Yes, it’s true there is a Dog in Politics Day. Now many think this simply confirms that most politicians are dogs – but we know that you can’t go around insulting dogs that way! Turns out that this holiday stems from the famous 1952 “Checkers” speech when then candidate for Vice President Richard Nixon introduced the country to his daughters’ new dog, a Cocker Spaniel named Checkers (oh, and tried to explain what happened to an $18,000 campaign contribution). But just knowing there was a Dog and Politics Day got us thinking about all the other dogs who lived in the White House so here’s the list (James Buchanan, Ulysses Grant and Rutherford Hayes have moved up on Mark’s favorite presidents list):
George Washington: Sweet Lips, Scentwell and Vulcan (American Staghounds) and Drunkard, Taster, Tipler and
Tipsy (Black and Tan Coonhounds)
John Adams: Juno, Mark and Satan (unknown)
Thomas Jefferson: Buzzy and unknown (Briards)
James Monroe: unknown (Spaniel) and Sebastian (Siberian Husky)
John Tyler: LeBeau (Italian Greyhound)
Franklin Pierce: 7 Miniature Oriental Dogs
James Buchanan: Lara (Newfoundland) and Punch (Toy Terrier)
Abraham Lincoln: Fido and Jip (unknown)
Ulysses Grant: Faithful (Newfoundland) and Rosie (unknown)
Rutherford B Hayes: Dot (Cocker Spaniel), Hector (Newfoundland), Duke (English
Mastiff), Grim (Greyhound), Otis (Miniature Schnauzer), Juno and Shep (hunting dogs) and Jet (unknown)
James Garfield: Veto (unknown)
Grover Cleveland: Hector (Japanese Poodle)
Benjamin Harrison: Dash (Collie)
Theodore Roosevelt: Pete Bull Terrier), Skip (Rat Terrier),Jack and Peter (terriers), Blackjack (Manchester Terrier), Manchu (Pekingese), Rollo (St. Bernard), Sailor Boy (Chesapeake Bay Retriever) and Gem (unknown)
William Howard Taft: Caruso (unknown)
Woodrow Wilson: Davie (Airedale),Mountain Boy (Greyhound) and Bruce (Bull Terrier)
Warren Harding: Laddie Boy (Airedale) and Old Boy(Bulldog)
Calvin Coolidge: Rob Roy and Prudence Prim (white Collies), Peter Pan (terrier), Paul Pry (Airedale), Calamity Jane (Shetland Sheepdog), Tiny Tim and Blackberry (Chow Chows), Ruby Rouch (Collie), Boston Beans (Bulldog), King Cole (German Shepherd), Palo Alto (bird dog) and Bessie (Collie)
Herbert Hoover: King Tut (Belgian Shepherd), Pat (German Shepherd), Big Ben and Sonnie (Fox Terriers), Glen (Scotch Collie), Yukoman (Eskimo dog), Patrick (Irish Wolfhound), Eaglehurst Gillette (Setter), and Weejie (Norwegian Elkhound)
Franklin Roosevelt: Fala (Scottish Terrier), Majora (German Shepherd), Meggie (Scottish Terrier), Winks (Llewellyn Setter), Tiny (Old English Sheepdog), President (Great Dane), and Blaze (Bull Mastiff)
Harry Truman: Feller (Cocker Spaniel) and Mike (Irish Setter)
Dwight Eisenhower: Heidi Weimaraner
John Kennedy: Gaullie (French Poodle), Charlie (Welsh Terrier), Pushinka (Soviet Space mutt), Shannon (Irish Cocker Spaniel), Wolf (unknown), Clipper (German Shepherd), and Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie and Streaker (Offspring of Pushinka and Charlie)
Lyndon Johnson: Him, Her, Edgar and Freckles (Beagles), Blanco (White Collie) and Yuki (mutt)
Richard Nixon: Vicki (poodle), Pasha (terrier), and King Timahoe (Irish Setter). Checkers died before he was in office.
Gerald Ford: Liberty and Misty (Golden Retrievers)
Jimmy Carter: Grits (Border Collie) and Lewis Brown (Afghan)
Ronald Reagan: Lucky (Bouvier), Rex (Cavalier King Charles), Victory (Golden Retriever), Peggy (unknown), Taca (Siberian Husky) and Fuzzy (Belgian Sheepdog)
George H W Bush: Millie and Ranger (Springer Spaniels)
William Clinton Buddy (Chocolate Lab) and Spotty Fletcher (English Springer Spaniel)
George W Bush: Barney and Miss Beazley (Scottish Terriers)
Barack Obama: Bo (Portuguese Water Dog)
Thanks for reading!