Although there have been a number of pets in the White House, it’s the dogs that often steal the attention of America and became celebrities in their own right. The Presidential canine companions are commonly known as “First Dogs,” and Presidents beginning from George Washington have kept one or more canine friends. You may know of President Obama’s dog Bo or Millie Bush of the Bush Presidency, but what about these First Dogs? These dogs live at one of the most famous addresses in the world, and have a chance
Laddie Boy
The first canine to be nationally profiled in newspapers, Laddie Boy was a celebrity in his own right. His owner was President Warren Harding, and he was spoiled rotten according to counts from the time. He had his own caretaker and a wooden hard-carved chair for meetings with the cabinet. The Airedale Terrier was given to a Secret Service agent, Harry Barker, by Harding’s widow, and Laddie lived with Barker’s family as a beloved family pet. When he died in 1929, the death announcement made the papers.
