Bred by Martha and Art Stern of Amigo Portuguese Water Dogs in Boyd, Texas,[7] Bo was a son of Watson—of the Rader family in Pittsburgh's Ambridge suburb—and Penny, belonging to Art and Martha Stern. One of Bo's nine litter mates was Senator Ted Kennedy's dog named Cappy (Amigo's Captain Courageous); the litter was named "Hope and Change", in honor of Obama's victory.[14][15]