Can anyone resist these beloved presidential dogs?

Many beloved presidential dogs have played an essential role in history. The canines in the White House can offer a glimpse into the lives of the First Family of the United States of America. They’ve also been instrumental in making presidents more relatable to the public and, overall, shaping the presidential image.

Many US presidents since George Washington were dog owners and animal lovers. In fact, you might not have known this, but Washington helped develop the modern American Foxhound!

With the help of the media, pictures of presidents and their pups have helped to shape their public image. So, on that note, let’s take a look at the 12 most beloved presidential dogs who made a splash in history.

Bo: Barack Obama’s Portuguese Water Dog

During President Barack Obama’s 2008 victory speech, he talked directly to his young daughters about a personal campaign promise: “I love you both more than you can imagine. You’ve earned the puppy that’s coming with us!”

Well, that adorable puppy was Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog, who was a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy. On a deeper level, it could be said that the gift of Bo therefore connected President Obama to the Kennedy era of the early 60s, a torch passed to the new generation.

And although this beloved presidential dog technically belonged to the Obama daughters, he was cherished by all presidential family members. First Lady Michelle even brought the pup with her for a reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” at Children’s National Medical Center near the White House back in 2011.

Sadly, this beloved presidential dog passed away at 12 years old in 2011. Still, two years later, Michelle Obama announced the homecoming of a new furry pal joining the family, the Portuguese Water Dog Sunny, in a 2013 tweet.

Rob Roy: Calvin Coolidge’s Collie

Republican president Calvin Coolidge, who lived in the White House between 1923 and 1929, had more pets during his term than any other American president. This includes Peter Pan, a white Wire fox Terrier, who moved into the White House with Coolidge.

Then there was Paul Pry, the First Lady’s’ Airedale Terrier who once pecked at a White House maid who got to close to her. And there was also Tiny Tim and Blackberry, two poorly behaved Chow Chows who howled constantly.

Blackberry aggravated the First Family so much that they offered her to Coolidge’s daughter-in-law after only a couple of years. However, Rob Roy, this beloved presidential dog, was said to be a loyal and favorite companion to First Lady Grace Coolidge.

In his autobiography, Coolidge described the beloved presidential dog as “a stately gentleman of great courage and fidelity.” Rob Roy is also the only canine featured in a White House portrait: a painting of Grace and the pup, created by Howard Chandler Christy before a State dinner in 1924. It still hangs in the China Room to this day.

Fala: President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish Terrier

This beloved presidential dog was a black Scottish Terrier owned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Fala was soon credited for assisting in winning a presidential election after Franklin Roosevelt made his famous speech in 1944 about Fala during a campaign dinner.

The 32nd President defended his beloved pup after the pooch had been the victim of a Republican political attack. President Roosevelt had taken Fala to many locations during his time in office. Minutes after Roosevelt’s death on April 12th, 1945, Fala behaved very oddly.

So, after Roosevelt’s funeral, Eleanor Roosevelt took the dog to Val-Kill. On April 5th, 1952, Fala was euthanized after suffering from deafness and declining health.

In addition to this beloved presidential dog, other pups owned by Roosevelt included a Scottish Terrier named Meggie, an Old English Sheepdog named Tiny, a German Shepherd named Major, a Llewellyn Setter named Winks, a Great Dane named President, and a Bullmastiff named Blaze.

Duke: Rutherford B. Hayes’ English Mastiff

The Hayes family had several dogs, but their most famous was Duke, a beloved presidential dog. Hayes had an unconventional presidency.

The Republican pledged to serve only one term between 1877 and 1881, and his wife refused to serve any type of alcohol in the White House. But he was an outspoken animal rights activist to his core.

During his 1878 address to Congress, which is now known as the State of the Union Address, Hayes said, “The abuse of animals in transit is widely attracting public attention. I urge Congress to consider the enactment of more efficient laws for the prevention of these abuses, ” which, if you think about it was a radical statement in the mid-19th century.

King Tamahoe: Richard Nixon’s Irish Setter

While Richard Nixon served as president between 1969 and 1974, the Republican and his family enjoyed the company of three dogs: a Yorkshire terrier, a poodle, and an Irish setter named King Timahoe. Though this beloved presidential dog was one of the Nixon family’s most cherished pets, the most famous was Checkers.

In 1952, then-Senator Nixon found himself in a scandal from which the pup helped save him. Supporters had started a fund to sustain the senator in his political career, but Nixon was accused of taking several thousands of dollars and putting it in his pocket.

With Nixon afraid that he’d be de-seated in Congress, the Republican National Committee arranged for him to have 30 minutes of TV airtime to speak directly to the American public. And Checker became the beginning of that speech.

Here’s what he said: “One other thing I probably should tell you is because if we don’t, they’ll probably be saying this about me too: we did get something, a gift, after the election. A man in Texas heard Pat mention that our two youngsters would like to have a dog,” Nixon declared.

“And believe it or not, the day before we left on this campaign trip, we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was? It was a little Cocker Spaniel dog in a crate that he’d sent from Texas. Black and white spotted. And our little girl Tricia named it Checkers. And you know, the kids, like all kids, love the dog, and I want to say right now that regardless of what they say about it, we’re gonna keep it.”

Afterward, Nixon supporters rang the RNC to share their adoration of the senator. In fact, at that point, 75 to 1 people favored Nixon staying on the Republican ticket for vice president.

Skip: Theodore Roosevelt’s Terrier

President Theodore Roosevelt was well-known for his love of all animals. The family’s many pets included guinea pigs, a blue macaw, a lizard, a badger, a rooster, a barn owl, a pony, and many others. The pony, named Algonquin, even rode the elevator up to Archie Roosevelt’s room to visit him when he was unwell.

Skip, one of several beloved presidential dogs in the Roosevelt house, was an affectionate pup who was very attached to Archie Roosevelt and liked to sit in Teddy’s lap when the family was away. The other canines in the White House included a Manchester Terrier named Jack and a Saint Bernard named Rollo.

This beloved presidential dog is famous for being a Roosevelt and inspiring what later became the Teddy Roosevelt Terrier breed. Fun fact: This breed of canine wasn’t always known by its presidential name. The United Kennel Club officially recognized Teddy Roosevelt Terriers, formerly Type B Rat Terriers, back in 1999.

King Tut: Herbert Hoover’s Belgian Shepherd dog

This beloved presidential dog was a Belgian Shepherd who lived in the White House with the 31st United States president. The President’s love for the canine melted voters’ hearts during the 1928 presidential campaign. That year, the public perceived Hoover as cold and harsh when he ran for office.

As a result, Herbert Hoover’s campaign managers recommended a photo of King Tut, the President’s special dog. After the picture was widely circulated, The New York Times called it “one of the happiest pictures ever made.” Shortly after, Hoover went on to win the election.

A year later, this beloved presidential dog sadly passed away, but not after helping the White House police force as a patrol dog.

Other than King Tut, other dogs owned by Hoover included Glen, a Scotch Collie; Pat, a German Shepherd, Patrick, an Irish Wolfhound; Big Ben, and Sonnie; Fox Terriers; Yukonan, a Canadian Eskimo Dog; Eaglehurst Gillette, a Setter, and Weegie, a Norwegian Elkhound.

Barney: George W. Bush’s Scottish Terriers

After George W. Bush’s 2001 to 2009 presidency was embroiled in the tragedy of the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks, the American public turned to his beloved presidential dog, a Scottish Terrier, Barney, as a source of sweetness and levity.

In the early 2000s, when Barney was the only beloved presidential dog, he starred in annual videos that the White House posted online around the winter holidays, where millions of folks watched Barney being cute on the White House lawn. However, not everyone fell for Barney’s charisma.

Jenna Bush Hager, Bush’s daughter, spoke on the “Today” show, saying that “Barney was a real jerk … He was a little temperamental. I feel bad saying that, but he didn’t like strangers.” He even bit a family friend and reporter, she added.

Then, the Bushes adopted another beloved presidential dog, a Scottish terrier, Miss Beazley, whose father was Barney’s half-brother, as a birthday gift from the president to First Lady Laura Bush in 2005. That same year, Miss Beazley and Barney were the White House holiday video stars, “A Very Beazley Christmas.”

Clipper: John F. Kennedy’s German Shepherd

Even though John F. Kennedy, the Democratic president who served from 1961 until 1963, was severely allergic to most animals, he had quite a few pets, including this beloved presidential dog, the German Shepherd gifted to First Lady Jackie Kennedy by the president’s father, Joseph.

Despite JFK’s allergies, he wanted his kids to grow up with pets. Among their little zoo was his daughter Caroline Kennedy’s pony Macaroni. Jackie reportedly took this beloved presidential dog for walks around the White House grounds daily, though she was usually in her classic disguise of big sunglasses with a silk scarf covering her head.

Kennedy had another favorite, too: His Welsh Terrier Charlie, who would swim laps with the president in the White House pool. JFK even requested that Charlie wait for Marine One when he lands from his trips.

Buddy: Bill Clinton’s Chocolate Labrador Retriever

In 1991, two years prior to the Clintons moving into the White House, Democratic president Bill Clinton had a white and black cat named Socks. During Clinton’s first term, Socks became a famous fixture at the White House, especially during press conferences when reporters seduced him with catnip.

Yet, when the Clintons’ daughter, Chelsea, left for college in 97, First Lady Hillary Clinton decided to bring home a chocolate Lab named Buddy. President Clinton later joked that he’d had a more effortless time running negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis than he’d had to try to make peace between his two pets.

Hillary later wrote a children’s book about her popular pets, “Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets,” including dozens of letters from kids to the beloved presidential dogs. The proceeds from this book were donated to the National Park Foundation.

Major: Joe Biden’s German Shepherd

Bo Obama wasn’t the only new pup wandering the halls of the White House in 2009. A German Shepherd named Champ Biden was also a newcomer shortly after Biden assumed the vice presidency. Sadly, this beloved presidential dog died in July 2021 at age 13.

Three days before Biden’s 2021 inauguration, the Delaware Humane Society hosted a virtual fundraising event, dubbed the “indoguration,” for the new president’s adoption of a German shepherd, Major.

The animal rescue’s goal was to raise $10,000, but after Josh Groban performed a song and Today correspondent Jill Martin emceed, over $200,000 was raised, and Major was set to head to his new home in the Oval Office.

But things didn’t go as planned, as this beloved presidential dog became known for jumping and charging at security and staff. In fact, he was involved in two biting incidents.

After going through more extensive training, Major is now living with a family friend in a quieter and less stressful environment than the one he had on Pennsylvania Avenue. Although, the Bidens added a new German Shepherd, Commander, to their clan.

Lucky and Rex: Ronald Reagan’s Dogs

During his time in office, between 1981 and 1989, 40th US President Ronald Reagan enjoyed the company of two beloved presidential dogs, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Rex and a Bouvier des Flandres named Lucky. Lucky was given to the president as a gift by a 6-year-old March of Dimes poster child.

On the other hand, Rex was given as a Christmas gift to First Lady Nancy by her husband. Rex moved into the White House after Lucky had grown too big and had been relocated. And Rex was sadly euthanized after suffering from mitral valve disease when he was 13 years old.

Bonus: Here are some other pets that lived in the White House!

-William Taft: Taft had three pets in the White House. Yet, two of them were pretty interesting animals to have as pets. They had a small, white dog named Caruso. Taft’s daughter got the dog as a gift from Enrico Cariso, the famed opera singer. The family also had two cows: Pauline Wayne and Mooly Wooly.

-Jimmy Carter: Carter had three pets during his term, but that didn’t last long. Grits, a border collie mix, was a present for his daughter, who had to be returned shortly after they moved in because of poor behavior. President Carter’s daughter also had a Siamese cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang. And it’s reported that he also had an Afghan hound named Lewis Brown.

-Woodrow Wilson: Wilson kept many animals in the White House and on its grounds during his term. He’s famously known for bringing sheep, a whopping 48 of them at one point! They were used to trim the White House lawn during the war. But he owned other pets as well, like Bruce the bull terrier, Davie the Airedale terrier, and Puffins, the cat. He also kept songbirds around and Old Ike, a ram, to lead the flock of sheep he had munching on the grassy lawn.

Takeaway

These beloved presidential dogs weren’t just pets. They were symbols of leadership, companions, and sometimes even political assets. Their presence in the White House added personality and warmth to some of history’s most powerful figures, proving that even presidents need a loyal buddy by their side.

Which beloved presidential dog on this list was your favorite? Let me know in the comments!
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