Bo (born October 9, 2008) is the pet dog of the Obama family, the First Family of the United States. Bo is a male Portuguese Water Dog. President Barack Obama and his family were given the dog as a gift after months of speculation about the breed and identity of their future pet. The final choice was made in part because Malia Obama's allergies dictated a need for a hypoallergenic breed. The White House has referred to him as the "First Dog", a US cultural term occasionally used during recent administrations.