Joe Biden will bring ‘first dogs’ Major and Champ, but Donald Trump was the first White House resident without a dog in 100 years – plus 8 other presidents’ pets

Nov 19 , 2020

President Barack Obama running with his dog Bo, President Bill Clinton walks his puppy Buddy at the White House, and President George W. Bush walks off Air Force One carrying the family pets Barney and Miss Beazley. Photos: Agence France-Presse/The White House, AP, Agence France-Presse

Among the many grand traditions of the White House, one of them is furry, four-legged, and has a reputation as “man’s best friend”.

Out of the USA’s 45 presidents to date, 32 of them apparently agreed on one thing – their preference of pet, each having at least one dog in the West Wing. This easily makes dogs the most popular president’s pet.

The first to have a dog during his presidency was George Washington, and the last was Barack Obama, who had two dogs. When President Donald Trump and first lady Melania moved into the White House, they became the most recent first family to not have a dog since William McKinley more than 100 years ago. But president-elect Joe Biden is poised to reset the tradition of dogs in the executive mansion.

One of Biden’s German shepherds, Major, will be making history as the first shelter dog to live in the White House. He’ll be following in the footsteps of Biden’s other dog, Champ, who spent eight years in the former vice-president’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington.

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Herbert Hoover had a Belgian shepherd named King Tut, who would patrol the gates of the White House on a nightly basis. He also helped Hoover get elected, appearing in a campaign photo.

President Herbert Hoover and first lady Lou Henry Hoover actually had several dogs, but King Tut was the most famous. Photo: Presidential Pet Museum

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

President Franklin Roosevelt with his dog Fala. Photo: AP/Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

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

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

Kennedy family dog Pushinka sitting on the South Lawn of the White House in 1961. Photo: JFK Presidential Library and Museum

Other than Pushinka, JFK had 11 dogs, including his German shepherd named Clipper.

President John F. Kennedy celebrates Christmas with his family in Palm Beach, Florida in 1962. Photo: JFK Presidential Library and Museum

Lyndon B. Johnson frequently pulled the long ears of his two beagles, Him and Her.

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President Lyndon B. Johnson lifting his dog Him by his ears. Photo: LBJ Library/Presidential Pet Museum

Two of Johnson’s other beagles, named Kim and Freckles, were given to his daughter Luci. His fifth dog, a terrier mix named Yuki, was found at a Texas gas station on Thanksgiving in 1966.

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

President Bill Clinton is followed by first lady Hillary and daughter Chelsea as he carries his new dog Buddy in 1997 during a holiday trip. Photo: AP

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

President George W. Bush led by his spaniel Spot in Texas in 2001. Photo: AP

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

President George W. Bush carrying the family pets Barney and Miss Beazley as he returns to Washington in 2006. Photo: Agence France-Presse

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

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President Barack Obama running with pet dog Bo at the White House in 2009. Photo: Agence France-Presse/The White House

They were so popular that they apparently had official White House schedules for all of their appearances. Bo often exercised and played with the president.

Visitors taking photos of the Obama family dogs Bo and Sunny during a tour of the White House in 2015. Photo: Reuters

Donald Trump bucked White House tradition when he went four years in office without a dog.

President Donald Trump said “no” to dogs. Photo: Reuters

Trump told a crowd in February 2018 that though he “wouldn't mind having one”, he doesn’t have any time, and getting a dog to improve his image would feel “a little phoney”.

When Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden was projected to win the 2020 election, dog-lovers noticed that Major would be the first shelter dog in the White House.

The Bidens adopted Major in November 2018, and he joined Champ as the family’s second German shepherd. Major was the last rank Biden’s son Beau held in the Delaware Army National Corps before he died from a brain tumour in 2015.

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The family has long been dog-lovers. When she was the second lady, Jill Biden created the Family Heritage Garden at the vice-president’s residence, which memorialises all past residents and their dogs on stone pavers.

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This article originally appeared on Business Insider.

US Politics

Barack and Michelle Obama’s dogs were so famous they had their own official schedules, while George W. Bush’s dog was the puppy of his father’s – here’s why dogs are the most popular presidential pet