He told Jay Leno the puppy he promised his daughters would be in place when he got back from a NATO summit in Europe. But Barack Obama has been back at the White House since Wednesday.
So Mr. President ... where's the patter of little puppy feet?
What we know so far, based on what Obama and his wife, Michelle, have said is that the choice is down to either a Portuguese Water Dog or a Labradoodle. Michelle Obama also has said the dog is coming this month.
Monday is the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn, and 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha have no school that day.
The president cracked jokes about the promised puppy when Leno sought details of its whereabouts.
“This is Washington. That was a campaign promise,” Obama said when he appeared on Leno's talk show last month, as the audience roared with laughter. “No, I'm teasing. The dog will be there shortly.”
The summit was last weekend in France and Germany.
The Obamas promised the girls a dog if he were elected, and the first pet's arrival has been eagerly awaited not only by the first daughters, but by dog lovers across the country and around the world.
Obama was even asked about the puppy during a Q-and-A forum he held last week in Strasbourg, France.
“It should be there soon,” he replied.
Even the big drug company Merck & Co., has gotten into the act.
The Rahway, N.J.-based company mailed White House reporters copies of a pet health manual and a David Letterman-style Top Five list of tips for the Obamas, prepared by Scott Line, an Atlanta-based veterinarian and animal behaviorist who edited the manual.
- Prepare a designated spot for the dog to eat. Food from state dinners is not the right diet for a dog.
- Select a special place for the dog to sleep. This will ensure that the new dog does not become an unexpected guest in the Lincoln Bedroom.
- Exercise the dog in a safe and peaceful area. It's probably best to avoid the Marine One helicopter landing pad.
- Limit the space of the White House where the dog is permitted to roam. This will prevent the dog from setting off any of the White House security apparatus.
- Keep the dog away from the media. We all remember when Barney had a run-in with a roving reporter.
President George W. Bush's seemingly docile Scottish terrier bit a reporter's finger last December after the scribe reached down to pet him during a walk on the White House grounds.