Sunny, the Obama family’s Portuguese water dog who lived in the White House, has died aged 14, Barack Obama has announced.
The former US president shared the news in an Instagram post, remembering the dog’s place in the family after she joined them during his second term in office, between 2013 and 2017.
Sunny was described by Mr Obama as a “force of nature”, “athletic and full of boundless energy”. She would leap over hedges on the White House’s South Lawn and chase “squirrels, birds and anything else that moved”.
She was also closely bonded with Bo, the family’s other dog, who died in 2021 after a battle with cancer. Mr Obama said Sunny was “fiercely protective” of Bo, who was not always as alert or attentive as his companion.
While Bo could be won over with a treat, Mr Obama said Sunny preferred running around, rolling on the floor and having her belly rubbed. She was cherished by his daughters, Sasha and Malia, even when they disturbed her while she was sleeping.
Mr Obama said Sunny “had her eccentricities”, including a preference for dogs over people and a habit of loudly slurping when she drank. One photograph shared with the announcement showed the family with Sunny meeting Pope Francis in 2015.
Paying tribute to the dog, Mr Obama wrote: “We will miss her terribly, and imagine she’s with her big brother now, making sure he’s okay.”
