15 of Our Favorite Presidential Dogs Throughout History

Many dogs have called the White House home. It’s funny to think about the highly classified conversations that could have happened while the President’s dog took a nap in the Oval Office.

The presidential family’s pets often become just as popular as the president himself. You can judge the president, but their furry friends deserve all the love. These are a collection of the best boys and girls who have called the White House home.

1. Laddie Boy — Warren G. Harding

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President Harding believed his dog made him more likable to his voters, so he made his pup as visible as possible. His Airedale terrier, Laddie Boy, has been called the White House’s “first celebrity dog.”

The pup was given his own chair to partake in cabinet meetings, gave fake interviews to the press, and had a birthday party held in his honor every year.

2. Fala — Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt was known to travel everywhere with his Scottish terrier, Fala. Fala was well-trained and knew many tricks. Fala got FDR in hot water when he was accused of sending a U.S. Navy ship to pick up the dog after being allegedly left behind in the Aleutian Islands. FDR rebuked the claim and jokingly said Fala was “deeply offended.”

Fala is forever memorialized in a statue next to FDR’s memorial in Washington, D.C., and is the only dog to have such an honor.

3. Ranger — George H.W. Bush

George H.W. Bush’s cocker spaniel, Ranger, was so friendly that First Lady Barbara Bush had to alert visitors and staff to avoid giving him treats. Ranger had a sister named Millie, but the President was much more fond of Ranger.

When one naive reporter addressed Ranger as Millie, Bush quickly had his buddy’s back. He supposedly said, “The other day, our dog Ranger appeared at a press conference, and he was called Millie. He’s a strong male dog here, as you can see, and his feelings were slightly hurt.”

4. King Tut — Herbert Hoover

President Hoover claimed his beloved Belgian shepherd, King Tut, helped him win his presidency. Hoover was never known for his charm or charisma, but when The New York Times published a picture of him and Tut, his public persona changed for the better.

Maybe Americans thought they were voting for the cute pup? Either way, it worked, and King Tut is credited with being one of the best public image consultants of all time.

5. Checkers — Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon knew what he was doing when he introduced the world to his cocker spaniel, Checkers. In his famous “Checkers speech,” then-Senator Nixon told the American public all about his furry friend while dodging serious political questions regarding allegations against him.

Nixon’s presidency ended with his resignation over the Watergate scandal, but he will be remembered for Checkers, too.

6. Pete — Theodore Roosevelt

President Teddy Roosevelt was known to have many pets, but his bull terrier, Pete, was by far the most famous. Although Pete was known to nip at people’s ankles, Teddy described him as “ridiculously affectionate.”

Eventually, even the president couldn’t hide the mischievous pup’s behavior. After he chased a French ambassador up a tree in 1907, the Roosevelts sent him away to live with a friend. It is reported that once the small hubbub died, Teddy brought Pete back to live with the Roosevelts at their family home.

7. Rob Roy — Calvin Coolidge

Although the Coolidges had many pets, including a donkey and a raccoon, their favorite was their white collie, Rob Roy. Rob Roy was the first dog to be included in an official First Family portrait.

Coolidge described the collie as “a stately gentleman of great courage and fidelity.” He was known to hang out with the President in the Oval Office, walk with Mrs. Coolidge as she shopped, and he slept in their bedroom. It sounds like Rob Roy was one of the very best boys.

8. Pushinka — John F. Kennedy

Pushinka lived quite a life. Her mother was the first dog to fly into space; she was accused of being a puppy spy in Russia and then helped save the world from nuclear destruction.

President Kennedy and Khrushchev exchanged many letters and gifts, including Pushnika, a small mixed-breed puppy. Pushnika had to be examined for Russian listening devices before she could settle into her new home at the White House. Many historians believe the Russian leader’s gift of a puppy helped ease tensions during the Cold War.

9. Lucky — Ronald Reagan

The Reagans named their dog, a Bouvier des Flandres, “Lucky,” after Mrs. Reagan’s mother, Edith Luckett Davis. The massive 100-pound pup had too much energy for the White House, and the President relocated him to the Reagan ranch in California. They visited him regularly until Reagan left office.

Lucky is also said to be the inspiration for the Presidential Pet Museum, which opened in 1999. His personal dog groomer went on to be the museum’s curator.

10. Buddy — Bill Clinton

President Bill Clinton named his chocolate labrador, Buddy, after his late great uncle Henry “Buddy” Grisham. After Buddy arrived at the White House, fan clubs for the cute pup popped up online with galleries of Buddy enjoying his time in office.

Buddy had another famous sibling. Buddy lived with Socks, the Clinton’s cat. First Lady Hillary Clinton went on to write a book entitled Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets.

11. Bo — Barack Obama

When Barack Obama started his presidential bid, he promised his two daughters, Malia and Sasha, that if he won the election, they would get a puppy. Of course, he won, and in 2008, the Obama family adopted Bo, a Portuguese water dog.

Bo became so popular online that he was the model for plush toys, books were written about him, and drew large crowds of kids when he accompanied Michelle Obama on her children’s book readings.

12. Champ & Major — Joe Biden

Imagine going from a cold, cramped animal shelter in Delaware to the luxury of the Oval Office. That’s precisely what Major did when he became the first shelter dog to move into the White House.

Together, Major and Champ, two German shepherds, got their own social media accounts when Biden was running for President. They are also lucky enough to have a children’s book written about their adventures roaming the halls of the White House.

13. Barney — George W. Bush

In 2000, George W. Bush was gifted a Scottish Terrier puppy he named Barney. Barney enjoyed his stay at the White House and was even the star of his own reality show. The little guy had a webcam that showed him exploring his home. He was an instant star across the country.

Known as Barney Cam, or Barney Reloaded, it became a Christmas tradition to let him roam around showing off the President’s Christmas decorations.

14. Yuki — Lyndon B. Johnson

President Johnson had a few dogs during his presidency. He had two beagles named Him and Her, and he took heat from animal activists for picking them up by the ears, an act that was most likely blown out of proportion.

Still, he loved his dog, Yuki, the most. Yuki was an abandoned stray his daughter found at a Texas gas station. There’s a now iconic photo of the President and Yuki singing together in the Oval Office.

15. Fido — Abraham Lincoln

Have you ever wondered why Fido is such a common dog’s name? Thank the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, for coining the popular dog name for his mixed breed pup.

Fido loved his relaxed life before Lincoln moved into the White House. Unfortunately, he didn’t adapt well to travel and the many visitors to his new home. Eventually, Abe let him go live with a friend, but it was with stipulations. Fido was to live inside and allowed to sleep on the couch. What a lucky, spoiled boy.