In April, President Barack Obama decided to make good on his Election Night promise to daughters Malia and Sasha by adopting a Portuguese Water Dog. That’s when Stu Freeman’s phone started ringing off the hook. 

As president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Freeman said he has given about 80 interviews since the Obamas announced their decision to adopt Bo, a six-month-old black-and-white Portuguese Water Dog given to them by U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy.

“We have seen a lot of increase in interest in our Web site. A few days right before the president got his dog, there were millions of hits. We don’t get that much in the whole year,” Freeman said recently.

By now we have all heard about the new addition to the White House in the form of an adorable Portuguese Water Dog named Bo.  No doubt the Portuguese Water Dog will be climbing the charts in popularity among Americans in the next few years but there is another favorite breed of the Portuguese people that has been slowly gaining strides in the United States since the early 1990s.

Have a great spring with your furry friend by following these health, safety and training tips

Heartworm infection 

The American Heartworm Society recommends that all dogs be tested annually for heartworm infection. Transmitted by mosquitoes, this serious parasitic disease can be fatal. Fortunately, your veterinarian offers a variety of options for preventing heartworm infection, including an injection, daily and monthly tablets, and monthly topical medications.  

Fleas and ticks

Fleas and ticks can cause a host of problems, from flea allergy dermatitis to Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. In large enough numbers, both ticks and fleas can also cause dangerous amounts of blood loss, especially in young dogs. While a number of flea and tick prevention options are available today, monthly spot-on topicals and oral tablets offer convenience and effectiveness in protecting your dog. Ask your veterinarian for more information.

As it is with the average citizen, the struggling economy is affecting animal shelters in a lot of littleways that add up: Fewer volunteers, less donations and an increase in animals being surrendered because of financial pressures on their owners. For some, these effects add up to big changes: closures.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA-Angell) in early February announcedthat the nonprofit organization would be closing three of its seven adoptioncenters by the end of the year.

“For the good of the entire organization we need to close down certain facilities,” MSPCA spokespersonBrian Adams said recently, pointing to a loss in revenue as the reason for theclosures. The nonprofit group does not receive state or federal funding butearns revenue by investing much of its donations through an endowment. Thoserevenues dropped by about 25 percent, or $11 million, in the last year, Adams said.

The MSPCA will close the WesternNew England Animal Care and Adoption Center in Springfield on March 31, theMartha’s Vineyard adoption center on May 1 and the Metro South Center inBrockton on Sept. 30. The organization already closed its hospital in Springfieldin 2007 to help streamline operations.