Chirac's dog's bite is worse than its bark - apparently

Sad news from France - of sorts.

In the same week that the former president, Jacques Chirac, ranked second in a poll of this
country's most popular political figures, there now comes word that he has been bitten by his dog.

All right, don't all pass out in astonishment, It's maybe not the most important story to appear here.

But it's the end of what seems to have been a particularly long working week, and the weather outside is very "January". So why not a doggy yarn?

After all the world's media has been keeping close track of canine developments on the other side of the Pond, and hasn't "Marley and Me" been packing 'em in at cinemas across the US recently?

Anyway, so what about this French doggy tale, I hear you (not) clamouring.

Well, it doesn't concerns a poodle or a labrador, or even for that matter a hybrid of the two - virtually unknown to these shores - the labradoodle.

Instead it centres on a "charming" little maltese (bichon) who goes by the rather inappropriate moniker of Sumo (named in honour of the former president's passion for the Japanese sport).

In an interview with the weekly magazine VSD (Vendredi Samedi Dimanche) Bernadette, the wife of the former president said that Sumo was on anti-depressants and was not taking to life away from the political limelight too well.

"He has got into the habit of nipping a little. Not everyone and not all the time," she said.

"But he bit my husband, which is rather a surprise as he (Jacques) adores the dog.

"I think he obviously misses the garden, the other animals in Paris and the walks, but it's not just that," she went on to explain.

"He also had a lot of freedom in the gardens of the Elysée palace (the French president's official residence). He was very happy and there were always plenty of people around. Now he sees far fewer people."

The story has perhaps for many been taking up far too many column inches in the French press during a week when there have been plenty of other news stories around, but that didn't stop the website of the left-of centre weekly news magazine, Nouvel Observateur, bringing its readers further revelations.

It quotes an interview given by Bruno Legrand, the man who gave Sumo obedience classes with the animal welfare foundation 30 millions d'amis.

Legrand says a great deal of the fault for Sumo's recent erratic behaviour has to be laid fair and square at the hands of the former president.

"What happened is typical of hierarchical aggression," Legrand explained.

"When I was giving obedience classes to the dog, it was principally with Madame Chirac and on the rare occasions when Monsieur Chirac was there, he was overly kind to the dog," he continued.

"In other words he broke some of the most elementary rules required in the education of a dog."

The solution now he suggests would to be to re-establish the correct hierarchy within the country's former first family.

So there you have it. Quite literally the end (for the moment) of a shaggy dog story.

Are there (political or domestic) lessons to be learned by the current incumbent at the Elysée, Nicolas Sarkozy, from his predecessor?

After all when Carla moved in she also brought with her Tumi the chihuahua - property of her son Aurélien.

And looking further afield, let's just hope that a certain family newly ensconced in the White House doesn't make the mistake of choosing a similarly ill-mannered mutt (as Sumo) in their much-reported search for the perfect pet pooch.

Woof.