President Trump, will you follow other presidents and get a White House dog?
President Barack Obama clutches a football with family dog, Bo, in close pursuit as the two run along the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 12, 2009.
Over President Donald Trump's first 100 days, we're asking him questions that our audience wants answers to. Join the project by tweeting this question to @realDonaldTrump with the hashtag #100Days100Qs.
#78. @realDonaldTrump, will you follow other presidents and get a White House dog? #100Days100Qs
In the first 81 days of his presidency, Donald Trump has had to face many tough questions.
What is the future of American health care?
How exactly does he plan to revamp immigration enforcement?
What does foreign policy look like in the Trump administration?
How will he create jobs and improve the economy?
Naturally, Trump doesn’t make such big decisions on his own. He has the inner circle of his Cabinet, an entire administration, and staff, a crew of trusted advisers — and, of course, his family, some of whom even have official jobs in the White House.
But when it comes to supporting him in the daily grind of running the country, there’s one thing Trump lacks compared to presidents past.
Man’s best friend.
The White House has seen its share of four-legged residents.
Most recently, a pair of Portuguese water dogs named Sunny and Bo took up residence with the Obamas at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
George W. Bush and his family spent their two-term stint in the White House with two Scottish terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley, along with an English springer spaniel named Spot — whose mom, Millie, herself lived in the Oval Office when George H.W. Bush was president.
Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea found their buddy in a labrador retriever — whose name, incidentally, was Buddy.
And that’s just the three most recent presidents who preceded Trump.
In fact, so many American presidents have had canine companions that the Newseum in Washington, DC, hosts a permanent exhibit called “First Dogs: American Presidents and Their Pets.” Those who can’t make it to the nation’s capital, meanwhile, can visit the website of the Presidential Pet Museum and get familiar with the dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, hamsters, ponies and more that have lived at the White House over the years.
President Trump reportedly almost adopted a goldendoodle named Patten. But that plan fell through when Patten’s foster parent grew too attached to the would-be presidential pup and decided to keep him.
It’s not just a matter of tradition. Many reports over the years have pointed to the health benefits of dog ownership, and the American Heart Association has even said that having a furry friend can reduce the risk of heart disease.
President Trump, you won’t know for a few more years if you’ll be elected to a second term, so it’s understandable if you think the White House isn’t the best forever home. Nevertheless, will you join the long list of presidents who have adopted a dog during their time in office?
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