The dogs of President Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford was the only U.S. President who was never elected to the office of President or Vice President. He served as the 39th President from 1974 to 1977, following the resignations of Vice President Agnew and President Nixon.

In the fall of 1974, his daughter Susan and the White House photographer, David Hume Kennerly, bought the President a Golden Retriever puppy from a breeder in Minnesota.

The breeder was quite particular about who the new owners would be and insisted on answers. Susan and David, not wanting to give away the secret, assured him that the new owners were a friendly middle aged couple with four children.

Then he asked what kind of house the potential owners lived in. They told him it was a big white house with a fence around it (stopping short of telling him it was actually public housing).

This was a big dog, and the kennel owner wanted to be sure the new owners could afford to feed him. “Does the father have a steady job?"

However they answered that question the 8-month-old puppy they named Liberty became part of the White House family. When a reporter asked who was going to take care of Liberty, feed her and take her out each day, Susan didn’t hesitate. “Of course, it will be Dad.”

One day Liberty, made a doggie mess on the rug in the Oval Office. A Navy steward rushed to clean it up. "I'll do that," Ford said. "No man should have to clean up after another man's dog."

Liberty spent a lot of time with the President in the Oval Office. The story was that when the President wanted to end a conversation he would signal Liberty and she would go to the guest, wagging her tail to signal an end to the meeting. 

When the regular caretaker was not available one night, President Ford took Liberty for her late night business trip to the South Lawn. They left the White House without telling the secret service.

While they were gone guards secured the second floor as they do every night, effectively blocking the President and his dog from using the elevator or returning to the private quarters. He had to alert the guards that he and Liberty were locked out.

Liberty gave birth to a total of nine puppies in the White House. It was a simpler time for both dog owners and for Presidents. Back then everybody didn’t try to make it their business to tell them where to get a dog and what to do with them. 

All the Presidents' dogs

 Washington  Nixon  FDR  Clinton T. Roosevelt  Lincoln  Kennedy  Reagan  Harding 

Comments

[Khyra]

Woo go!

I had my own Golden DoofTriever Weekend with Merdie!

Such a show off - able to go out in the yard without a tether - pffffft!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

[Matt]

I wasn't alive for ford but I do love the Obama dog. Small dogs are my favorite

[cube]

Thanks for the fun facts. I didn't know about the poop story. It's nice to know today especially because one of our cats pooped in the hallway sometime last night & I was the one who cleaned it up this morning.

[jackie]

a dog makes a man...and you can tell a lot about the man by the way he treats his dogs..if only george w bush had treated the american people as well as he treated his dogs..
i always liked ford..

[Jill]

I have run across two more interesting dog and president stories and blogged about them at my history for children blog. One is about FDR and his scottish terrier Fala and I especially LOVE the story about George Washington when he was general during the Roevolutionary War. He found the British general's dog after a battle and guess what he did with him?

[Jan]

I'm "guessing" George Washington fed the dog, had him brushed and returned to General Howe.

[jan's funny farm]

That was really interesting. We checked all the dog links there. Thanks.

[Biggie-Z]

We just watched a show on Animal Planet this weekend about the Presidents' dogs. Embarrassing (to this large dog owner) to see the Reagans being dragged around by a Bouvier and then by a ... Cavalier King Charles spaniel???

[Serendipity]

I enjoyed reading this. Thanks for always sharing all these fun facts about dogs!

[Lynne]

Funny how people like to butt into your pet's lives like the American people butt into the President's lives.

My dad for several years wanted to feed my dog table scraps. His dogs are very fat. Mine isn't. Finally after him telling me how cruel I was to not give my dog treats I said fine feed her some table scraps. I'm warning you though they give her diarrhea. He had new carpet put in his house a few years ago. I've never heard another word about nor does he try and feed her.

[Jimmy]

I miss the 70's!!!!!

[pet sling carrier]

interesting article,
thank you so much