Sunny (born June 11, 2012) is a pet dog of the Obama family, the 44th presidential family of the United States. Sunny is a female Portuguese Water Dog who was a First Dog of the United States along with Bo.[1] Sunny was introduced via First Lady Michelle Obama's Twitter account on August 19, 2013.[2]
 Sunny in 2013 | |
| Other name(s) | First Dog of the United States |
|---|---|
| Species | Canis lupus familiaris |
| Breed | Portuguese Water Dog |
| Sex | Female |
| Born | June 11, 2012 Lansing, Michigan, United States |
| Known for | Pet of the First family of the United States (first dog) |
| Title | First Dog of the United States |
| Term | August 19, 2013 – January 20, 2017 |
| Predecessor | Barney |
| Successor | Champ and Major |
| Owner | Obama family |
| Appearance | Black |
| Named after | Personality |
Breeding and original owners
editSunny is a purebred Portuguese Water Dog and was selected from a breeder in the Great Lakes area.[3]
Media response
editAlthough Sunny was purchased from a breeder, president of The Humane Society of the United States, Wayne Pacelle, wrote on a blog post, "As we always say in such circumstances, we hope the Obamas considered adoption or rescue as the first choice in obtaining a pet." He further went on to thank the Obama family for making a contribution to the Humane Society in Sunny's name, and helping reduce the suffering of dogs, although he would like the policies to finally become law.[3]
Incidents
editThere have been minor incidents involving Sunny. In 2013, at a Military family arts and crafts event, Sunny knocked over a 2-year-old girl while in front of Michelle Obama. However, the child was unharmed. Sunny was not aggressive to the child, licking her face.[4][5] In January 2017, Sunny reportedly bit a White House visitor on the face, leaving a cut under the visitor's eye, which required stitches. The visitor, who was a teen friend of Malia, was treated by the president's physician Dr. Ronny Jackson.[6][7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Feldmann, Lindie. "New little girl arrives at White House. Meet Sunny Obama. (+video)". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
- ^ Obama, Michelle [@FLOTUS] (August 19, 2013). "So excited to introduce the newest member of the Obama family—our puppy, Sunny! http://at.wh.gov/o4DkW —mo" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Grier, Peter (August 20, 2013). "New White House pup Sunny: Why not a rescue dog?". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
- ^ "How does a two-year-old make news for falling over? When it's at the White House". The Washington Post. December 4, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- ^ Goodin, Emily (December 4, 2012). "Obama dog knocks over toddler". The Hill. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- ^ Evon, Dan (January 13, 2017). "Obama Family Dog Reportedly Bites Visitor". Snopes. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
- ^ Lejeune, Tristan (January 13, 2017). "White House defends Sunny and Bo after biting report". The Hill. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
External links
edit
Media related to Sunny (dog) at Wikimedia Commons
