[New York, October 4. Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

[New York, September 18. Image via Getty.]

[LAX, September 2. Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

[New York, August 21. Image via x17.]

[New York, August 6. Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

[New York, July 29. Image via INFDaily]

[Miami, April 5. Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

[LAX, March 30. Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

[New York, March 25. Image via Flynet.]

The three picture books, titled First Dog, Which Puppy?, and Now Hiring: White House Dog are all scheduled for an April release, reports Publishers Weekly. But, since they all focus on the search for a dog they may become outdated quickly when pictures of Sasha and Malia frolicking on the South Lawn with a Portuguese Water Dog are plastered all over the news. Still, publishers are confident that the books will sell since the 2008 election produced more children's books about the candidates than ever before, and book stores can't keep President Obama's biography for children on the shelves. "Anything about President Obama, people are looking for," said Jan Dundon, who has already ordered copies of two of the puppy books for her bookstore in Illinois, "and kids always love books about dogs." [Publishers Weekly]

[Novelda, Spain; December 29. Image via Getty]

A dog runs in a vineyard of Vinalopo grapes, which are bagged on the vine, in Novelda, eastern Spain, on December 29, 2008. Spaniards eat 12 Vinalopo grapes as midnight strikes on New Year's eve. The tradition, now nearly a century old, promises good luck to those who manage a grape and a New year's Wish - per chime. AFP PHOTO/ Jaime REINA (Photo credit should read JAIME REINA/AFP/Getty Images)

• Here are seven facts about HPV and Gardasil that every woman should know (like, did you know that HPV infection risk can increase with birth control pill use?). • Did you know that the inventor of the Slinky joined a Bolivian religious cult during a mid-life crisis in the 1960s? • The newest Wallace and Gromit film, A Matter of Loaf and Death, will not be eligible for an Oscar until 2010. • A female tiger cub was given a rare blood transfusion on Sunday after being beaten and then rescued by fearful villagers in India. • Australian Health Department officials are investigating dozens of massage parlors/brothels that write off their services as "therapeutic massages" and illegally billing health insurers. • The National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden announced today that it is removing transvestism, gender identity disorder, fetishism and four other sexual behaviors from its list of diseases. • A recent study claims that young women who smoke are twice as likely to develop moderate to severe PMS. • Athene Donald, a British scientist whose research may help with treatment of Alzheimer's, was made a laureate for the prestigious For Women In Science awards coming up next March. • The Girls' Schools Association in the UK plans to launch a website in January aimed at parents of teenage daughters. • Tennis player Martina Navratilova says that her snoring is so loud that she has woken herself up on occasion. • People with low levels of the tau protein (which helps people maintain good memory skills) have fewer protein tangles that are associated with Alzheimer's. • In female life expectancy, Britain comes up 16th out of 25 European countries. The top Euro country for women? France. • A French court of appeals has overruled a previous verdict that annulled a marriage of two Muslims because the wife lied about her virginity. • Mothers in Seattle join up in groups for intensive pre-dawn workouts to fit in some exercise and stress relief in their hectic schedules. • The Australian Sex Party will be launched on Thursday and runs on a platform of sex education, reducing censorship and supporting gay marriage. Sounds good to us! •

While having your dad elected to the U.S. presidency is exciting enough, we're sure that the girls are probably overwhelmed with giddiness over the prospect of having a pup to call their own. To help Obamas out, we decided to make a list of the best dogs for their family using Petfinder, a website that lists adoptable dogs in shelters across the nation.

Malia, the eldest Obama sister, has allergies so we had to take that into consideration when picking out potential puppies. We also tried to stick to dogs in the Washington D.C. area.

The girls have expressed interest in a Goldendoodle, a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle that is said to be hypoallergenic. They sure are cute and a good mix of a "All American" and hypoallergenic to suit Malia's allergies. Colton, a Goldendoodle located in Denver, PA might be the perfect puppy for the Obamas!

Obama also told reporters that his family had been looking into Labradoodles, another mix of a typical American dog (Labs) and a Poodle. Boston, a Labradoodle in Washington, D.C. would be happy to play with the girls on the South Lawn.

The American Kennel Club has a list of dogs that are generally considered to do well with people with allergies. On the list is one of our (okay, my) favorite dogs, the Schnauzer. A Schnauzer would be great for the girls since they are both hypoallergenic and temperamentally well-suited for children. Lady, a Miniature Schnauzer from Laurel, MD whose owners lost their home would be safe and sound in the White House.

Since the girls seem to like the Poodle mixes, perhaps a Schnoodle (or Schnauzer-Poodle mix) would appeal to them. Elise, a Schnoodle in Hedgescille, WV would be happy to run around the feet of the younger Obamas.

A Bichon Frise is also recommended for allergy-sufferers. Bichon Frise's have an excellent temperament with a "cheerful attitude" and a playful but gentle-mannered behavior that is great for children. Sammy, an adult Bichon Frise in Potomac, MD would use his years of dog experience to help the Obamas adapt to the doggy-owning lifestyle.

The American Kennel Club also recommends Malteses for people with allergies. A Maltese would be a great dog to play with since they are fearless little balls of fur that are incredibly affectionate and mild-mannered. Arthur in Monkton, MD is a friendly little fellow that would have no trouble rubbing paws with foreign heads of state.

A plain Poodle would also be a great dog for the Obamas. Poodles have that hypoallergenic coat that Malia would need in order to enjoy snuggles without sneezing. Sydney, a cute Poodle in Chantilly, VA that came from a puppy mill will be ready to part with her pups when they are 8 weeks. The time lapse would be perfect for the Obamas who won't move into the White House until next year!

The most American choice of all would be a mutt. Hope, a mutt in Forestville, MD has some Poodle in her so she would be well-suited for Malia. And since her name is Hope, you know that she was meant to be with the Obamas.

Although our last two picks for First Pup aren't hypoallergenic, they'd still make excellent dogs for the family.

An energetic boxer would be great for an active family with growing children. The friendly breed would also be great for meeting with guests. Rocky in Washington D.C. looks like he is ready to meet his new family.

A perfect family dog — and a favorite of conservative writer and big Obama supporter Andrew Sullivan — is the carefree Beagle. The girls would probably enjoy watching this curious dog explore their new home. Beagles also naturally enjoy the company of other dogs and people, making them the perfect addition to a family that will be meeting a lot of people. Cracker in Washington D.C. would fit in nicely at the White House, but the Obamas might want to change his name.

Obama's First Appointment, A First Dog [Chicago Breaking News]
Obama Promises A First Dog To Sasha And Malia [NBC Chicago]
Dogs For Allergies [American Kennel Club]
Petfinder

• The infamous granny pickpocket "terrorist" with 73 arrests on her record claims that she used to be a model and insists that she is not a "career criminal." • Scarlett, a cat who became a local hero in Brooklyn when she saved her kittens from a fire in 1996, died from a kidney failure on October 11. She was thought to be 13 years old. • A raccoon escaped Dallas police on Tuesday night and was unfazed by the officer's use of a Taser gun. • A Roman Catholic nun in India who was allegedly raped and beaten by a mob of Hindu men in Orissa, has condemned the Orissa police for the way they are handling her case and demanding that the national police take over the investigation into her assault. • A recent study discovered that a warm physical touch can make others feel psychologically "warm" towards one another • A recent study suggests that people who are experiencing social rejection are better at picking out phony smiles. • According to a report released today, air samples showed evidence consistent with a decomposing body in Casey Anthony's trunk. Anthony is currently on trial for the murder of her 3-year-old child, Caylee.• Two teenaged members of a group of four dine 'n dashers at an Applebee's in North Dakota filled out comment cards with their full names before they walked out on their bill on Wednesday. • Phil Hammond, an English doctor and media broadcaster, claims that every doctor he knows chooses Gardasil over Cervarix for their daughters because Gardasil also protects against genital warts. • A new website run by the Church of England, Yourchurchwedding.org, claims that married people have better sex in hopes of convincing couples to tie the knot. •

[Hollywood, October 5. Image via x17.]

• MTV promotes "green" campaigns like Switch, but when it comes to the actual production of their shows, the network is very unfriendly towards the environment. • Researchers have found that 90 minutes sitting on a heated car seat can lead to an increased scrotal temperature in men, which may hurt a man's sperm quality. • A Kentucky Court of Appeals has ruled against lesbian couples adopting children as though they are stepparents. • A new website that provides syphilis information to gay men — as well as a referral letter for syphilis testing and a 1-week wait for the tested men to retrieve their results online — shows promise in promoting testing among gay men. • Rachel Bird and Gideon Codding of California refused to complete marriage forms in their state because they wanted to be referred to as "bride" and "groom" on the forms and not by the new gender-neutral terms. • A new study claims that only 3% of Australians have cheated on their loved ones last year, but researchers claim the results would be "radically different" if they measured cheating over a longer time period. • Betty Constable, Princeton's first women's squash coach and a squash pioneer in the United States, died on September 9 at the age of 83. • A British woman has sworn off having children after she recently gave birth to a baby weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces (the weight of a 6 month old) and had given birth to three previous children who weighed more than 10 pounds at birth. • A new study has found that estrogen creams do not help reduce wrinkles on areas of skin that experience sun exposure (i.e., the face, hands, and neck). • The federal government is considering making Gardasil vaccination mandatory for female immigrants who are seeking U.S. citizenship. • Meanwhile, the FDA has updated the label for Gardasil, saying the vaccine protects against cancers of the vagina and vulva. • Margaret Hoelzer, a U.S. swimmer who won 3 medals at the Beijing Olympics, opens up about being sexually abused by a friend's father when she was 5 years old. •

[Image via JSoul.]