If the Candidates Were Dogs…
Have you ever thought Huckabee looked kind of like a Beagle? You wouldn’t be the only one — the folks at the Baltimore Sun sure did, and recently came out with a dog-lover’s guide to the presidential election. Which other dogs do the candidates resemble? Let’s find out.
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Description: Decidedly square and cobby, with free, self-assured, jaunty gait and a perpetual expression of confused defiance on their wrinkly faces.
Behavior: Pugs are even-tempered and stable, prone to snorting, and they love to have a good time. They can be clowns, yet they can also be dignified and charming, when the situation requires it. They can be docile one minute, highly animated the next. Pugs are intelligent, curious and loyal. They will do whatever it takes to get what they want, often using playful or clever tactics. They are rather independent, strong willed and even forceful for such a little dog, but they rarely show aggression.
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Description: Large-eyed and long-eared, with a pure, kindly and sometimes conniving expression best captured in cartoon version by Charlie Brown’s Snoopy. Beagles have a keen sense of smell, a desire to hunt and track down strange odors and a tendency to bay unceasingly when something seems amiss.
Behavior: Beagles like to please their masters. Training must begin early or the beagle can get out of hand and indulge in its favorite habits — overeating and making a mess. They are also excellent escapologists and will attempt to dig their way out of any jam. This breed, for all its apparent innocence, can be stubborn, hard to housebreak and bark to an annoying degree. Yet they are gentle and good natured and get along well with other dogs. Even inside, beagles are prone to cruising around the house with their noses down, sniffing away as they make an olfactory map of the territory, then checking the area periodically to make sure everything is as it should be.
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Description: A large and muscular breed, with a long rectangular head, a short coat and an appearance of being very noble and dignified. They can be fawn, black, blue, brindle or a combination of black and white in color.
Behavior: An intelligent and loyal dog that, with an experienced handler, can be trained for protection work. As they grow very quickly into a very large dog, their training has to start when they are young. They enjoy exercise and will happily go along with the family on their outdoor activities. They also enjoy spending time at home in front of the fire. The Great Dane is an affectionate dog — gentle and delicate, without being timid. They get along well with other dogs, household pets and children. They are ideally suited to the active family, preferably one living in a very large house. They are quick to alert the family of any strangers approaching their territory.
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Description: The Labradoodle is a newer breed that combines the often ostentatious Labrador with the more reserved – at times even aloof – poodle. As it has not yet been recognized by the American Kennel Club, there are no breed standards as far as appearance.
Behavior: The Labradoodle, while it is happy to walk alongside you, also loves to get off the leash and set its own course. They will not thrive without human contact, and are particularly affectionate and loving with children, making the breed well suited for work as a therapy or assistance dog. The often try to outsmart their owners just for fun, and sometimes can be too clever for their own good. Otherwise, they are loyal and devoted, active and athletic when free, and generally melt into mellowness when touched by human hands.
See more politicians as dogs, including Mitt Romney (Smooth Fox Terrier), Fred Thompson (English Bulldog), Rudy Giuliani (French Bulldog), John Edwards (Golden Retriever), Dennis Kucinich (Jack Russell Terrier) and more.
Sketches by Susan Donley
Content from the Baltimore Sun
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February 25th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
This I believe is true. Just as I do believe pets look like there owners as well.