‘House’ trained
A look at some of the animals who have lived in the White House.
While Presidents Day is a time to reflect on the nation’s leaders over the past 229 years, it’s also an opportunity to recall the hundreds of animals that have shared lodgings with most of the 45 U.S. presidents. And in some cases, these unelected residents tracking through 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. were probably viewed by the American public with greater affection than their elected masters.
George Washington began the presidential pet parade in 1789 by bringing dogs, horses and his parrot, Polly, to the first administration. Washington was devoted to his animals, especially his horses. His favorite was Nelson, the mount he rode when accepting Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown — the 1781 battle that ended the Revolutionary War. Since White House construction remained incomplete during his tenure, the president and his animals resided at Mount Vernon, Washington’s Virginia estate. Among the numerous dogs owned by Washington were a pair of hounds named Drunkard and Tipsy, suggesting that riding horses wasn’t the president’s only pleasure.
John Adams took up residence in the newly built White House toward the end of his presidency in 1800. He shared the new presidential residence with a few dogs and horses and constructed the first White House stables. But Adams barely had time to settle into his new home when he was defeated by Thomas
Jefferson later in the year. Jefferson was known for his eccentricities, such as wearing slippers during important meetings. Even more distracting to visitors was Dick the mockingbird, often perched upon a presidential shoulder as he wandered the hallowed halls. The president, like many who would follow him, was the recipient of animals as gifts. When Lewis and Clark visited after their travels out West, the explorers deposited a pair of bear cubs on Jefferson’s doorstep. However, the animals soon outgrew their welcome — and cage — and were transferred to the Washington Zoo.
Jefferson was replaced by the shy and reserved James
Madison, accompanied to the White House by his vivacious wife, Dolley. An outgoing and charming first lady, she quickly became the focus of Washington social events, appearing lavishly attired and often seen in her trademark feathered turban. But Dolley wasn’t the only chatty White House resident flaunting plumage during the Madison administration. She had to compete with Polly the parrot for Madison’s attention.
Proving that early presidents had little imagination for naming feathered pets, Andrew Jackson’s parrot was called Poll, which, like its master, developed an earthy vocabulary. After Jackson died, it’s said that Poll was placed in the room with Jackson’s body before interment, but the bird let loose such obscenities it had to be removed. Whether that story is true or not, Andy would have loved it.
The early White House was also home to some sturdier animal guests. It is said that elephants were presented to
James Buchanan from the King of Siam (now Thailand), which Buchanan gave to a zoo.
Animals were frequent visitors to the Abraham Lincoln White House. The president’s young sons, Tad and Willie, were permitted many pets, including rabbits, turkeys, horses and goats. One animal Abe welcomed was Jack the turkey, destined for a dinner appointment with the family during the holiday season in 1863. When little Tad became attached to the bird, he was granted the first
unofficial presidential poultry “pardon.” However, the first president to actually declare a formal public turkey reprieve was George H.W. Bush, in 1989, a White House Thanksgiving tradition that continues today. Teddy Roosevelt and Calvin Coolidge took White House petkeeping to the extreme. Their menageries included badgers, lizards, snakes, bears, lions, and a hyena, zebra, bobcat and pygmy hippo. In the modern era, however, dogs (and some cats) have been popular with most presidents.
Franklin Roosevelt was devoted to his Scottish terrier, Fala, who accompanied the president on his plane, ship and train travels, and lived 12 years (194052) — the same length of time Roosevelt served as president (1933-45). The two are immortalized side-by-side in bronze at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Pets were a common sight in the John F. Kennedy White House, including several horses and ponies (Macaroni) and many dogs. Several animals were named after prominent people, including a French poodle, Gaullie, and a rabbit named Zsa Zsa.
Lyndon Johnson was a beagle man, and he had several. The Johnson family also adopted Yuki, a mutt the president’s daughter found wandering at a Texas gas station on Thanksgiving Day, 1966. Accompanied by President Johnson, Yuki was famous for “singing” (aka howling) for White House guests, and few visitors were spared the Yuki-Johnson duets.
Richard Nixon probably had the most famous political pooch in modern times. As the Republican nominee for vice president in 1952, Nixon addressed the nation on television to deny charges he had used money from a slush fund to pay for private expenses. Nixon did admit his intention to keep one gift — a cocker spaniel named Checkers given to his 6-yearold daughter. Nixon successfully used his child’s pet dog to dig himself out of the financial scandal. But halfway through his second term, Nixon dug himself a hole so deep with the infamous Watergate scandal, a whole kennel of pound puppies couldn’t help him climb out. He was forced to resign, turning over the White House keys to Vice President Gerald Ford.
Ford assumed both the presidency and vice presidency (when Spiro Agnew resigned) without ever being elected. He loved to play golf and would hit eagles and birdies, as well as the occasional human spectator
beaned by his errant strokes. Other unfortunate incidents of the president tripping in public were broadcast on television, earning him the unjustified reputation as being clumsy. Nevertheless, Ford’s pets — a dog and cat — probably gave their master a wide berth.
Ronald Reagan brought to the White House his big-screen charisma, homespun charm and a couple of dogs. One, a King Charles spaniel called Rex, was noted for tugging hard on his leash and occasionally dragging the president from questioning reporters on the White House grounds.
George H.W. Bush’s spaniel Millie, with a little grammatical assistance from Mrs. Bush, published a book about life in the White House. But even with Millie as his speechwriter, Bush failed to convince the American public that he deserved a second term, and in 1992 Bill Clinton brought the 12-year Republican presidential era to an end. The youthful president had a chocolate Labrador retriever, Buddy, and Socks the cat.
Television broadcasts frequently showed George W. Bush emerging from Marine One and walking briskly toward the Oval Office where his family and staff would welcome his return. And occasionally, a panting figure could be seen bounding across the White House lawn to warmly greet his master with a look of unconditional loyalty: The president’s energetic black Scottish terrier, Barney.
When the Bush era ended and Barney moved out, there was much interest in his fourlegged replacement. President
Barack Obama’s family eventually settled on a cute black-andwhite hypoallergenic Portuguese water dog named Bo (later joined by Sunny, another dog of the same breed).
During the most recent election season, 17 conservative candidates ran for the 2016 GOP presidential primary. And after two terms of Democratic first pets, it was quite obvious some eager Republican pups were just itching to leave their mark on the Oval Office.
As the eventual victor, however, Donald Trump has yet to select a presidential pet for the White House.