Obamas' 'Fiery and Gorgeous' Dog Sunny Dies at 13
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By Gabriela Pomeroy
Published 6 hours ago
The Obamas' beloved pet dog Sunny has died after 13 years with the family, Barack Obama has announced.
"Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family," the former US president wrote on X, describing her as a loyal dog who was "pretty much perfect" and always by their side.
The family had two Portuguese Water Dogs in the White House. They adopted Sunny at the beginning of Obama's second presidential term in 2013.
Sunny met many high-profile visitors while Obama was president, from foreign dignitaries to Pope Francis.
Their other dog, Bo, joined the family in 2009 as a gift for daughters Sasha and Malia to help them settle into the White House. Bo died in 2021.
Obama described their first encounter with Sunny:
"We immediately fell in love."
He continued, highlighting her energetic and affectionate nature:
She was "full of boundless energy," he wrote, "leap[ing] over the hedges on the South Lawn like they weren't even there."
Sunny most enjoyed "running around with her, rolling on the floor with her, or having her belly rubbed for as long as we were willing."
"She loved the girls, even if they were pestering her when she was napping. She loved our team, and would often follow them around, helping them on the job."
Obama added a whimsical detail:
"She was a loud and sloppy drinker" who hated getting wet.
"For thirteen years, she would be by our side – always loyal, always sweet, always ready for adventure, still fiery and gorgeous till the very end of her days."
The family is devastated by her loss and remembers her as now being with her "big brother" Bo.