InDOGuration

I was thinking about that guy who won Supreme Pack Leader of the United States. Whatever happened to him?

As I was relaxing today, contemplating the world and the squirrels going by, I remembered my days running for Supreme Pack leader of the United States. I wondered how the human that actually won was doing. So I asked Mom about it and she said this week was called the Inauguration week (or inDOGuration week as I think it should have been called) and he would soon be in power.

Mom says that President Obama will become officially the leader of the USA this Tuesday.

My honorable and esteemed (and lucky) Presidential running opponent is to become first Human of the United States this week. Humans call him President. I call him Supreme Leader of the Human Pack (of the USA). I guess it doesn't matter what we call him, as long as we respect his position.

We all need a leader. Otherwise, how would we know where to make our den, when and where to hunt for our food, where to poop and pee, what trails to follow and who to call our friends or our foes? A leader is definitely a handy animal to have around you.

I'm not sure about humans, but us dogs respect the leader of our pack. We may not have wanted him to be leader, and we might have even fought him once over the honor, but once he is made the leader, we give him all the respect and support that we can muster. The reason is simple: we make him more powerful against our foes, and make it easier for him to find our food and shelter when he is respected and supported by his pack. A pack leader with good followers makes for a very strong pack. A weak leader with a pack that doesn't support him is weak and won't last long.

So, my recommendation to you humans is to stand behind the leader of your pack and you'll have a strong pack. Dad says the human pack is now in trouble because we had a weak leader before and no one was behind him. So, if you help President Obama, whether you fought him before or not, you'll have a greater chance to get out of your big troubles. He will help you find suitable dens, good trails and plenty of food again. Trust me. A Dog Knows about these things!

When I ran for Supreme Pack Leader and quit, I thought Obama might choose me as vice-pack leader. We'd have made an awesome team!

I've heard that he also needs help in choosing the FIRST dog. He has promised his daughters that they can have a dog while they live in their white house. Of course, my feelings are hurt because he hasn't asked me to be the First dog. After all, I was his respectable opponent for a while. Dad says he appointed another opponent to be a secretary, so why not me as the first Dog? Or even the vice-pack leader? Well, good thing he didn't because I'd have turned him down. I love and respect Mom and Dad and wouldn't consider leaving them (unless they'd come with me).

I can't help but wonder if the First Dog will have the supreme leader of the human pack pick up his poop? If so, that's got to be a powerful dog. I can't imagine that President Obama would want his daughters and wife to walk around the grounds of the beautiful white house he lives in and step in First poop. I'm sure this is just one of the many difficult decisions he will have to make in his first days as President.

I hear President Obama is looking for some strange breeds for First Dog: Portuguese Water Dog (left) or Labradoodle. I think he should get a Golden Retriever!

Such a powerful First dog surely can help the rest of us. I will send email to the new First dog and we could become friends. I wouldn't mind having a good friend in high places. Couldn't hurt. Maybe I can convince him to get his master to change that silly law about dogs having to be on leashes in National Parks. That would be a good thing for him to do for dog kind. I can assure him that he'd get the full support of all dogs in the United States at his next election.

Dad says this is a first time in his packs' history that a black man has been given the honor of President. I'm still confused over that one. What difference does their color make? I'm gold, Moms white and Dad's kind of brownish-white. A lot of dogs I know are black and they seem to be just as good as me. Seems to me you'd judge your pack leader on how well he does his job and not the color of his fur (or skin in this case). (I am a little suspicious of him for having no fur, I must admit.) I'll never understand these humans!

President Obama, when you need support, go play with your First dog in that big yard in your white house for a few minutes.

I wish the new President Obama a lot of luck. He should remember that his FIRST dog will be a source of many good things for him. He will be his FIRST supporter, he won't question his motives, morals or ideals, and he will lick his face when no one else will. If he gets a First dog that is Internet savy (like I am) he can exchange emails with him and get good dog advice. We dogs keep our nose to the ground and have a way of making difficult things seem as simple as peeing and pooping. So, rely heavily on your first pooch. If you need some support or want to feel good for a while, spend a few minutes in the big yard of that big white house you live in with the First dog. You won't regret it.

Arf

Reggie