7 FAMOUS PRESIDENTIAL PETS
7 Famous Presidential Pets – Americans absolutely adore their pets. In fact, 67 percent of households in this country own a pet. This means that 85 million families have a pet. Throughout the years, there have been several pets in the most famous household of all: The Whitehouse. Some past presidents had numerous pets. President Theodore Roosevelt had six dogs, along with 22 species of other pets including a lion and a badger. Some pets became beloved by the entire country.
Here are 7 of those famous presidential pets.
1. Yuki Johnson
Yuki was a mixed-breed dog known for her singing. President Lyndon B. Johnson owned the dog. President Johnson did everything with his dog. They swam together, slept together, and even danced together at his daughter’s wedding. The President even wanted the dog in his daughter’s wedding pictures. Lady Bird Johnson had to talk him out of it.
2. Gaullie Kennedy
Gaullie was the beloved French poodle owned by First Lady Jackie Kennedy. She had owned the dog before marrying President John F. Kennedy. When he became president, her dog moved into the White House with them. The Kennedys loved animals and had many pets in the White House. These pets included a few horses, several dogs, a cat, a pair of parakeets, and a rabbit named Zsa Zsa.
3. Socks Clinton
Many presidents, including Abraham Lincoln, Rutherford Hayes, and Calvin Coolidge had cats in the White House. However, the most famous feline of all was Socks owned by Bill and Hilary Clinton. Socks moved into the White House in 1993. The cat was often seen being taken for walks on a leash.
4. Millie Bush
George and Barbara Bush’s dog Millie, may have been the most famous presidential dog. Millie was an English Springer Spaniel that even had her own memoir. The book, Millie’s Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush reached the New York Times Best Seller list in 1992. That same year, President Bush referred to Millie during his bid for re-election. Referring to Bill Clinton and Al Gore, President Bush stated, “My dog Millie knows more about foreign affairs than these two bozos.”
5. Barney Bush
The entire Bush family seemed to be dog lovers. George W. Bush was gifted a Scottish terrier named Barney soon after the 2000 presidential election. Barney even had his own website, as well as Barney Cam, which featured videos from a dog’s perspective. President Bush described Barney as a “faithful friend.” His daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, however, had her own opinion. She described the president’s faithful companion as “a jerk” and a temperamental pooch that didn’t like strangers.
6. Bo and Sunny Obama
This pair of Portuguese Waterdogs belonged to President Obama and his family. During his 2008 campaign Barak Obama had promised his daughters that whether he won or lost the election, they deserved to get a puppy. Shortly after his win, Bo joined the Obamas in the White House in 2009. In 2013, Sunny joined the famous family.
7. Pauline Wayne Taft
Until the late 19th century, it was common for presidents to keep cows at the White House. This is most likely because Washington, D.C. didn’t have any milk delivery companies. As the 27th President in 1909, Taft had brought his cow Mooly Wooly with him. When that cow died, she was replaced with Pauline Wayne. Known as the “Queen of the Capital Cows,” Pauline Wayne was a Holstein-Friesen cow from Wisconsin. She was the last cow at the White House.
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