Barack Obama said he's been surprised at the huge amount of interest in what kind of dog the family will get. Obama told his daughters that if he ran for president, they would get a dog, and now he has found himself overwhelmed with advice.

"We're getting more advice about this than my economic policy," he told Barbara Walters on Nov. 25, 2008. "No doubt about it."

He said he hoped the family would get a rescue dog, but that it would have to be a hypoallergenic breed, because his older daughter Malia is allergic. He also said they would not get the dog until they were settled into the White House, probably in early spring.

But we do know they have narrowed down their choices on breed. It's going to be either a labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound, Obama said on Jan. 10, 2009.

"We're closing in on it," Obama told George Stephanopoulos. "This has been tougher than finding a Commerce secretary."

Narrowing the choice to two breeds seems like progress to us, doggone it. We're moving this item to In the Works.