Barack Obama has broken his silence after the death of the Obama family dog, Sunny.
The former president, 63, shared the news in a lengthy statement posted to X on Saturday, confirming the Portuguese Water Dog died at age 13. Sunny joined the family during Obama’s second term in the White House, arriving as a companion to the family’s first dog, Bo.
“Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family,” Obama wrote on the platform formerly known as Twitter. He described how the entire household, Bo included, had “immediately fallen in love” with the energetic puppy. “We also had trouble keeping up with her, for Sunny was a force of nature,” he continued. “Athletic and full of boundless energy, she leapt over the hedges on the South Lawn like they weren’t even there, chasing squirrels, birds and anything else that moved.”
Obama drew a sharp contrast between his two dogs’ personalities. “Whereas the way to Bo’s heart usually involved a treat, Sunny was more interested in having us run around with her, roll on the floor with her, or have her belly rubbed for as long as we were willing,” he wrote.
The former president noted Sunny’s particular bond with his daughters, Malia and Sasha, though they occasionally annoyed her. “She loved the girls,” he wrote, “despite them pestering her when she was napping.” Sunny also developed attachments to the White House staff, often trailing them during work hours. “She loved our team, and would often follow them around, helping them on the job,” Obama shared.
He recalled her protective instincts toward Bo, the older dog who died in 2021. “She was fiercely protective of Bo, who she rightly sensed wasn’t always as alert and attentive as she was,” Obama wrote.
Among Sunny’s quirks, Obama mentioned her social preferences and drinking habits. She “preferred people to dogs” and was a “loud and sloppy drinker,” he noted. Yet these traits only endeared her further. “As far as our family was concerned, she was pretty much perfect,” he wrote, “and 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.”
Obama closed his tribute with a final farewell. “We will miss her terribly,” he wrote, “and imagine she’s with her big brother now, making sure he’s okay.”
The Obamas acquired Sunny in August 2013 from a breeder in Michigan, selecting the breed partly for its hypoallergenic qualities beneficial to Malia’s allergies. The dog became a familiar sight around the White House grounds, her black coat often visible during outdoor events and her energetic dashes across the South Lawn frequently drawing attention from staff and visitors alike. After leaving Washington in 2017, Sunny continued living with the family, aging into her teenage years as the Obamas settled into post-presidential life.
Sunny’s death follows Bo’s passing in May 2021, which the family also announced via social media. Michelle Obama had written at the time that Bo was “a constant, gentle presence in our lives” after more than a decade with the family.
The Obamas have maintained residences in Washington, D.C. And Martha’s Vineyard since leaving the White House.