Dogs are truly a man or a woman’s best friend – regardless of their profession. Fact is, no matter how difficult a person’s job is, his or her life becomes easier with the company of his or her dogs.
Just imagine the life of a politician who does not only have to worry about his personal concerns, but also the concerns of other people. Just imagine how much stress this person has to endure the minute he wakes up in the morning until the time he heads off to bed.
However, none of the world’s cruelties can ever impact politicians as much if they come home to their adorable furry companions. With just one look, bark or the wag of a tail, all of the days’ stresses immediately falter away.
Here are eight famous politicians who are also self-confessed dog lovers.
1. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Koni
Russian President Vladimir Putin fondly takes care of his black Labrador named Koni. President Putin received Koni as a gift from his General of the Russian Army way back in 2000.
The dog has gained popularity even among President Putin’s colleagues because she is known for barging in their meetings spontaneously. At the age of 14, Koni is still considered healthy even though she is already 98 years old in human years.
2. US President Barack Obama and Bo
President Barack Obama is one of the many other politicians who love dogs. The president of the United States is deeply in love with Bo, a Portuguese water dog that they adopted in 2009.
Bo comes from a hypoallergenic breed of dogs that the president himself chose because his daughter Malia suffered from pet allergies. Ever since the media took photos of Bo and published them online, the dog’s breed immediately became one of the most popular dogs not only in the US, but also across the world.
3. Queen Elizabeth II, Holly, Willow, Vulcan and Candy
Queen Elizabeth II is madly in love with Corgis. Throughout the past 62 years that she has sat on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II has already owned more than 30 of this type of dog.
At the age of 18, Queen Elizabeth II’s mother gifted her with her own Corgi. At present, she has two Corgis named Willow and Holly and two “Dorgis,” a Corgi-Dachshund mix named Candy and Vulcan.
4. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Fala
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s dog Fala was one of the most popular dogs of all time. The Scottish Terrier first moved into the White House during the former president’s reign in 1940.
President Roosevelt and Fala would always travel together, both on personal and professional engagements. Just like Bo, almost everyone within the former president’s circle knew Fala.
5. President Richard M. Nixon and Checkers
Former President Richard M. Nixon previously owned a cocker spaniel named Checkers. Unfortunately, the adorable dog never made it to the White House.
During one of his most difficult years, President Nixon gave a speech to millions of Americans about his humble beginnings. One of the most impactful parts of his speech had something to do with Checkers, eventually resulting to his speech being called “Checkers Speech.” This indicates how close the two really were.
6. President George W. Bush and Barney
President George W. Bush owned a Scottie named Barney. The dog lived inside the White House with the former president throughout his two terms in the office.
One of Barney’s most controversial moments took place in 2008 when he reportedly bit one reporter from Reuters. This news made headlines but all dog lovers across the world understood that Barney may have just had a bad day at that time.
7. President Bill Clinton and Buddy
President Bill Clinton once had a male chocolate-colored Labrador Retriever which he fondly called Buddy. The president brought Buddy to the White House when he was just three months old. He lived for five fruitful years until 2002.
Prior to his death, Buddy had a White House companion, a cat, named Socks. However, the two didn’t really get along well so President Clinton decided to entrust Socks to his former secretary, Betty Currie.
All of these politicians’ dogs, both living and dead, have truly been blessed with a wonderful life that they deserved. They were fed, groomed and cared for 24/7. However, not only politicians can take good care of their dogs. Truth is, just about any other pet owner out there could do the same.
The only thing that pet owners have to remember is that dogs need to be loved all the time. Since dogs are sensitive creatures, they need to be fed well and cared for properly. The easiest and cheapest step into achieving this is by bringing them to Petco for their regular cleaning and check-up.
