Presidential Doggies In The White House

It's not easy being the President of the United States, and neither is it being the pet dogs of the President. We take a look at a day in the life of Bo and Sunny, President Obama's dogs, who've accompanied him in his term over the past eight years.
Pets Team 19 December 2016


(image credit: www.wikipedia.org)

President Obama's pair of Portuguese water dogs –Bo and Sunny–have been canine ambassadors for the White House for the past couple of years during their stay there. They're extremely popular and have their own schedules, just like their paw-rent.

Presidential pets are not new, and many U.S. Presidents have kept dogs as companions. Many of these furkids are no strangers to the spotlight, with George W. Bush's Scottish Terrier, Barney, even having an official web page for himself.

Seven-year-old Bo joined the Obama family in April 2009, after President Obama was questioned by reporters which breed the First family was looking to acquire. To which he replied that he had two criteria: one that the breed had to be hypoallergenic as his daughter Malia is allergic, and two, that he preferred to get a shelter dog.

However, he added that "a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me", so that would be a pressing issue in their household. In the end, Bo joined the family as a gift from the late Senator Ted Kennedy.

On the other hand, Sunny became the younger sister of Bo only in August 2013. The First family purchased her from a breeder. While relatively new, Sunny also carries out Presidential duties with Bo, making appearances at various events.


(image credit: www.reuters.com)

Some of their duties include entertaining crowds at the annual Easter Egg Roll, and cheering on wounded service members and hospitalised children when the First Lady visits them every year before Christmas. Bo has also been at Mrs Obama's side when she welcomed tourists on the anniversary of President Obama's inauguration.

In January this year, authorities even arrested a North Dakota man who said he came to Washington to kidnap one of the Presidential dogs.

However, while their schedules are slightly more packed than that of a non-presidential dog, Bo and Sunny still retain their dog-like characteristics. The Obama family promised to "clean things up a little bit" before leaving the White House next year as their dogs have been said to tear things up occasionally. In fact, Sunny sometimes sneaks out of the kitchen to poop at the other end of the White House.