Remember These 10 Famous Presidential Pets?

A star in his time, the charming dog we knew as Fala was a great companion to Franklin D. Roosevelt during his time in the White House.

The dark-coated Scottish Terrier arrived in 1940 as a gift for Roosevelt and reached his peak of fame thanks to the President's remembered "Fala Speech" from 1944, in which he jokingly mentioned the dog.

While we all knew him by his nickname, it is said that the pet's full name was actually "Murray the Outlaw of Falahill," in homage to a Scottish ancestor of Roosevelt.

Image: Nathália Arantes

Bo and Sunny, the Obamas' two Portuguese Water Dogs, became famous across the country and even internationally.

Bo came to the White House as a gift from JFK's younger brother, Senator Ted Kennedy, in 2009. His peculiar name was a decision by Barak's daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama, in honor of Michelle Obama's father. His presence in the media was frequent, and he even had his own web page for fans to dedicate gifts or words of affection to him. Sunny, meanwhile, came into the family 4 years later, in 2013, and became Bo's faithful companion.

And here's a fun fact: The Portuguese Water Dog breed was chosen by the Obama family because its coat is hypoallergenic, which helped prevent the allergies of their eldest daughter, Malia, from being triggered.

Image: Zé Maria

Choosing a name for your pet is no easy task. But this was not the case for Bill Clinton and his family.

Socks, adopted from a shelter in Little Rock, Arkansas, was easily recognizable by his peculiar appearance. With black fur and white paws, it was almost as if this cat's name was printed on him.

When Clinton came to the White House in 1993, Socks quickly became a star and even appeared in merchandise and toys with his face on them.

Image: jbc

But it wasn't all rosy for Socks Clinton.

When Buddy, a beautiful chocolate Labrador Retriever, arrived in the family in December 1997, Socks didn't receive him in the best way. Let's just say they got along like "cats and dogs." Fortunately, it is said that after a while, they got to know each other and got along much better.

Like his cat brother, Buddy also garnered media attention and became quite famous. As a celebrity, people would often ask for photos with him!

Image: Siep van Groningen

If we discuss true dog celebrities, we can't overlook Checkers, Richard Nixon's iconic Cocker Spaniel.

Joining the family in 1952, Checkers didn't become a "presidential pet" or reside in the White House. However, his name didn't go unnoticed during Nixon's campaign as the Republican candidate for vice president.

You probably remember the iconic "Checkers Speech" of 1952, in which Nixon mentioned Checkers in a move that mimicked Roosevelt's "Fala Speech" and ultimately contributed to Nixon's election as Vice President.

Image: Matteo Vistocco

Liberty, with her playful and friendly personality, wasthe first Golden Retriever to inhabit the White House.

Liberty came to the Ford family in 1974 when Gerald was already President of the United States. Some stories suggest that Ford had a deep connection with Liberty. It is said that Ford had a special sign that he would use with the dog, particularly when he wanted to end an awkward or heavy conversation. When Liberty received the signal, she would approach and warmly greet the guest.

Some of Liberty's most typical appearances during the Ford administration were her walks along with Susan, the youngest daughter of the Ford family.

Image: David Moynihan

Now it's the turn of Pushinka, a dog that wasn't born in America but went on to become a loved presidential pet!

But she was not just any puppy. She was the offspring of Strelka, one of the first dogs to travel into space and return safely aboard Korabl-Sputnik 2 in 1960.

After her space journey, Strelka gave birth to a litter of puppies, including one named Pushinka. In 1961, Pushinka was gifted to John F. Kennedy by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Pushinka lived happily in the White House during JFK's presidency, and she even had offspring in the halls of the Executive Mansion! What an extraordinary life for a pup, right?

Image: Berkay Gumustekin

But Pushinka was not the only pet in the Kennedy White House. Among the animals in the presidential family was Macaroni, a pony gifted to Caroline, daughter of President John F. Kennedy.

Isn't it true that almost every girl dreams of having a pony? Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, made Caroline's dream come true by giving her this cute gift in 1962.

Of course, it quickly became the little girl's favorite and was often photographed with her. Macaroni was quite a celebrity at the time, and even made the cover of Life magazine in 1963!

Image: Zosia Szopka

Even though the 90s might feel like they were just yesterday, it's been quite a while since then, and some unforgettable events took place during that decade.

For example, a presidential pet "wrote" a book. That's right! Millie's Book, published in 1990, was ghostwritten by Barbara Bush's chief of staff and tells the life in the White House from the dog’s perspective. But Millie was not only a bestselling author, she was also an honorary member of the American Kennel Club!

Millie, an English Springer Spaniel, joined the family of Barbara and George H. W. Bush in 1985 as a gift from friends. She remained with Bush until 1997, and even after her passing, some of her puppies continued to be part of the family.

Image: Rafaëlla Waasdorp

Shortly after George W. Bush was elected President of the United States in 2000, a cute Scottish Terrier named Barney came into his life.

With his playful personality, Barney stole everyone's attention during his time in the White House. He was also the star of the "Barney Cam" videos during the holiday season, in which the little dog was seen roaming around the White House and playing with family and staff members, always wearing his distinctive blue, red, and white patriotic collar. Do you remember him?

Image: paje victoria