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Meet the Presidential Pets Through the Years

Meet the Presidential Pets Through the Years

You know what they say: “Behind every successful leader is a pet who helped keep them company.” (At least, we’re pretty sure someone has probably said that.) Of the 46 American presidents, quite a few brought their furry, feathered or scaled family members along for the ride. President Joe Biden’s German Shepherds, Champ and Major, were most recently “indogurated” into the White House, and Major is our nation’s very first adopted shelter dog. Vice President Kamala Harris has indicated that she might be welcoming a furry friend, as well. 

Below are some other, awesome presidential pet facts you might not have known.

Dogs who have called the White House home

Dogs have been the most popular pet for presidents and their families, with 31 presidents bringing their pups into the political spotlight. In fact, the very first presidential dogs came along with our very first president. George Washington never occupied the White House, so neither did his dogs, but according to records, dogs representing almost every group recognized by the American Kennel Club today, once lived at Mount Vernon, Washington’s estate. As a devoted fox hunter, Washington’s hounds—including Vulcan, Searcher, Tipler and Captain, among others—were likely among his most beloved. Some other famous canine White House dwellers have included:

  • Bo and Sunny: Barack Obama’s Portuguese Water Dogs
  • Spotty, Barney and Miss Beazley: George W. Bush’s English Springer Spaniel and Scottish Terriers, respectively
  • Skip: Theodore Roosevelt’s terrier mix
  •  Rob Roy and Prudence Prim: Calvin Coolidge’s white Collies
  • King Tut: Herbert Hoover’s Belgian Malinois
  • Liberty: Gerald Ford’s Golden Retriever
  • Rex: Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s King Charles Spaniel

A White House built for a menagerie

While dogs have been popular presidential companions, they aren’t the only pets to have lived in the White House with their famous parents. In fact, quite a few eccentric pets have resided within those famous walls. One of the most interesting was Rebecca, a raccoon belonging to Calvin Coolidge, who reportedly enjoyed going on leashed walks. There was also Herbert Hoover’s opossum, Woodrow Wilson’s sheep and, briefly, even a pair of tiger cubs, gifted to Martin Van Buren by the Sultan of Oman (they eventually were sent to live at a zoo). Perhaps no one left quite the exotic animal impression on the White House than Theodore Roosevelt and his children. Besides their dogs, the Roosevelt family also had snakes, a rabbit, kangaroo rats, a flying squirrel, cats, a badger, birds, a zebra and guinea pigs, among others. However, the shock that some people received from the alligator living in a White House bathroom with John Quincy Adams was likely unrivaled!

Pets in Politics Stories

With a history as long as the presidency, there are bound to be some interesting presidential stories. When the following presidents thought about making news, however, they probably didn’t consider that their animals would have anything to do with it. Some of the more  fascinating stories from presidential pet history, according to The White House Historical Association, include:

  • Fala, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s black Scottie, was the subject of two MGM films. He became so popular, in fact, that he could no longer await Roosevelt’s return in public, since it became a security concern.
  • Pushinka, a canine gift for first lady Jaqueline Kennedy from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, was the daughter of the first Russian dog in space.
  • Yiki, Lyndon Johnson’s pup, went from abandoned stray to White House pet when he was found at a Texas gas station by first daughter Luci.
  • Millie, George H.W. Bush’s Springer Spaniel, gave birth to six puppies while in the White House. Millie and her puppies, along with Barbara Bush, even made the cover of Life magazine, while “Millie’s Book,” a bestseller dictated by Barbara Bush, earned almost $900,000 in royalties.

For more interesting presidential pet facts, take a look at the infographic below.

With all that room to roam and explore, it’s easy to see how pets could like living in the White House. For all the entertainment they provided—often at times when the country desperately needed some brevity — we are forever grateful to these, and all, presidential pets.

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