Courtesy of Time Magazine
32 of 43 U.S. Presidents have had a dog while in office, and several have clearly influenced their owners’ careers. As man’s best friend, it seems only fitting to honor these important and faithful companions with their own day in history.
George Washington and the American Foxhound. America’s first President was not only the father of his country but also the father of the American foxhound.
Warren G. Harding & Laddie Boy The 29th President not only gave his Airedale Terrier a hand-carved cabinet chair to sit in on high-level meetings, but also threw a birthday at the White House inviting all the neighborhood dogs, where they dined on dog biscuit birthday cake.
Many believe it was Herbert Hoover’s German Shepherd King Tut who sealed the president’s landslide win in 1928. Hoover strategically sent autographed images of himself and King Tut to thousands of voters in an effort to win over their hearts.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish Terrier Fala was well known for following the president everywhere he went and quickly became a part of Roosevelt’s public image. Fala went on to receive so many fan letters from the American public that he was eventually assigned his very own press secretary.
Gerald Ford & Liberty It is said that President Ford had a special signal he used to get his golden retriever to wag his tail when he wanted to cut short meetings in the Oval Office.
When Richard Nixon was accused of using campaign contributions for personal use, he delivered a speech that tugged at the heartstrings of the American people. He admitted to keeping a gift for personal use – a dog his little girls named Checkers. The public was warmed by the Vice President’s story and immediately began calling in to pledge their support for him.
Rex the Cavalier in the White House Wikipedia
There was even a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the White House. Rex was owned by the Reagan’s. This is a picture of his lounging on a couch in the White House.
