02/17/2020
As the famous saying goes,"If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."
We thought you would like to find out more about a few of America's Presidents and their Pets!
In 1940, FDR was given a Scottish Terrier puppy he named Murray the Outlaw of Falahill, after one of his Scottish ancestors. Known as Fala, the pooch frequently traveled with the president, attended important meetings with him and slept by his bed. He even was made an honorary Army Private as part of a fundraising effort during World War II. Fala died in 1952, seven years after his owner and was buried near the president at his estate in Hyde Park, New York.
John F. Kennedy had a menagerie in the White House that included dogs, birds, hamsters, a rabbit, a cat and a pony. In 1961, during the Cold War, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gave Kennedy Pushinka, a canine whose mother, Strelka, was one of the first dogs to be sent into space and come back alive. The gift was seen by Americans as a reminder the Soviet Union was ahead in the space race, having launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik, in 1957. The Secret Service had to check Pushinka ("fluffy" in Russian) for electronic bugs before she was allowed into the White House.
Of course we can't talk about Presidents in history if we don't address the Father of our Nation himself. But more than being the first president of the United States,
George Washington is also known as the father of the American Foxhound
since he was the one who first bread them from English Foxhounds and French Foxhounds. Washington carefully bred and maintained over 30 of his beloved hounds with names ranging from Sweet Lips to Drunkard
While Teddy Roosevelt had many dogs, his Boston Bull Terrier, Pete,
was the most troublesome. President Theodore Roosevelt loved dogs and had several
while in the White House. While there is no picture of Pete to be found, he is said to have been Roosevelt's favorite dog - despite his aggressive ways. While at the White House, Pete threatened many people, tore pants and even sunk his teeth into the flesh of a Naval officer. Pete's aggression continued to increase and one day the dog chased the French Ambassador down a corridor, caught up with him and ripped the bottom of his pants off! The French government was not happy about the incident and rather than jeopardize US relations with France, Pete was banned from the White House and sent to live at the Roosevelt family home in New York.
