Presidential Pets - 50 years of Cat and Dogs in the White House

If you thought these celebrity dogs were lucky, wait until you meet our country's presidential pets. Join us as we go back 50 years of cats, dogs, and pets of the White House.

Bo and Sunny Obama (2009-present)

President Barack Obama's dogs have lived in the White House since 2009. When President Obama was first running for president, he promised his daughters that if he won they would get a puppy. After his victory, Senator Ted Kennedy and his wife gifted Bo to the Obama girls. Then came Sunny the mystery dog. The First Family never officially confirming where they got her from, but the Obamas decided to get Sunny to be a companion to Bo.

Source: CBS News

Barney, Spot and Miss Beazley Bush (2001-2009)

Barney and Spot Bush, President George W. Bush's dogs, moved into the White House along with the Bush’s in 2001. Barney got to be quite the media star. He had his own website with a Barney Cam that featured videos from a dog’s perspective of visiting dignitaries and entertaining White House staff and celebrities. A few years later Miss Beazley, a Scottish terrier came to live at the White house as a birthday gift from President Bush to his wife. George and Laura Bush had adopted India “Willie” the cat in 1991 who also moved with them in 2001.

Source: I Love Dog

Socks and Buddy Clinton (1993-2001)

President Bill Clinton's cat Socks moved into the White House along with the Clintons in 1993. Socks, a black-and-white stray cat, quickly became a star. He was the subject of an episode of a comedy show called Murphy Brown, and he appeared on Larry King Live for an interview with Kermit the Frog. In 1997, Buddy a Labrador retriever joined the family for Clinton's second term.

Source: My Cats are Democrats

Millie and Ranger Bush (1989-1993)

President George H.W. Bush had two dogs during his presidency. First came Millie, an English Springer Spaniel, who was at some point one of the most famous presidential pets. She was a published author of Millie’s Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush, in which she described her life in the White House. Second came Ranger Millie’s puppy.

Source: Daily News

Lucky, Rex, Victory, Peggy, Taca and Fuzzy Reagan (1981-1989)

President Ronald Reagan had 6 dogs during his presidency - Lucky a Bouvier des Flandres, Rex a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Victory a golden retriever, Peggy an Irish setter, Taca a Siberian Husky, and Fuzzy a Belgian sheepdog. Even though Nancy and Ronald Reagan were animal lovers, they were dog-less when they first moved into the white house in 1981 until Kristen Ellis gave Lucky to Nancy Reagan  in 1984.

Source: Town&Country

Grits, Lewis Brown, and Misty Malarky Ying Yang Carter (1977-1981)

President Carter had 2 dogs - Grits a Border Collie and Lewis Brown an Afghan Hound. He also owned a Siamese Cat named Misty Malarkey Ying-Yang, the most famous of all because of her unique name. So unique that it inspired an instrumental composition called “Misty Malarkey Ying-Yang”.

Source: American National Government

Liberty, Misty, and Shan Ford (1974-1977)

President Gerald Ford had 2 dogs and a Siamese Cat during his presidency. Liberty a Golden Retriever and a White House Mama became a "celebrity" when President Ford decided to breed and gave birth to 9 puppies including Misty. Shan was Susan Ford's cat.

Source: Retrieverman

 Checkers, Vicky, Pasha, and King Timahoe Nixon (1969-1974)

President Richard Nixon had 3 dogs during his presidency - Vicky, Pasha, and King Timahoe. But none of these dogs were as famous as Checkers. Even though he owned Checkers before becoming president and he never lived in the White House, he was very well know as President Nixon mentioned him in a televised speech. It was the first time a politician used TV to appeal to the voters.

Source: Constitution Daily

Him and Her, Edgar and Freckles, Blanco and Yuki Johnson (1963-1969)

President Lyndon B. Johnson had 6 dogs during his presidency. Four Beagles - Him, Her, Edgar, and Freckles. He also had a collie named Blanco and a mixed-breed  named Yuki. President Johnson loved dogs so much he had the White House doghouse redesigned and enlarged.

Source: Pinterest

The Kennedy Zoo (1961-1963)

President John F. Kennedy takes the cake for owning the most pets in the White house with 10 dogs. Charlie a Welsh terrier, Gaullie a French poodle, Pushinka a mixed-breed dog (gift from Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev), Shannon a cocker spaniel, Wolf an Irish wolfhound, Clipper a German shepherd, and Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie and Streaker the puppies of Pushinka and Charlie. Kennedy also owned cats, three ponies, horses, a canary, two parakeets, a hamster, and a bunny.

Source: American Comes Alive

Who will be the next presidential pets to enter the white house? We'll find out this coming November.

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