obamas. There have been many press photos released of various family members running and playing with him, including a popular photo of President Obama and Bo running away from the camera in the White House. Just because he doesn't appear in the Obama family portrait does not mean Bo is not dearly loved.
Many presidential families have had dogs in the White House, and others have had cats, birds, and even hamsters. Some animals are shown frequently in family photos, while others, like the Obama family portrait, choose to have only the human family members included.
The Obama family portrait was taken by photographer Annie Liebovitz.
Written by Nicole Palmby
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