( CNN ) -- The nation 's new `` first dog '' has heightened interest in its breed -- Portuguese water dog -- but not necessarily a thorough understanding of the dogs ' needs , a pair of owners and breeders told CNN . Bo the Portuguese water dog meets the camera . Bo was a gift to the Obama girls from Sen. Ted Kennedy . The dog , Bo , has triggered `` the most publicity the breed has ever had since its introduction into the U.S. in the late 1960s , '' the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America said in a news release . President Obama and his family welcomed Bo into the White House this week . Shortly afterward , the club 's Web site was receiving a million hits an hour , said Susan Teasley , a club member . Jane Harding , a fellow member of the club , said she has `` received about a 10 percent increase in calls '' since Tuesday , and some of the other breeders she knows also have reported more calls . `` Thankfully , people want to know more about the breed , '' Teasley said . `` But water dogs are not for everybody , and it would be sad to see people getting the dog without doing the proper research . '' Portuguese water dogs are `` active athletes , '' far from couch potatoes , she explained . In fact , they are more likely to rip a couch into pieces than lounge on it , Harding said , recalling a friend who had lost a sofa that way . Watch more water dog fun » . Portuguese water dogs can be miserable and destructive when alone , Teasley said . And do n't think you can close the door and keep them out . `` They want to be with you at all times -- even if it 's in the bathroom or your bed , '' she said . Teasley and her husband breed Portuguese water dogs and often allow them to run free on the two and a half acres of land they own . They are `` not apartment dogs , '' she said . Harding agreed . `` They are n't for people who want a tie-out dog or an apartment dog . For people like that , '' she joked , `` we recommend a stuffed dog . '' Portuguese water dogs love the outdoors , particularly if they have a garden to eat from , Teasley said as she wrestled to keep 7-month-old Misty Morning from eating the family 's flowers . Harding said she believes the first family will be successful with their new dog because `` they have access to the best trainers , and they want to make this work . '' For other Americans thinking about following suit , she cautioned , `` Buyers beware . Do your homework and first read the information on the breed . '' Teasley wants people to understand the breed to help avoid what she called the `` Dalmatian syndrome . '' After the movie `` 101 Dalmatians '' came out in 1996 , `` thousands of people rushed to get the dog , and thousands of dogs ended up in rescue kennels , '' Teasley said . What those who followed the Dalmatian trend may not have known is that Dalmatians shed profusely and they develop hearing problems , making it hard to train and call them , she said . Both Teasley and Harding advised owners to get a mentor , as they expect Sen. Ted Kennedy to be to the Obama family . Kennedy owns Portuguese water dogs himself and recommended the breed to the Obamas . Watch Obamas introduce dog » . `` For the first six to seven months of the puppy 's life , they need training , '' Harding said . She has diligently trained 8-year-old champion Bessie , who she said `` produces phenomenal litters ... and has multiple titles '' from the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America . Such organizations provide guidance to first-time dog owners . But it takes time to get a membership , Teasley said . Prospective members must apply for a one-year associate membership before they can receive a permanent one , she explained . That provides a cushion while they decide whether the dog is the right fit . `` It sounds like I 'm trying to discourage people from getting ( a Portuguese water dog ) , '' Teasley said , `` But I 'm not . We just do n't want dogs to come back because owners do n't know what they are doing . ''
I fear too many people will want to get rich like the Obamas ' Bo . Breeder : Portuguese Shepherd ##s are ` ` active athletes , '' not couch potatoes . They are more likely to take up couch than to sleep on it . They bond quickly with family and want to be with them all the time .