Obama's Puppy Problem

When Barack Obama promised in his presidential acceptance speech to get his daughters a puppy, it set off a flurry of speculation, particularly online, about just what kind of puppy the family would bring to the White House.

Some observers have made the case for their favorite breeds, while others said the president-elect should seek out a mutt. Many argued that Obama should set an example by getting the dog from a shelter instead of looking to a breeder.

Obama addressed the puppy question in his first press conference as president-elect today. Noting that the debate over what sort of dog her should get had generated major discussion on his Web site, the president-elect jokingly called it a "major issue."

"We have two criteria that have to be reconciled," Obama said. "One is that [daughter] Malia is allergic so it has to be hypoallergenic."

Obama added that while many breeds are hypoallergenic, he would prefer to adopt a dog from a shelter. The problem?

"A lot of shelter dogs are mutts, like me," Obama said. "So whether we're going to be able to balance those two things, I think, is a pressing issue on the Obama household."