Meet Bo, President Obama's puppy! What led President Obama to choose a Portuguese Water Dog? Also meet a menagerie of "First Dogs" who all share a special connection with the Presidents themselves, having lived side by side with the First Family.
Meet Bo, President Obama's puppy! What led President Obama to choose a Portuguese Water Dog? Also meet a menagerie of "First Dogs" who all share a special connection with the Presidents themselves, having lived side by side with the First Family.
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Find episode transcript here: https://dogs-101.simplecast.com/episodes/the-all-the-presidents-pets
MUSIC IN
BARACK OBAMA VO/OC
Sasha and Malia you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.
HOST VO
President elect Barack Obama will be making many difficult choices over the next few years, but one decision of great interest is which furry friend he'll add to the First Family. Should it be a Cavalier King Charles like the one Ronald Reagan almost lost to a freak accident? Or the breed that managed to bring a commander in chief to tears? How will the Obama's prevent their new puppy from ripping the pants off dignitaries, like Franklin Roosevelt's German shepherd did? And will the Obama's learn from President Johnson's biggest mistake with his beagles. Today we take a look at the canines and other animals that have called the White House home. What breed should the Obama's ultimately choose? Don't worry Mr. President we've got your back on this special edition of Dogs 101.
MUSIC SEGUE
PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH VO/OC
And I've already given you an important job.
HOST VO
Animals have long been treasured tenants of Washington DC whether livestock, wildlife, gifts from afar or precious family pets. But as the new President looks at his options for a White House pet, there is precedent he should consider.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
Their great ability to be stress relieving I think
is probably the, the most wonderful asset that pets in general have given to the Presidents.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
But all the Presidents' dogs have captured our hearts throughout the centuries. In fact, more dogs have lived in the White House than Presidents and their families combined. Totaling over 200 pampered pooches. Dogs have such a valued place in the Presidency that even newly elected Barack Obama covered the subject in his victory speech.
BARACK OBAMA VO/OC
Sasha and Malia, you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
As the 44th First Family considers its canine choice, it can start its search with the first First Family.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
George Washington was not only the founder of the country but also the founder of the American Fox Hound breed.
HOST VO
Washington crossed his Virginia Black and Tan hounds with the French Hounds that were gifts from General Lafayette.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY OC/VO
Being a pet owner is almost a prerequisite for being a good President. The idea of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue without one makes it seem very barren.
HOST VO
Although Abraham Lincoln's mixed breed, Fido, didn't cut it as a first dog, getting left behind in Illinois his photograph was the first canine candid to grace the halls of the White House. The Newfoundland, the largest breed ever to roam the White House and one of the earliest pure breeds to live there was cherished by more than one President for its loyalty.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN OC/VO
Ulysses S. Grant had a, a Newfy.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
Buchannan's dog, Lara, who was a
Newfoundland was known to lie motionless in the White House but always keeping one eye on the President.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
A true nature and animal lover Teddy Roosevelt not only had dogs, but horse, a parrot, a rooster and even a hyena.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY VO/OC
Having exotic pets was very popular because we are just discovering new species.
MUSIC OUT
So the White House at times had a, had a mini zoo feel to it.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
Other pets over the years included John Quincy
Adams' alligator. Harrison's and Lincoln's billy
goats. Jefferson's mockingbird. The Coolidge's raccoon. Carter's Siamese cat. And of course, Socks, the Clinton's stray cat.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
Whenever the President…
MUSIC OUT
… and First Lady and Chelsea weren't there, the cat stayed in our office.
MUSIC IN
And much to our chagrin from time to time, the cat would wander right across our computer tables and the keyboard and if you were in the process of working on something that would create a great deal of distress.
HOST VO
But in the White House…
MUSIC SEGUE
… dogs are king. President Warren Harding chose the Airedale terrier.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
The Airedale is a breed that I think is well suited for a president because it is considered the king of terriers. It also is a dog…
MUSIC OUT
… that is pretty tenacious like most terriers, which I think a president has to be.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
Laddie Boy was Harding's precious pet. Not only did he have his own hand carved chair for high level meetings, he was also presented with a birthday cake built entirely of biscuits.
MUSIC SEGUE
Many people compare the young Obama family to the Kennedys. And the Kennedy family was overflowing with pets.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
He seemed to surround himself by animals and I believe he built a special area, sort of play area for children and dogs off one end of the West Wing of the White House.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
Kennedy loved his dogs so much that he mandated that when he arrived in the
Presidential helicopter his dogs always had to be there to greet him.
HOST VO
In more modern presidencies…
MUSIC SEGUE
… dogs became more involved in politics.
MARGARET THATCHER VO
They're quite beautifully soft.
HOST VO
They can help presidents get out of a jam.
MUSIC SEGUE
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Nixon, somebody accused him of
misappropriation of some 18,000 dollars and so
he used his dog, Checkers, in a speech to kind of get himself off the hook.
PRESIDENT NIXON OC
It was a little cocker spaniel dog.
HOST VO
The dog was sent to Nixon by a supporter. He explained the away the 18,000 dollars but when it came to the dog, he was defiant. He deflected attention away from the money and on to Checkers.
PRESIDENT NIXON VO/OC
Regardless of what they say about him, we're gonna keep him.
HOST VO
The speech worked.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
And somehow that endeared him to the American public that he was prepared to hang everything on the line for a dog.
HOST VO
President Gerald Ford held a very special place in his heart for Liberty, a golden retriever.
GARY WALTERS OC/VO
Coddled, I think would be a good word to use when it came to how President Ford felt about the dog. Constantly at his side in the oval office.
HOST VO
Golden's are one of the most highly trainable breeds and this worked in Ford's favor.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
President Ford used to use Liberty as a tension
breaker and to even end meetings with people in the Oval Office.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Ford would make some kind of gesture and Liberty would immediately jump up and go across tail wagging and interrupt everything and that signaled the end of the meeting.
HOST VO
Another loveable retriever was President Clinton's Labrador who helped his president on a more personal level.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Somebody once said that Buddy was the only friend that he had in the White House that could not testify against him.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
The dogs provide a soothing atmosphere for the Presidents I believe and, and Buddy was no exception.
HOST VO
Whether a Democrat or Republican a First dog is a must of any president. For the Obama family there's a long line of canine history to learn from.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
When this special Dogs 101 continues, the canine choices ahead for the new President. Should it be a purebred? A mutt? Or something in between? We'll find out about the near tragedy that almost took President Reagan's dog Rex. Which dog brought President George W. Bush to tears? And which dog was the naughtiest dog in the White House?
MUSIC OUT
MUSIC IN
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Gutsy, confident, focused, fearless. It's the stuff President's are made of.
MUSIC OUT
And Scottish terriers too.
MUSIC IN
And for President Obama one of the many things to consider are the dogs that have accompanied great Presidents like the Scottie. It's one of the most popular breeds for presidents.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
It's a little surprising because as a general rule Scottish Terriers are extremely tenacious, but maybe that's part of why Presidents like them because they feel that they have a companion who's gonna look out for them and not let anybody mess with them.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Two of the most recent Scotties in the White House are Barney and Miss Beazley along with their owners, the Bushes.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Actually I always think in the case of George Bush that the do actually looks a bit like him. You know, say people look like their dogs and this is sort of busy eyelids and you know, they're both very tenacious nature.
HOST VO
Through the years the country has fallen in love with these Scotties who are the first Presidential dogs to have their own webpage.
PRESIDENT BUSH OC/VO
Barney, I know you wanted to be in my cabinet.
But I've already given you an important job. Your job is to take care of Miss Beazley. Your job is to welcome her into our family.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Walter Scheib, executive chef in the White House had direct contact with Clinton's Buddy and the Bush's' dogs.
WALTER SCHEIB VO/OC
Miss Beazley appeared on the scene and you know as a, as a young pup really enlivened the house. Was running around, was crazy. Barney, there was a little bit of jealousies I think. Any, any sort of relationship when the, the new kid on the block, Miss Beazley came in.
MUSIC OUT
PRESIDENT BUSH VO/OC
Barney. I hear you been hiding Beazley's gift all around the White House. Perhaps this is a case of sibling rivalry.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
And George W.'s dog has at times been as controversial as the President.
FEMALE VOICE #1 VO
Yeah, you have a great story to tell. What is your story?
JOHN DECKER VO
I got bit by Barney.
WALTER SCHEIB VO/OC
I think that probably the President would've bit the press every now and again if he could've gotten away with it.
MALE IN RED TIE OC
What do you say to that?
HOST VO
The Obamas will learn like George Bush, the First pet gets lots of attention. And choosing the right dog with the right image is key.
WALTER SCHEIB VO/OC
The first thing that President would do when he came to that residence floors was greet the dog, then his wife actually in, in that order.
LAURA BUSH OC/VO
A lot of times when I knew that my husband was making very, very difficult decisions and was weighing the difficult decisions he made, I'd look out the window of the White House from above and see him on the lawn with the dogs and know that that was a time of the day that he could walk out and be by himself with them.
GARY WALTERS OC/VO
I've done President Bush 43, as we refer to him, has the dog sleeping with him, in the bed, he and Mrs. Bush.
HOST VO
But George W. wasn't the only Bush with a famous dog in the White House. In fact, his father, George Herbert Walker Bush and his wife Barbara had Millie, an English Springer spaniel.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO
They are beautiful dogs. They can be very affectionate and sometimes good with their family, but not all of them.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
And I know Mrs. Barbara Bush quite frequently would kiss Millie…
MUSIC OUT
… on her nose. She called that a pig nose because of the coloration, pigment that was in the dog's nose.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
And as the Obamas will see when you're President, everything gets documented. Even what happens in the shower.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
There's a story that President 41, George Herbert Walker Bush, used to share his shower with Ranger and sometimes Millie. The truth is, it's absolutely the truth.
HOST VO
And then Millie decided to have a family and some criticized that.
MUSIC OUT
ANDREA ARDEN OC
There are enough unwanted animals in America. It's a huge problem and there really is no reason for the President to breed yet another litter of puppies.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
But the doggies were born and Mrs. Bush was lying right on the floor next to Millie as it all happened.
GARY WALTERS VO
We pulled a mattress off of one of the beds in the adjacent room and laid it on the floor for Mrs. Bush to be a little bit more comfortable while Millie was giving birth to her pups.
HOST VO
But what really put Millie, the Springer Spaniel, over the top in popularity was her book, which by the way outsold books written by both Bush presidents.
CLAIRE MCLEAN OC
It was a best seller. Everybody loved Millie. Everybody loved her puppies. And one of her puppies of course everyone knows went on to be George Bush's Spot.
PRESIDENT BUSH VO/OC
Ten years old and she still likes to play. The snow's making her young.
HOST VO
When George W. entered the White House…
MUSIC OUT
… he brought one of Millie's pups with him.
Her name was Spot.
MUSIC SEGUE
But as we all know dogs get older and dealing with it is always difficult.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
On the evening before Spotty was put down, the President was out on the South Grounds lying on the grass with Spot, actually cradled in his arms. As you can tell from my voice, it was a very poignant moment and that's the kind of relationship the families have with their pets.
HOST VO
And after George W.'s Spotty passed away, the little black Scotties Barney and Miss Beazley were the only Bush dogs lapping up all the attention.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
But when the Obamas get their little dog, it might even outshine the most famous of famous dogs, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Scottish terrier, Falla.
CYNTHIA KOCH VO/OC
There's never been a dog like Falla in the White House and there never will be.
HOST VO
And it was this…
MUSIC OUT
… famous shot that got everybody loving Falla.
CYNTHIA KOCH VO/OC
There was the inauguration in, in January of
1941 and Falla came running out of the White House and jumped in the presidential limousine and took what he knew would be his seat right next to the President.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Falla was always by the President's side starting with breakfast in bed with him every morning.
CYNTHIA KOCH VO/OC
Dinner time a real ritual for Falla. He had to roll over. He had to stand up and beg and then he had to shake hands and then finally he got his dinner.
HOST VO
Falla traveled everywhere with FDR. He was his quintessential sidekick.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Falla was present and as the President was singing treaties…
MUSIC OUT
… with Winston Churchill and off the coast of Newfoundland.
HOST VO
One of the most famous speeches made by the President to the teamsters union was in reference to his Scottie dog.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT OC
These Republican leaders have not been content with a tax on me or my wife, the now include my little dog Falla. I don't resent the tax, but Falla does resent it.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
But when FDR passed away, Falla knew it.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Falla was lying…
MUSIC OUT
… on the bed I believe and suddenly stood up and seemed to be looking at something in he air and started to act kind of crazy at the precise time that FDR was proclaimed dead.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
Fittingly Falla was buried in the Rose Garden at Hyde Park next to FDR and Eleanor. And Falla
is the only First dog to have a statue at a national monument.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
So whether it's a Scottie, a Springer Spaniel or a mutt in the White House, one thing is certain, each and every dog is different and will make a mark of its own.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
The Dogs 101 look at all the President's pets
comes back in a minute. We'll get some pet advice for the Obama girls from a person who was also a young girl in the White House. We'll meet the dog that was too much to handle for the leader of the free world. And which dogs committed impeachable offenses in the White House.
MUSIC OUT
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
President Obama has never owned a dog, so he has a lot to learn and who better to learn from than Lyndon Baines Johnson, the greatest dog lover of all the Presidents. Would you believe that Lyndon Johnson tried sneaking his dog Yuki into his daughter's wedding ceremony.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
I think daddy looked at Yuki as a family member and to exclude him would be to exclude a member of the family.
HOST VO
He even sent out Christmas cards with a picture of himself and his dogs.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
My father was just devoted to animals really of all kinds, but specifically to dogs.
MUSIC OUT
HOST VO
On the other hand his wife Lady Bird barely
tolerated them.
MUSIC IN
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Lady Bird was not that thrilled with dogs.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
They're, people who are especially enthusiastic about dogs. My father and I were two of the ones that were especially enthusiastic and my mother tolerated our enthusiasms.
HOST VO
Out of devotion to her family Lady Bird reluctantly gave in to LBJ's adoration of his dogs.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
He lived for his dogs and, and I…
MUSIC OUT
… think that says a lot about the man.
MUSIC IN
ANDREA ARDEN VO
LBJ really understood dogs.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO
His drawers were laden with dog chewed toys and bones.
HOST VO
Arguably the greatest dog lover of all the presidents Lyndon Johnson had seven dogs that lived in the White House during his presidency. Five beagles, a collie and a mutt.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
The first and the most famous of all the dogs in the LBJ administration were his two Beagles Him and Her.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
I don't think any member of the family would wanna take credit for the fact that they got those names.
HOST VO
One of the most popular dogs in the United States, Beagles are scent hounds with energetic and cheerful personalities.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
I think a Beagle in the White House could be a little tough because they are very vocal, active dogs. But I have to say if you're going for choosing a dog that gets you great press and warms you up to America, I think you hit the nail right on the head with a dog that inspired Snoopy.
MUSIC OUT
HOST VO
These dutiful dogs helped campaign for LBJ's reelection to the presidency in '64. LBJ won by 15 million votes gaining the nickname
Landslide Johnson. But, he soon landed in the doghouse.
MUSIC IN
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
My father was in the prescience of several members of the press and he was trying to show off how the dogs could stand up on their hind legs.
CLAIRE MCLEAN VO/OC
He picked those beagles up by the ears and he said oh they love it, they love it. Of course they yelped and screamed and of course the, the public went crazy.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
There was a might protest that he had tried to literally pull and hold the dogs up by their ears.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
He didn't actually pick the dog up by the ears and hang it like this, he just lifted the front feet off the ground.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
He never did that trick again.
MUSIC OUT
HOST VO
While the beagles got the most famous, LBJ's greatest love of all was a mutt.
MUSIC IN
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
We had a particular dog that lit up my father's life that sometimes has not gotten the play that the, that the beagles did.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Yuki was a terrier, a mixed breed.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
So I took this little dog that had been abandoned at Johnson City Filling Station, home to the LBJ Ranch.
HOST VO
Yuki and LBJs relationship all began when Luci snuck the dog into the White House kennel while she went on vacation.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
And I thought, you know, my parents aren't gonna see, they're not gonna know. I came back about a week later to discover on the front page of the New York Times a picture of my father and lo and behold but who was in the background of this photograph but Yuki and I was just mortified because obviously I'd been caught and having left my dog who had not been invited to the White House.
HOST VO
LBJ and Yuki had quickly developed a strong bond, so Luci gave the dog to her father as a birthday present.
MUSIC IN
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON OC/VO
My father had absolutely fallen in love with this dog. He adored the concept that an abandoned dog at a country filling station. A mutt with no pedigree whatsoever sleeping with the President of the United States.
HOST VO
So could a mutt like Yuki be the right pick for the Obamas?
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
Who knows, maybe they might end up with a, a mutt. He's the common dog, or the common man.
HOST VO
And for his remaining days in the White House,
Yuki was either two steps in front or two steps
behind LBJ.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
They were inseparable. He went to work with daddy.
MUSIC OUT
He came home with daddy. He slept with daddy.
HOST VO
One of LBJs favorite past times was to sing duets with Yuki.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
Yuki…
MUSIC IN
… would react to a high pitch voice and would sing along with it.
CLAIRE MCLEAN OC
Dog would look at the President go whoo.
HOST VO
In fact LBJ would sign with Yuki in front of just about anyone, including the US ambassador to Great Britain.
CLAIRE MCLEAN VO/OC
His mouth dropped open and there was the President and the dog sitting in the Oval Office a howling and a howling.
HOST VO
Yuki and LBJ's song…
MUSIC OUT
… of choice was the Star Spangled Banner.
MUSIC IN
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
There's a marvelous picture of my father back at the ranch, actually singing this song with my young son and my little boys looking up and actually wonder in awe at his grandfather. And the dog is singing and daddy is singing and the little boy is just dumbfounded.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
After Johnson left the White House he took Yuki back to the LBJ Ranch.
LUCI BAINES JOHNSON VO/OC
On the day that my father died, my mother said to me Luci, there's one person I'm gonna ask you to tell about your dad. So I said mother who's that. And she said will you tell Yuki. And my mother was the last person on earth to view Yuki as a person. But that night she did.
HOST VO
Luci brought LBJ's beloved Yuki home to live with her where he lived six more years.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
When the Obamas get their dog, where will it live?
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
Once the Obamas decide the kind of dog that they wanna bring to the White House it'll be a member of the family. There's no doubt about that.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
For most presidential dogs the White House is a pooch palace.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Well I mean I think these dogs have a terrific time in the White House.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY VO/OC
I mean you're gonna have the best vets. You're gonna have the best food. You're gonna get plenty of walks. It's a pretty good life.
MUSIC OUT
HOST VO
Let's take a look from a dog's point of view.
The White House is situated on 18 acres of land. Not bad for a canine cavort. The main residence has six levels with 132 rooms and 35 bathrooms. That's 55,000 square feet of roaming space for a pooch. And if you're name was Buddy, Liberty, King Tut or Millie, you would've had an all access pass to the East and West wings. That's an additional 12,000 square feet of space.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
Millie would trot through the building and scratch at the Oval Office door until the President let her in and then she'd go down the hall and visit with President staff. And when she got tired of that she'd go out and play in the grounds with the grounds man.
HOST VO
So these dogs clearly have the good life.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
They're living the life of Riley. They're running
up and down the corridors and having tremendous fun and they go out on the lawns. They run this way and they run that way and you know, I think it's just amazing.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
So a White House dog has a pretty amazing life. Good thing a four year term for a pooch is 32 dog years.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
It's going to be a dog's life and I can't think of any better place to have that life that at the White House.
MUSIC OUT
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
More ahead on Dogs 101's presidential special. The Obamas think they can find a hypoallergenic dog, think again.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
They're looking for the hypoallergenic dog. Well there is no such ting.
HOST VO
Also ahead we'll find out about the near tragedy that the White House staff kept secret from the Reagans.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Now it's time to play pick the pooch. This dog
was named after a southern breakfast food. He may be the only White House pet to be impeached. Can you guess who he is? The answer when we come back.
MUSIC OUT
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
Part Springer spaniel and a gift from Amy Carter's teacher, Grits was constantly competing with Amy's Siamese cat, Yin Yan. After a mysterious visit with a dog trainer, Grits was sent back to his original owner with no explanation. The first doggie impeachment.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
A President must make many decisions, the choice of which dog to get is one that President Obama should study carefully. To prove how important that choice is he need look no further than the Reagan dogs.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
So Reagan had a Bouvier Des Flandres, I sound very chic when I say that. A dog that is actually a herding breed, but also a guarding breed. They're very big, and unfortunately I think Reagan was a little overwhelmed by his dog.
MRS. REGAN OC
We have a puppy.
HOST VO
As a puppy, Lucky was a cute little ball of fur, but it's not uncommon for the Bouvier des Flandres to reach 120 pounds. Lucky grew up fast, and her natural instincts led to some embarrassing public relations gasps.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
Lucky was just a big dog. I think it ended up being somewhere in the vicinity of 80 pounds. It just didn't fit the White House environment and certainly Mrs. Reagan was a very petite lady and her trying to reign in this wonderful sheep dog was quite a sight.
HOST VO
As Lucky grew, her 80 pounds and herding instinct would give the President a run for his money, literally.
MUSIC SEGUE
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
This dog was too much dog for Regan who was seen in front of Margaret Thatcher, being dragged along behind his dog.
MUSIC SEGUE
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
The British don't like to see dogs behaving badly.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
So I think he was pretty well shipped off to the ranch…
MUSIC OUT
… in California.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
So with Lucky out Rex the Cavalier King
Charles was brought into the fold. Now the Cavy is an old aristocratic lap dog. It was the favorite of European royals, perfect for the White House, right.
MUSIC OUT
Well depends on who you ask.
MUSIC IN
WALTER SCHEIB OC
Always yapping and barking and nipping at people's ankles. It wasn't exactly the favorite of all the staff.
GARY WALTERS OC
I didn't have a great deal of problem with him, but I did carry a rolled up newspaper behind my leg whenever I took papers up to the President and First Lady.
MALE VOICE #1 VO
Rex, Rex, Rex, over here boy.
HOST VO
Rex's constant yapping did not amuse President Reagan.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
President related I think in his diary that he thought sure that Rex was barking at Lincoln's ghost.
MALE VOICE #2 VO
Boo.
HOST VO
Rex nearly became a ghost himself during one near fatal elevator mishap. It all started when a staffer escorted Rex up the White House elevator after a late night walk.
WALTER SCHEIB VO/OC
That person was walking the dog, stepped off of the elevator and the dog stepped off of the elevator. The next thing you know the elevator doors are closing, but he doesn’t notice that the dog is scooted back onto the elevator. And suddenly the elevator's going down.
HOST VO
To the horror of the staffer, the elevator doors closed on Rex's leash.
GARY WALTERS OC
Luckily the elevator only went to the first floor and the engineer went running down.
WALTER SCHEIB OC
The doors open up and the poor dog is hanging about this high off the ground by his leash.
HOST VO
Rex was fortunate to come out of that one unharmed. The White House staffers were also thanking their lucky stars.
WALTER SCHEIB VO
I don't think you'd wanna kill Mrs. Regan's dog.
GARY WALTERS OC
The President and Mrs. Reagan never found out about that.
HOST VO
The cats out of the bag now. Reagan wasn't the only President to bring a dog into the White House that was hard to handle.
MUSIC SEGUE
In the '50s America liked Ike and Ike liked dogs, a lot. But the antics of one mischievous Eisenhower pet may have put its bred in the doghouse with the American public. Granddaughter Susan was about the age of
Sasha Obama during…
MUSIC OUT
… Ike's time in the White House.
SUSAN EISENHOWER VO/OC
Ike had
MUSIC IN
… grown up on a farm and was always surrounded by animals.
HOST VO
Enter Heidi, a large Weimaraner.
SUSAN EISENHOWER VO/OC
There was always this tension between this large dog and a confined space.
HOST VO
It was said Ike couldn't control Heidi worth beans at the White House. Heidi's antics soon drew the ire of First Lady Mamie.
SUSAN EISENHOWER VO/OC
She loved fine things. She loved silks and brocades and antique furniture an I'm sure that a dog like this, especially a big dog would've
represented a great challenge.
HOST VO
Heidi became overprotective of Ike, even jumping on the First Lady whenever she got too close to the President. Then Heidi went too far.
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SUSAN EISENHOWER OC
Heidi soiled one of the rugs in the White House.
MUSIC IN
My grandmother was a typical General's wife.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY OC/VO
People said it cost the taxpayers about 20,000 dollars for destroying the carpet.
HOST VO
Mamie worked all night to clean the soiled carpet. As for Heidi, this was the last straw.
SUSAN EISENHOWER OC
As a result of, of this fatal error on Heidi's part, Heidi got sent into exile.
HOST VO
Heidi's saga may have negatively impacted the Weimaraner image.
SUSAN EISENHOWER OC
I gather that the Weimaraner actually lost a bit of popularity after the Eisenhower years.
HOST VO
At least the story had a happy ending for Heidi.
Exile proved to be doggie heaven in the
Weimaraner friendly setting of the Gettysburg farm.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
The Obamas will learn what other Presidents have, the First dog is the number one canine ambassador to the world. So the Presidential pup is always a model of good behavior, right.
CYNTHIA KOCH VO/OC
You can't just walk into being a White House dog. You have to make sure that you've been properly trained and, and, and properly schooled in, in gentlemanly behavior.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Yeah, wouldn't that be nice.
CLAIRE MCLEAN OC
Unfortunately, many of the dogs at the White House are not well behaved.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Over the years many Presidential pooches have been ill-tempered, unruly, and just plain bad dogs.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
We have high…
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… expectations for presidential behavior even if it's for Presidential pups.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
The White House like the home of any pet owner has had its fair share of doggie mistakes. White House staff do their best to keep presidential pooches puddles under wraps.
WALTER SCHEIB VO/OC
Your job is to do what you were hired to do plus whatever else needs to be done. If that involves cleaning up after Barney or Buddy, yeah, you do it.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
But dogs have a mind of their own and sometimes presidential dogs feel the need to mark their territory even if it's the White House Christmas tree.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
I believe it was Barney who went over to the tree…
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… and he lifted his leg.
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
And then there's the time that Millie got a little bored at one of George H. W. Bush's speeches.
CLAIRE MCLEAN OC/VO
He's at the podium and Millie is right in front of the podium and she's squatting, and Mrs. Bush has this look on her face, like I didn't see it. I did not see it.
HOST VO
Millie was apparently a very well hydrated dog.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
While Mrs. Bush was being interviewed by Sam Donaldson, Millie jumped off the couch and eliminated on the rug.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
When dogs have their run of the place sometimes things can get a little wild. But that seems to be exactly how Teddy Roosevelt liked things at his White House.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY VO/OC
In the White House you would have a thunderous pack of dogs running around. Roosevelt welcomed them in any room at any time.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
There's the old rule that retrievers will always find a body of water. President Clinton's lab Buddy and President Ford's golden retriever
Liberty were no exceptions. They invaded the White House fountain whenever they could.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
If they were hot they would jump into the fountain. If they were chasing birds, they'd jump into the fountain. If they just wanted to chase the water, they'd jump into the fountain.
HOST VO
But diving into the fountain is better than diving into a formal breakfast.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
Roosevelt's setter at one point actually went into the dining room and ate 18 breakfasts that had been set out for a diplomatic meeting. And actually the President said that the dog would've drank the coffee if it had been put out as well.
HOST VO
The First pooch isn't the only one who exhibits bad behavior in the White House.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
One of the Christmas trees was delivered and was wrapped in burlap. Secret Service dogs are trained when they attack somebody that person's arm is wrapped in burlap. And when the dog smelled the burlap it attacked our ornamental tree.
HOST VO
But even that paled in comparison to the near international incident caused by Franklin Roosevelt's German Shepherd Major.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
FDR had an…
MUSIC SEGUE
…incident with British Prime Minister Ramsay McDonald where it sort of ripped the seat out of his pants and rendered him indecent.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
This was during a time when war was about to break out, so that must've been a really hard thing to deal with on a PR level, to have a German dog biting a British ambassador.
HOST VO
That probably qualifies Major…
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… as the naughtiest dog in the White House.
But at least Major was not caught on camera.
MUSIC IN
Barney Bush caused quite a stir with his snap at Reuters reporter John Decker.
JOHN DECKER VO/OC
I asked if I could pet him and his handler said, sure no problem. Well Barney obviously wasn't okay with that and he took a nip out of my right index finger. I've covered so many stories here at the White House over the years, but it takes getting bit by Barney to get the kind of attention that I've received.
HOST VO
But who was at fault here? Barney or the reporter?
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
You have to respect all dogs' space. That would be a good lesson for any one who saw on television the, the Barney snapping incident.
JOHN DECKER OC/VO
They were very kind and gracious in terms of the note that Mrs. Bush sent to me apologies on behalf of both herself and Barney. She said that he's in the doghouse.
HOST VO
So with all these stories of bad behavior, what is it about the White House that can bring out the worst in dogs?
MUSIC SEGUE
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
I think that it's probably stressful to live in the White House for, for a dog because there's so much going on. There's so much chaos and I would imagine there's not as much consistency as would be ideal for a dog.
CLAIRE MCLEAN VO/OC
Every little thing they do wrong is magnified by the press. Why is that? Well because it makes news and people love new to hear how their dog misbehaved just like our dog misbehaved.
HOST VO
Whatever the case, at least theirs one member of the White House staff that doesn't worry about a dog misbehaving.
WALTER SCHEIB VO/OC
Well I tell you a dog would never bite the cook.
We are the source of all wonderful snacks.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
When this special edition of Dogs 101 comes back, the new President has important decisions to make. But for his two little daughters, one decision trumps them all.
BARACK OBAMA OC/VO
You have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.
MUSIC OUT
MUSIC IN
HOST VO
On the night Barack Obama was elected
President he made one big promise to his
daughters.
BARACK OBAMA OC
You have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
And like all of Obama's important decisions he's made it clear he has priorities when selecting the first dog.
BARACK OBAMA OC
Our preference would be to get a shelter dog, but obviously a lot of shelter dogs are mutts like me.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
There is much to consider. A President makes a statement with the dog he picks, but in this case the dog fulfills a promise made to his daughters and there are allergies to consider.
BARACK OBAMA VO/OC
Malia is allergic, so it has to be hypoallergenic.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Well there is no such thing. I mean you can be allergic to any dog. You're not allergic to the hair or the shedding, it's actually the skin scales and a particular antigen in their skin scales that triggers it.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Like other families it's the kids like Malia and
Sasha who have been hounding their parents
about getting a dog. The only difference with this little four-legged friend will be where it lives.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO
I don’t think a presidential dog living in the White House should really be treated any differently from a dog living in a regular home.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Lots of little girls who have been in the White House remember what having a pet means. Luci Johnson was 16 years old when she moved into the White House.
LUCI JOHNSON VO/OC
Unconditioned love. I think when you're, when you're in the White House there's always that issue, does somebody really like me because of me, who I am, what I'm all about. Or, do they have an ulterior motive. Well your puppy dog doesn't have an ulterior motive.
HOST VO
Susan Eisenhower witnessed the problems created by the wrong dog.
SUSAN EISENHOWER VO/OC
You want to avoid the kind of breeds that have a very territorial attitude towards their main relationship. And I say that because in the White House there are so many people who are interacting with the First family. If the breed is, is kind of a jealous type then I think this could cause a lot of trouble.
MUSIC SEGUE
The other consideration for any family adopting
a dog is who will be the pet's primary caregiver.
ANDREA ARDEN OC/VO
The first daughter should definitely play a big part in taking care of their new dog. It's a wonderful way for them to learn responsibility and obviously to get a sense of unconditional love from a little creature that's gonna be with them at all times.
HOST VO
When Dogs 101 continues, the canine choices ahead for the new President.
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MUSIC IN
HOST VO
The President has the pressure of the world on his shoulders and for Barack Obama that means a global economy, national security, and the selection of a dog for his daughters. And like all presidential decisions, there are conflicting opinions. His wife wants a little dog. He wants a big dog.
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
Well from my experience most guys start off wanting a bigger dog. You know, the big manly dog they can play fetch with. But the minute
that they have a small dog in their lap, they're won over. And I think that Obama will be the same way. I would suggest they get a dog who's medium or small if only for the fact that the family's going to be traveling a lot.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
And this major issue has sparked a national debate.
FEMALE IN GRAY SWEATER OC
Goldendoodles are great.
GIRL IN GRAY JACKET OC
I don't think they need a poodle.
MALE IN BLUE JACKET OC
A golden retriever.
FEMALE W/RED SCARF OC
He wants to get a mixed bred dog because he says that represents him.
FEMALE IN RED SHIRT OC
Why order a pet from a breeder when you can save a dog that's in a shelter.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Everyone has an opinion, but the buck or bark stops here. The pure bred poodle which as hair not fur, creates less dander, making it less allergenic. A few other pure bred dogs with hair are the Bichon Frise, the Yorkshire terrier, the Shi Tzu, the Whippet and the soft coated wheaten terrier.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
I would just go for something of a, a medium size. In fact I think a good dog for the Obamas, would be, if it's got to be a pure bred dog would be a poodle.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Another issue to consider designer dogs. Some people thing a designer dog with a funny name like Schnoodle or Labradoodle could be a good option for Malia and her allergies. But exactly what is a designer dog?
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
A designer dog is, is really a designer name for a crossbreed. They call them hybrids so you take something like a, a golden retriever and a poodle and you cross them and you call it a Goldendoodle.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
And some of the poodle designer breeds are.
ANDREA ARDEN VO
Labradoodle. They are very charming. They're beautiful to look at. However, they are unlikely to be less allergenic because Labradors and Golden Retrievers both are two breeds that are very likely to cause a reaction.
HOST VO
What about a Schnoodle?
ANDREA ARDEN VO/OC
Schnoodles are a cross between Schnauzers and poodles. Very, very active in general. They can be less allergenic, but because of the poodle mix, but the Schnauzer in them means that
they're not necessarily going to be a dog that's right for somebody with allergies.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Betsy Saul founder of PetFinder.com says getting the dog from a shelter could be ideal for homeless animals across the country.
BETSY SAUL VO/OC
Adopting a shelter dog is green. It's the ultimate good deed. These are pets that through no fault of their own have ended up in the shelter and they're just waiting.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Today shelter dogs are a different bunch from the old stereotypical pound hounds that nobody wanted. These days there are plenty of purebreds and good old mutts.
ANDREA ARDEN VO
My favorite breed of dog is that little red street dog.
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They're just great dogs. They're the quintessential mutt.
HOST VO
And if you're in the market like the Obamas, experts say the most important feature to look for when picking a dog isn't the color or size, it's matching the lifestyle of the dog to your own.
MUSIC IN
BETSY SAUL VO/OC
And that, that match is really important because if you're a couch potato then I'll want you to find one of the many, many couch potato pets that are out there.
HOST VO
Regardless of the Obama's choice the White House is a great place if you're a dog or a dog owner.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
For one thing the Obamas won't have to worry too much about what to feed the dog.
DR. NICHOLAS DODMAN VO/OC
Well they all eat well in the White House. They get you know, the best that money can buy.
HOST VO
With five full time world-class chefs, the White House kitchen is a pretty palatable place for a dog. But does the chef make the dog's food?
GARY WALTERS OC/VO
Answer is no. The dogs get the prescribed meal that the veterinarians suggest. I won't say that extra treats aren't given from time to time.
WALTER SCHEIB OC/VO
Yeah, I tell you it's hard to, it's hard to resist a dog when they're, when they're asking for something to eat.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
With a residential staff of 90 is there confusion over who takes care of the dogs?
CLAIRE MCLEAN VO/OC
Usually there is one person who's really in charge of the dogs and that's the way it should be.
HOST VO
Dale Haney the White House ground superintendent may be pressed into service to watch the Obama dog. When he's not around the White House engineers are on doggie duty. One night while Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Bush were away, Millie and Ranger got especially down and dirty on the White House lawn.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
And the engineers put a, a sign on their chalkboard, somebody wash these stinking dogs thinking that it was just a joke amongst the engineers.
WALTER SCHEIB OC/VO
Mrs. Barbara Bush came back, saw that, wasn't terribly thrilled by it.
GARY WALTERS VO
And Mrs. Bush said I don’t believe it. Who would call my lovely Millie a stinking dog?
WALTER SCHEIB VO/OC
And boy the embarrassment and the red faces all around for everybody.
HOST VO
Who does wash the stinking dogs?
MUSIC SEGUE
Is there staff White House dog groomer.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
Well there's nobody on the staff at the White House that does grooming. For the most part grooming is done away from the White House.
HOST VO
The presidential pup must look good on the outside and for the inside, is there a staff vet?
GARY WALTERS OC/VO
There is a veterinarian available to the First family if they choose to use them and that's provided by the military. But in most case they've used…
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… a private veterinarian.
HOST VO
With all this top brass care, do the White House dogs have…
HOST VO
… doggie doubles, or Secret Service agents?
MUSIC IN
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
To my knowledge there's never been a double for any of the presidential pets. I can't imagine that there'd be a circumstance that will require that.
MUSIC SEGUE
HOST VO
Whatever the Obama's choose whether it's a purebred, a designer dog or a mutt, the new puppy will have some pretty big paws to fill, but it will have a great time in the White House.
GARY WALTERS VO/OC
Dog will have a good life at the White House and so will the Obamas.
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