31 photos of the most adorable dogs to live in the White House

Sat, 02/18/2023 - 11:09

President Joe Biden pets Champ in the Oval Office in February 2021. — President Joe Biden pets the Biden family dog Champ in the Oval Office in February 2021.
White House/Adam Schultz

Dogs are the most popular presidential pets.
The Obamas had two Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny.
The Bidens adopted a puppy, Commander. Their dog Champ died in 2021, and Major was rehomed.

Grover Cleveland's cocker spaniel named Gallagher had a brown coat and ears of "inconvenient length."

Grover Cleveland with his dog Gallagher.
AP

New York Times reporter Gray Gables wrote of Gallagher and Cleveland's other dog Millie, "Both animals take great liberties with Mr. Cleveland when he is accessible to them and when not otherwise employed, are rolling each other about on the lawn."

Warren Harding's terrier, named Laddie Boy, was 6 months old when he moved into the White House.

Laddie Boy, President Warren G. Harding's terrier.
AP

Laddie Boy learned to deliver the newspaper to the president's breakfast table every morning.

Calvin Coolidge's collie Rob Roy was named after the popular cocktail.

President Calvin Coolidge stands outdoors with his wife Grace, their two sons, and their pet white collie Rob Roy in the 1920s.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Coolidge was quoted as saying, "Any man who does not like dogs and want them about does not deserve to be in the White House."

Herbert Hoover had a Belgian shepherd named King Tut, who would patrol the gates of the White House on a nightly basis.

President Herbert Hoover and first lady Lou Henry Hoover with their dog King Tut. — President Herbert Hoover and first lady Lou Henry Hoover actually had several dogs, but King Tut was the most famous.
AP

He also helped Hoover get elected by appearing in a campaign photo to help the candidate appear more approachable.

Franklin Roosevelt's German shepherd, Major, used to chase the White House maids around.

Franklin D. Roosevelt with pet dog, Major, a German shepherd.
AP

A former police dog, Major caused an international incident in 1933 when he attacked the visiting British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and nearly ripped his pants.

FDR also had a Scottish terrier named Fala that would often accompany the president on his travels.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt lifts his dog Fala as he prepares to motor from his special train to the Yacht Potomac at New London, Connecticut.
AP

Roosevelt received Fala as an early Christmas present in 1940.

Harry Truman gave away his dog, a cocker spaniel named Feller, to a family physician because he was not a dog lover.

President Harry Truman's dog Feller arrives at the White House in 1947. — Feller arrives at the White House in 1947.
White House Photo

Feller was sent to Truman by a supporter.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gave John F. Kennedy a dog named Pushinka as a gift.

John F. Kennedy's dog Pushinka on the White House Lawn — Pushinka on the White House lawn in August 1963.
AP

Pushinka's mother was one of the first dogs to fly into and return from space.

Other than Pushinka, JFK had eight dogs, including his German shepherd named Clipper.

President John F. Kennedy's dogs. — Clipper supervises as eight of the nine dogs of President John F. Kennedy's household pose for impromptu press conference at Squaw Island, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, in 1963.
AP

The Kennedys also had horses, hamsters, parakeets, a canary, a cat, and a rabbit.

Two of Lyndon B. Johnson's beagles, Him and Her, were frequently on the receiving end of the president pulling their long ears.

President Lyndon B. Johnson holds his dog Her by the ears.
AP

The dogs became national celebrities thanks to a spread in Life magazine in 1964.

One of Johnson's beagles named Kimberly was given to his daughter Luci.

Lyndon B. Johnson's beagle Kimberly sticks his head out a car window. — Kimberly sticks his head through a partially-opened window of an automobile in 1966.
AP

Kim was born when Him was bred with another beagle in 1965.

Luci also got another one of his beagles named Freckles.

President Lyndon Johnson poses with his dog Freckles in 1966. — President Lyndon Johnson poses with Freckles in 1966.
AP

Freckles was from the same litter as Kim.

LBJ found his fifth dog, a terrier mix named Yuki, at a Texas gas station on Thanksgiving in 1966.

President Lyndon Johnson trots after his dog Yuki on an airplane tarmac in 1968. — President Lyndon Johnson trots after Yuki in 1968.
AP

Yuki accompanied Johnson to Cabinet meetings and the Oval Office.

Richard Nixon's three dogs were an Irish setter named King Timahoe, a poodle named Vicki, and a terrier named Pasha.

Richard Nixon's three dogs pose on a set of steps in 1972. — Richard Nixon's three dogs in Washington in 1972.
AP

Nixon's well-known dog Checkers of "Checkers speech" fame never actually lived in the White House.

Gerald Ford and his daughter Susan had a golden retriever named Liberty.

President Gerald Ford and his daughter Susan with their golden retriever Liberty on the South Lawn of the White House in 1974. — President Gerald Ford and his daughter Susan with Liberty on the South Lawn of the White House in 1974.
AP

Susan got Liberty as a surprise for her father when she was a puppy. Years later, Liberty had nine puppies of her own.

Jimmy Carter had a border collie mix named Grits that was born on the same day Carter was elected president.

President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter play with their dog Grits in 1978.
AP

Grits was a gift from his daughter Amy's teacher.

Ronald Reagan had two White House dogs. The one seen here was a Bouvier des Flandres named Lucky that Nancy Reagan received as a gift in 1984.

President Ronald Reagan is pulled along by his pet dog Lucky in 1985.
AP

Lucky never fully adjusted to life in the White House, so the Reagans sent her back to their California ranch in 1985.

Reagan's other dog in the White House was a Charles spaniel named Rex.

President Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan walk with their dog Rex in 1986.
AP

Rex was a gift from conservative writer and commentator William F. Buckley.

George H.W. Bush had two springer spaniels, Millie and Ranger.

President George Bush with his dogs, Millie and Ranger, in 1991. — President George Bush with his dogs Millie and Ranger in 1991.
AP

Millie was the star of the book "Millie's Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush" in 1992.

Bill Clinton named his chocolate Labrador retriever Buddy after his great-uncle.

President Bill Clinton is greeted by his dog Buddy in 1998.
AP

Buddy became best friends with the Clintons' cat, Socks.

George W. Bush and his first dog in the White House, an English springer spaniel named Spot, was one of Millie's puppies.

President George W. Bush waves as he walks toward the Oval Office with his dog Spot in 2002.
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Spot was known as a friendly, obedient dog that would accompany Bush to meetings.

Bush also had two Scottish terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley, who were separated in age by four years.

President George W. Bush waves as he arrives on the South Lawn of the White House with his dogs, Barney and Miss Beazley, in 2006.
Evan Sisley-Pool/Getty Images

Barney died of lymphoma in 2013.

The Obamas had two famous Portuguese water dogs named Bo and Sunny.

The Obamas with Bo and Sunny in the Rose Garden of the White House in 2015.
AP

Bo was a gift for Sasha and Malia Obama after their father won the presidency.

Bo and Sunny were so popular that they apparently had official White House schedules for all of their appearances.

President Barack Obama pets his dog Bo in the Oval Office. — President Barack Obama and Bo in the Oval Office.
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

"I get a memo at the beginning of the month with a request for their schedules, and I have to approve their appearances," first lady Michelle Obama told PBS in 2016.

The Obama family announced Bo's death from cancer in May 2021.

President Barack Obama runs down the East Colonnade with Bo in 2009.
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

"Today our family lost a true friend and loyal companion," President Barack Obama wrote on Twitter. "For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives — happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between."

As second lady, Jill Biden created the Family Heritage Garden at the vice president's residence that also includes family pets.

The garden memorializes all past residents of Number One Observatory Circle and their dogs.

As the first family, the Bidens adopted Major in November 2018, and he joined Champ as the family's second German shepherd.

President Joe Biden plays with the Biden family dogs Champ and Major in 2021.
Courtesy Photo by Ana Isabel Martinez Chamorro

Major was the last rank Biden's son Beau held in the US Army JAG Corps before he died from a brain tumor in 2015.

Major became the first shelter dog to live in the White House, but he was rehomed with a family friend after he had trouble adjusting.

Joe Biden with his dog Major at the Delaware Humane Association. — Joe Biden with Major.
Delaware Humane Association/Facebook

Major had some trouble adjusting to life in the White House, biting a Secret Service member and a National Park Service employee in two separate incidents. The first family has since decided to rehome him.

"After consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviorists, and veterinarians, the First Family has decided … it would be safest for Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends," Jill Biden's spokesman Michael LaRosa told The New York Times' Katie Rogers in December 2021. "This is not in reaction to any new or specific incident, but rather a decision reached after several months of deliberation as a family and discussions with experts."

Champ died in June 2021 at the age of 13.

"He was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family," Biden and first lady Jill wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

The Bidens welcomed a new German shepherd puppy, Commander, in December 2021.

Joe Biden and Jill Biden pet their new dog Commander — The Bidens' new puppy, Commander.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Commander helped thank service members around the world and wish them a merry Christmas at a White House event with the president and first lady.

He made his TV debut on Super Bowl Sunday — the day before Valentine's Day — in 2021 during an appearance at "Puppy Bowl XVIII" with the first lady.

"What's so wonderful about having pets is they bring us unconditional love, joy and comfort every day," she said in a video shared before the event. "All of us are wishing you a very happy Valentine's Day."

Biden posed with Commander in the White House Rose Garden in honor of National Pet Day in April 2022.

Joe Biden sits on the White House steps with his dog, Commander — President Joe Biden with Commander in April 2022.
Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz

"Commander settled right in at the White House," Biden captioned a portrait posted to Instagram in collaboration with The Dogist to celebrate National Pet Day. "It helps that he thinks he runs the place."

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31 photos of the most adorable dogs to live in the White House