Rci Hobby
Did you know there have been more Presidential pets in the White House than there have been Presidents? That’s right – even our nation’s leaders have four-legged family members. From Washington to Obama, from big to small, our Presidents have loved them all!
George Washington, our country’s first President, had an obvious tender side when it came to his pooches. During his lifetime, Washington kept almost every group of dog recognized today by the American Kennel Club, including Greyhounds, Newfoundlands, French hounds, various types of Spaniels and Terriers, and even a few toy breeds. He also had a sense of humor when it came to naming his canine companions. How funny must it have been to hear the President call for his hounds Sweetlips, Drunkard, Mopsey and Tipsy?
John Quincy Adams, President from 1825 – 1829, kept a most unusual pet in a White House bathroom – an alligator! The gator, given to him by French General Marquis de Lafayette, gave Adams great enjoyment as he showed it off to disbelieving White House visitors.
President Adam’s successor, Andrew Jackson, had many a four-legged friend, but his most unusual pet was an African grey parrot named Poll. A parrot as a pet may not be that unusual, but one who uses foul language is! That’s right, President Jackson’s parrot was taught to swear, and it is recorded in the annals of history that Poll made his presence known at the President’s funeral by letting “loose perfect gusts of ‘cuss words.”
Rutherford B. Hayes, our 19th President, had quite the menagerie of pets, including the first Siamese cat to come to America (according to legend, Siamese cats were regal pets owned only by Siam – now Thailand – royalty). Hayes’ other pets included eight dogs, two more cats, a goat, a Mockingbird, four canaries, numerous cows and several horses.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who resided in the White House from 1933 – 1945, kept seven dogs during his terms, but one stood out from the rest. The President’s favorite, Fala (full name Murray the Outlaw of Falahill) the Scottish Terrier, was spoiled rotten! He was served a bone every morning, brought to him on the President’s breakfast tray, slept in a special chair at the foot of the President’s bed, and travelled extensively with the President by train, car and boat. During his life, Fala met many historic figures, such as Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and could even curl his lip into a smile for them.
allsmalldogbreeds.com
Our current President, Barrack Obama, along with his wife, Michelle, and daughters Natasha and Malia, have two furry family members – Portuguese Water Dogs Bo and Sunny. Bo, the “First Dog,” is a six year old male who was given to the Presidential family as a personal gift from Senator Ted Kennedy. He was chosen in part because of daughter Malia’s allergies. Portuguese Water Dogs are a hypoallergenic breed, meaning they are single-coated with hair (not fur), and do not have an undercoat that sheds. Undercoat shedding is what triggers most pet allergies. In 2013, Bo was joined by Sunny, a female of the same breed.
Portuguese Water Dogs, native to the country Portugal, were taught to herd fish into fishermen’s nets, retrieve lost tackle and broken nets, and act as couriers from ship to ship or ship to shore. They are known for being highly intelligent, web-toed, robustly built and easily trained. On average, adult Portuguese Water Dogs measure 17 to 23 inches in height and 35 to 60 pounds. Bo and Sunny’s characteristically affectionate and obedient temperament make them a wonderful addition to the first family.
Find more information and pictures of Presidential pets by visiting PresidentialPetMuseum.com
