United States presidential pets

United States presidents have often kept pets while in office, or pets have been part of their families.^[1] Only James K. Polk, Andrew Johnson, and Donald Trump did not have presidential pets while in office.^[2] The pets are often known as "First Pets" of the United States.

Socks at the White House Press Briefing Room lectern in 1993

Grace Coolidge with Laddie Boy, an Airedale Terrier, and Rob Roy, a white Collie

Controversy resulted from a 1964 photo of Lyndon B. Johnson pulling his dog by its ears.

List of First Pets

President	Pet(s)
George Washington	Sweetlips,[3] Scentwell and Vulcan[4] (among others)[key 1] – American Foxhounds[a] Drunkard,[3] Taster, Tipler, and Tipsy – Black and Tan Coonhounds[7] Royal Gift – Andalusian donkey,[8] a gift from King Charles III of Spain[9] Nelson (1763–1790) and Blueskin[10] – Horses;[key 2][11] Washington's wartime mounts Snipe[b] – Parrot[key 3]  Said to have been owned by First Lady Martha Washington.[13] Cornwallis,[14] named for General Cornwallis[14] – Greyhound Samson, Steady, Leonidas, Traveller, Magnolia[15] – Stallions
John Adams	Juno, Mark, and Satan[3] – Dogs[key 2] Cleopatra and Caesar[15] – Horses[key 2]
Thomas Jefferson	Dick – mockingbird;[key 3] Dick was the favorite from among at least four mockingbirds the president had while in office[16] Bergère and Grizzle – shepherd dogs from France, possibly Briards[7][17] Two grizzly bear cubs,[key 4] male & female pair, gifted from Captain Zebulon Pike; deeming them "too dangerous & troublesome for me to keep", Jefferson gave them to Charles Willson Peale for his museum in Philadelphia[18] Caractacus – horse, named after Caratacus, a 1st-century British chieftain; offspring of Jefferson's mare Allycroker and a Godolphin Arabian named Young Fearnought[19]
James Madison	Polly – Parrot, outlived both James and Dolley Madison[12]
James Monroe	Spaniel[7][key 4][key 2] – Belonged to youngest daughter, Maria Hester Monroe[20]
John Quincy Adams	Silkworms[key 1][21] – First Lady Louisa Adams spun their silk.[22][23] An alligator[15] – Said to have belonged to Marquis de Lafayette and housed for two months in the East Room,[c][d] Although this story has been widely circulated, the lack of evidence from contemporary accounts or official records suggests an apocryphal myth.[27][28]
Andrew Jackson	Polly (or "Poll") – grey parrot, learned to swear (later attended Jackson's funeral but had to be removed due to loud and persistent profanity)[12] Fighting cocks[key 4][key 1] Bolivia, Emily, Lady Nashville, Sam Patch, and Truxton – Horses[key 2] Sam Patch was named after the famous daredevil known as "The Yankee Leaper"
Martin Van Buren	Briefly owned two tiger cubs given to him by Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman before Congress forced him to donate the tigers to the zoo[23][29] This story, however, might be the result of a misunderstanding.[30]
William Henry Harrison	Sukey – Durham cow[31] Goat
John Tyler	Le Beau – Italian Greyhound[7] Johnny Ty – canary the General – Horse[key 2]
James K. Polk	None[29]
Zachary Taylor	Old Whitey – horse[key 2] Taylor's wartime mount Apollo – Pony;[key 2] formerly a "trick pony" from a circus, a present for Taylor's daughter Betty and resided in the White House stables with Old Whitey[32]
Millard Fillmore	Mason and Dixon – ponies[key 2]
Franklin Pierce	At least two[e] miniature "teacup" Japanese Chin dogs,[key 4] part of a gift exchange with Japan following the Perry Expedition[33] Two birds from Japan,[key 4][key 3] which had just opened its trading posts to the United States.
James Buchanan	Lara – Newfoundland Punch – Toy Terrier Eagle[key 4][key 3]
Abraham Lincoln	Old Bob caparisoned in a mourning blanket at Abraham Lincoln's funeral Nanny and Nanko – goats[11] Jack – Turkey,[11] intended as Christmas dinner, but Tad Lincoln intervened[34] Fido – dog,[3][7] "assassinated"[35] by a drunk with a knife, a few months after Lincoln's assassination;[36] "Fido" became a generic name for a dog because of Lincoln's famous dog[37][38] Jip – Dog[7] Tabby and Dixie – cats. Lincoln once remarked that Dixie "is smarter than my whole cabinet."[39] Horse[key 4][key 2] Rabbit[key 4][key 2] Old Bob – Horse
Andrew Johnson	None, however, Johnson fed white mice he found in his bedroom[key 4][key 1][29][40]
Ulysses S. Grant	Butcher's Boy, Cincinnati, Egypt, Jeff Davis (his wartime mount), Jennie, Julia, Mary, and St. Louis – Horses.[key 2] Grant purchased Butcher's Boy from a butcher following an impromptu race on D.C. streets where he lost to this horse pulling a butcher's cart.[41] Cincinnati was a thoroughbred of renowned racing pedigree.[42] Billy Button and Reb – Ponies[key 2] Faithful – Newfoundland[7] Rosie – Dog[key 2]
Rutherford B. Hayes	Dot – Cocker Spaniel[7] Hector – Newfoundland[7] Duke – English Mastiff[7] Grim – Greyhound[3][7] Otis – Miniature Schnauzer[7] Juno and Shep – Hunting dogs Jet – dog[key 2] Piccolomini – cat[key 2] (presumably named after the Italian general) Siam – First Siamese cat in the United States[43] Miss Pussy – Siamese cat
James A. Garfield	Kit – horse[key 2] Veto[3] – Dog[key 2]
Chester A. Arthur	Rabbit[key 4][key 2] Three horses[key 4][key 2]
Grover Cleveland	Hector – Japanese poodle[7] Mockingbirds[key 4][key 3][key 1] Three[44] Dachshunds[7]
Benjamin Harrison	Whiskers pulling a cart at the White House, with Russell Harrison and his children Dash in front of his doghouse Whiskers ("His Whiskers," or "Old Whiskers") – goat,[11][45] kept at the White House for the president's grandchildren; may have belonged to Russell Harrison[46] Dash – collie[7] Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection – opossums,[47] named from the 1896 Republican party platform,[48] which includes: "Protection and reciprocity are twin measures of Republican policy and go hand in hand."[49] Two alligators – According to one account, Russell Harrison kept two alligators in the White House conservatory[50]
William McKinley	Washington Post – Yellow-headed Mexican parrot; could whistle "Yankee Doodle"[12] Valeriano Weyler and Enrique DeLome – Angora kittens; named after Spanish general Valeriano Weyler and Spanish ambassador Enrique Dupuy de Lôme Roosters[key 4][key 1]
Theodore Roosevelt	Archie riding Algonquin Roosevelt family with Skip Illustration of Slippers, the White House cat[f] Admiral Dewey, Bishop Doane, Dr. Johnson, Father O'Grady, Fighting Bob Evans – guinea pigs;[key 2][52] namesakes: George Dewey, William Croswell Doane, (likely John O'Grady (priest)) and Robley D. Evans Algonquin – "Calico pony" (Shetland),[52] favored by Roosevelt's son Archie[53] Baron Spreckle – Hen,[key 2][52] likely named after sugar baron Claus Spreckels Bill the Lizard – lizard,[key 3][52][54] brought from California and described as a "horned frog"[55] (cf. horned toad); likely named after Lewis Carroll's Bill the Lizard. Blackjack – Manchester Terrier Eli Yale – Hyacinth macaw[52] Named after the British merchant (also College namesake) Emily Spinach – garter snake,[key 3][52] so named by Roosevelt's daughter Alice because "it was as green as spinach and as thin as my Aunt Emily"[56] Fedelity – pony[key 2] Gem and Susan – dogs[key 2] Jack[52] and Peter – Terriers[key 2][7] Jonathan Edwards – small black bear from West Virginia[52] named after the religious leader, an ancestor of Mrs. Roosevelt;[57] eventually sent to the Bronx Zoo[58] Jonathan – Piebald rat[key 3] Josiah (or "Josh")[55] – Badger[key 3][52] During a railroad tour of the West, the president acquired two-week-old Josiah at a stop in Sharon Springs, Kansas[59] Manchu – Pekingese[7][52] Maude – Pig[52] Peter Rabbit – Rabbit;[key 3][52] was given a "proper state" funeral[60] Cf. Peter Rabbit. Pete – Bull Terrier,[7][52][3] exiled to Long Island "after chomping on one too many legs"[61] Rollo – Saint Bernard Skip – mongrel[7][52] Sailor Boy – Chesapeake Bay Retriever[7][52] Tom Quartz and Slippers – Cats,[key 2] Tom Quartz was named after a cat in a Mark Twain story.[62] Bill – laughing hyena, gift from Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia[63] Barn owl Fierce[64] – one-legged rooster[52]
William Howard Taft	Caruso – dog,[key 2] a gift for Taft's daughter Helen from opera singer Enrico Caruso; after a White House performance, he decided that cows were not appropriate pets for a little girl[65] Mooly Wooly[key 2] and Pauline Wayne – Cows. Pauline (or "Miss Wayne") was a Holstein of considerable fame; she "went missing" for two days.[66]
Woodrow Wilson	Davie – Airedale Terrier[7] Old Ike – Ram,[67] led the flock of sheep[30] Puffins – cat[key 2][67] Bruce – Bull Terrier[67] songbirds[key 4][key 3][key 1] Sheep,[key 4] numbering 48 at its peak,[68] the flock kept the White House lawn trimmed "in the most economical way";[67] the wool being sold to benefit the Red Cross[69]
Warren G. Harding	Laddie Boy Laddie Boy (July 26, 1920 – January 23, 1929) – Airedale Terrier[3][7] Old Boy – Bulldog[7] Petey – canary[70] Pete – Squirrel[71][72]
Calvin Coolidge	Portrait of Rob Roy and Grace Coolidge Rob Roy (1922–1928) and Prudence Prim – White collies[7] Peter Pan – Wirehair Fox Terrier,[73][7] the Coolidges' first White House dog; Paul Pry – Airedale Terrier,[7] half-brother of Warren Harding's Laddy Boy[73] Calamity Jane – Shetland Sheepdog[7] Tiny Tim and Blackberry – Chow Chows[7] Ruby Rouch – collie[7] Boston Beans – Boston bulldog[7] King Cole – Belgian Sheepdog (Groenendael)[74] Palo Alto ("Palo") – A black and white English Setter, a bird dog that Coolidge soon gave to Colonel Starling,[73] chief of the Secret Service detail in the White House Bessie – collie Rebecca – raccoon,[key 3][75][74] Rebecca was intended for a Thanksgiving feast; First Lady Grace had a tree-house built for her instead[73][76] Reuben – A male raccoon acquired as a companion for Rebecca; soon escaped and not recovered[76] Ebeneezer – Donkey Nip and Tuck – canaries, both olive green in color; the Coolidges' first birds[73] Peter Piper and Snowflake – Two more canaries; Snowflake was white[73] Goldy – A "yellow bird"[key 3][74][73] Do-Funny – a trained songbird (troupial)[key 3] from South America;[73] said to be Mrs. Coolidge's favorite bird[74] Enoch – goose[key 3] Smoky – bobcat Blacky and Tiger (or "Tige") – cats[key 2][73][74] Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau – lion cubs from Johannesburg, South Africa[74] Billy – pygmy hippopotamus, full name: William Johnson Hippopotamus[77] A wallaby – Promptly given to a zoo[74] A duiker (a very small type of antelope) — Also sent to the zoo[74] Bruno – A black bear from Chihuahua, Mexico; Mrs. Coolidge promptly sent him to a zoo[74] Pekin Ducks – Thirteen ducklings were received as an Easter gift; Mrs. Coolidge attempted to raise them in a White House bathroom, but eventually sent them to a zoo[74]
Herbert Hoover	Herbert Hoover with King Tut Billy Possum – A wild opossum that occupied Rebecca's vacant tree-house and was "adopted" by the Hoovers;[76] temporarily filled in for a local high school's missing mascot[78][79] The name likely derives from a nickname used for the 27th President, William Howard Taft.[80] Caruso – A Roller canary[81] King Tut – Belgian Shepherd[82][83] (Malinois variety)[81] Pat – German Shepherd[82] Big Ben and Sonnie – Fox Terriers[7][84] Glen – Scotch Collie[7] Yukonan – Canadian Eskimo Dog[7] Patrick – Irish Wolfhound[82] Eaglehurst Gillette – Setter[82] Weegie – Norwegian Elkhound[81]
Franklin D. Roosevelt	FDR and Fala (1940) Fala (April 7, 1940 – April 5, 1952) – Scottish Terrier[11] Major – German Shepherd[82] Formerly a police dog from the New York State Police[85] Meggie – Scottish Terrier[82] Winks – Llewellyn Setter[82] Tiny – Old English Sheepdog[82] President – Great Dane[3][82] Blaze – Bullmastiff[82]
Harry S. Truman	Feller – Cocker Spaniel,[82][86] because the Trumans "preferred to be a pet-free family" he was given as a puppy to Truman's personal physician[87] Mike – Irish Setter[82]
Dwight D. Eisenhower	Gabby – parakeet[88] Heidi – Weimaraner[89]
John F. Kennedy	Kennedy family and dogs Gaullie – poodle[90] Charlie – Welsh Terrier[82] Tom Kitten – cat[key 2][91] Robin – canary[91] Bluebell and Marybelle – parakeets[91] Ducks – JFK's daughter, five-year-old Caroline raised ducklings at the White House.[92] Ongoing conflicts with their terrier Charlie prompted sending them to Rock Creek Park.[93] Macaroni – pony[94] Tex – bay Yucatan pony[91] Leprechaun – Connemara pony, a gift from President of Ireland, Éamon de Valera[95] Moe – Doberman Pinscher[91] Billie and Debbie – hamsters[91] Pushinka – dog (gift of Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev, puppy of Soviet space dog Strelka)[3] Shannon – Cocker Spaniel[82] Wolf – Dog, mix of Irish Wolfhound and Schnauzer[96] Clipper – German Shepherd[97] Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie, and Streaker – Offspring of Pushinka and Charlie[82] Zsa Zsa – rabbit Sardar – horse[key 2][98]
Lyndon B. Johnson	LBJ with Him Him and Her – beagles[82][99][100] Edgar – beagle[3][82][99][100] Blanco – white collie[82][99][100] Freckles – beagle[82] Yuki – mongrel dog[82][99][100] famous for "singing duets" (howling) with the President for White House guests[101] hamsters[key 2] lovebirds[key 3][102]
Richard Nixon	King Timahoe, Vicki and Pasha looking out the window in the White House Vicki – poodle[82][103] Pasha – terrier[82][103] King Timahoe – Irish Setter[82][103][104] Checkers[3] (1952– September 9, 1964)[g] – Cocker Spaniel
Gerald Ford	Susan Ford, daughter of Gerald Ford, and the family's siamese cat, Shan, in 1974 Ford and Liberty in the Oval Office Liberty (February 8, 1974 – 1984) – Golden Retriever[82] Lucky – dog[3] Misty – Liberty's puppy, born in the White House Shan – Siamese cat[105]
Jimmy Carter	Amy Carter with her cat Misty Malarky Ying Yang Grits – Border collie (mix);[82][106] Given to his daughter Amy by her teacher, but quickly returned[107] after snapping at several White House visitors[3] Lewis Brown – Afghan hound[108] Misty Malarky Ying Yang, daughter Amy Carter's pet – Siamese cat[75]
Ronald Reagan	Rex Ronald Reagan on El Alamein Lucky (October 4, 1983 – January 5, 1995) – Bouvier des Flandres[109][110][111] Rex (December 16, 1984 – August 31, 1998) – Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.[111][112] Victory – Golden Retriever[110][111] Peggy – Irish Setter[110][111] Taca – Siberian Husky[110][111] Fuzzy – Belgian sheepdog[110][111] Horses (El Alamein, Nancy D, Baby, Little Man, and others) at Rancho del Cielo[113][114] Cleo and Sara - tortoiseshell cats at Rancho del Cielo[115]
George H. W. Bush	Millie Millie (January 12, 1985 – May 19, 1997) – Springer Spaniel.[3] Ranger (March 17, 1989 – April 10, 1993) – one of Millie's puppies[82][116]
Bill Clinton	Socks Socks (March 15, 1989 – February 20, 2009) – The Clintons' cat.[45] Buddy (August 7, 1997 – January 2, 2002) – Bill's chocolate Labrador retriever[45]
George W. Bush	India Spot "Spotty" Fetcher (March 17, 1989 – February 21, 2004) – female English Springer Spaniel named after Scott Fletcher; Puppy of Millie;[3] Euthanized after suffering a series of strokes. Barney (September 30, 2000 – February 1, 2013) – Scottish Terrier.[3][117] Miss Beazley (October 28, 2004 – May 17, 2014) – Scottish Terrier; Nicknamed "Beazley Weazley"; 2005 birthday gift from George to his wife.[3][117] India "Willie" – cat (July 13, 1990 – January 4, 2009) Ofelia – Longhorn cow (lives at Bush's Prairie Chapel Ranch)
Barack Obama	Bo and Sunny Bo[3] (October 9, 2008 – May 8, 2021) – Portuguese Water Dog. Sunny[118][119] (born June 11, 2012) – Portuguese Water Dog.
Donald Trump	None
Joe Biden	Biden with Champ and Major Champ[120] (October 2008 – June 19, 2021) – German Shepherd Dog Major[120] (born January 2018) – German Shepherd Dog

Key

1. Number unknown
2. Breed unknown
3. Species unknown
4. Name unknown

Notes

1. Washington was an avid dog breeder; he called the breed that he was developing "Virginia Hounds"; which eventually became American Foxhounds^[5][6]
2. Some sources reference the name "Polly"^[12]
3. The East Room was still under repair following the 1814 burning of the White House by the British, and was primarily used for storage. During the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette to the United States, Lafayette acquired several tons of gifts (including the alligator) that was stored there.^[24][25] much to the consternation of visitors.^[26] Possibly sent to France aboard the USS Brandywine
4. See: Conveying Marquis de Lafayette to France
5. Number uncertain, perhaps received as many as seven. "Pierce was thought to have kept one dog, and he gave the other to his Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis. Davis was particularly pleased with the dog and was known to have carried it with him in his pocket."^[33]
6. Illustration from St. Nicholas (1908); original caption: "With an amused bow, the President escorted the Ambassadress around 'Slippers' and kept on his way toward the East Room."^[51]
7. Checkers died in 1964, before Nixon became president, but had played a major role in his electoral career