The Obamas are looking to adopt a Portuguese water dog or a Labradoodle from an animal shelter, but their success will depend on which breed they choose.

More than two months after President-elect Barack Obama promised his young daughters that they'd rescue a dog from a shelter and give it a home in the White House, the first family-to-be has narrowed its choice down to two breeds -- neither of which is likely to be found in a pound.

Obama said Sunday that the presidential pooch will be either a Labradoodle or a Portuguese water dog, both of which are non-shedding dogs, which is important to the family because their 10-year-old daughter, Malia, is allergic.

But breeders and shelter operators say those breeds are expensive, and not often found in a pound. And even if the Obamas get lucky, the dog will almost certainly will be the Labradoodle, which is a crossbreed between a French poodle and a Labrador retriever. And even that will be very hard to find.

The Washington Humane Society didn't have any Labradoodles or Portuguese water dogs in its shelters on Monday. But the organization's two shelters take in more than 30 animals a day, so it's a good time for the Obamas to be looking, said Tara de Nicolas, the society's director of communications.

"You do usually see, after the holidays, the people who give pets as gifts," she said. "Within a month or so after Christmas you start to see those animals surrendered across the country. It's very probable we could see those breeds come through the door any day. We do see poodle mixes most often."

But a Portuguese water dog is not as common.

Lou Guthrie, president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of the Carolinas and a long-time breeder, told FOXNews.com that it is very unlikely that the Obamas will find a purebred Portuguese water dog in a shelter.

"We try to do everything we can to prevent Portuguese water dogs from winding up in shelters," Guthrie said. "The minute we hear about one in a shelter, we all rush to collect it out of the shelter. My contracts, and most Portuguese water dog breeders' contracts, are going to say that if you have to give the dog up, it comes back to them. I even give money back so that it won't end up in a shelter."

Guthrie said it would make more sense for the Obamas to go to a breeder if they are looking for a puppy, because finding one in a shelter is very unusual. "Rescue tends to have older dogs that may have some problems or whose owners' circumstances have changed," she said.

Nonetheless, a Portuguese water dog, if the Obamas can find one, would be a good fit for the White House and an active young family, Guthrie said. read more