The Dogs of President Reagan

Ronald and Nancy Reagan were long time dog lovers. Before moving to Washington, DC. they had many dogs at their ranch in California.  

During the eight years in the White House, they had two dogs. Lucky was presented to them for their work for the March of Dimes by the poster girl.

Lucky was a tiny ball of fluff when they first got her. However, she was a black Bouvier des Flandres who grew to be in Nancy’s words “the size of a pony.”

She was so excited whenever she got on the helicopter. She knew she was going to Camp David where she had room to run and often could be seen sitting in the President’s lap. But Bouviers need a lot of room, something the size of, say, Montana.

When the White House became too confining for a big exuberant dog, she was sent to the Reagan ranch in California where she had room to roam and four other dogs to play with.

The second dog Rex, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was given to Nancy by the President as a Christmas present. One of Rex’s first duties was to help throw the switch that lit the National Christmas Tree. Everything about the President is subject to news and the press duly covered Rex’s tonsillectomy.

Rex joined Lucky and the other dogs when Reagan’s term was over and both dogs lived out their lives at the Reagan ranch.

All the Presidents’ Dogs  Lincoln’s dog, Fido
LBJ’s dog, Him  Clinton’s dog, Buddy  
Nixon’s dog, Checkers   FDR’s dog, Fala 
Kennedy's dogs   Teddy Roosevelt’s dog, Pete

Comments

[Chandira]

That is a GIGANTIC dog!! She's bigger than him!! Wow..

Robert had a Bouvier/everything mix, that he's never gotten over, she was the love of his life. :-) I think she was bigger than he was!

[rosemary]

One of the best books I have is the one Hillary wrote about Socks and Buddy...had the letters kids wrote to the White House pets. Regardless of one's political views, kids are the middle ground....adorable letters.

[George Roach]

This story reminds me of a high school friend that after getting married owned an Irish Setter and an Irish Wolfhound at the same time. The Setter (red) was big, but the Wolfhound (gray) was like a small horse. He kept them in a small barn in his back yard.

[Sue]

What a beautiful dog!

[Hudson]

My very very favorite dog in the world is the Cavelier King Charles Spaniels.They are just the cutest things alive and those eyes melt you. I have to admit not too many dogs don't melt me though. I never knew Reagans had four dogs.

[jackie]

i wonder what kind of dog the obama's will get?..

did you see the video from rio de jeniro?...a dog gets hit by a car and is laying in the middle of traffic, and another dog comes up and grabs him i think by his collar and drags him to safety..was one of the most fantastic things i have ever seen....

[Jean]

Interesting! I love that big dog but for some reason I don't remember him at all from the news when Reagan was president.

In Obama's Barbara Walters interview it sounds like they are getting a big dog....or at least, as he says, "not a girlie dog." LOL

Levi's mom

[Marion]

I can't imagine my two dogs in the White House...things would never be the same, lol! I'll bet that big Bouvier showed them a thing or two...I love those big dogs. Can't imagine bringing one up, though!

[Jennie/Kahshe Cottager]

So glad to know that Zeke was found and is now safe and sound. My little girls are ratters and while one would just bark to let you know she found something, the other would race into a tunnel without second thought. Given it is the same dog that would take on a wild turkey if she had the chance, it worries me that she would get stuck in a hole!

[Lindsay]

Ha, every home needs at least one dog, including the White House. It would never be boring with a Bouvier!

[Saint Lover]

I remember seeing pictures of that dog when I was a kid. I knew I had to have a big dog someday.

[Marion]

We own a Bouvier and an Irish Wolfhound and they both get rather rambuncious. I love them both and never knew that the Reagan's owned a Bouvier. My Bouvier Diego gets the way Reagans' Lucky did in the helicopter except ours is in the car. The whole thing moves when he goes from side to side.

[Robert Barrett]

President Reagan sought out well known dog trainer Bob Maida for canine problem solving.