President Donald J Trump has yet to bring a puppy into the White House. And it gets worse. An autobiography written by Trump's ex-wife, Ivana, called Donald 'a non-dog fan.' Ivana also revealed that Donald never really got on with her pet Poodle.
But before you give Donald the downvote, it's worth remembering he's done plenty for pooches during his time as President. In 2019, Trump signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act, making animal cruelty a federal offence. Trump also presented an award to a Belgian Malinois called Conan after the service dog displayed exceptional bravery during a military operation.
Dogs of recent US presidents
Plus, there is one furry member of the Trump family. Her name is Winter, and she lives with Trump's daughter Ivanka.
So what about Joe Biden? Is Trump's fierce rival a dog lover? Well, the answer is a resounding yes. Joe is the proud owner of two pups - Champ the German Shepherd and rescue dog Major. Biden has also promised to bring dogs back into the White House if he's elected - a fact which will surely earn him some votes from US pooch lovers!
If elected, Biden won't be the first pooch-loving President of the USA. Barrack Obama had a pair of furry special advisers during his time in office. They were a fluffy pair of Portuguese Water Dogs called Sunny and Bo.
More presidential pooches
And then there was George W Bush. He had a pet Scottish Terrier. And like his powerful dog dad, the little scamp had a reputation for being a bit mischievous during his younger days. In one incident, the pup snapped at a journalist who was less than complimentary about the sitting President!
Bill Clinton's best friend during his time as President was Buddy the chocolate Labrador. Clinton even gave Buddy a special mention during his 1997 end-of-year speech.
But when it comes to animal-loving leaders of the free world, nobody beats John F. Kennedy. He owned five dogs, a cat, two hamsters, a rabbit, and a stable of horses. Oh yeah, and we almost forgot to mention JFK's pet parrot.
Cute dog pics equal votes
Going back a little further, there's Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The 32nd President of the United States served from 1933 until 1945 and always had his faithful friend Fala nearby.
Herbert Hoover's story proves the political power of a cute pooch picture. Hoover was struggling to win over the public during the 1928 presidential campaign. But all that changed after the press shared a photo of Hoover with his Belgian Shepherd King Tut. Hoover won by a landslide and remained President until 1933.
Some historians say the image only played a small part in Hoover's victory, but dog lovers like us know better than that!
So who will US dog owners vote for this year? The pooch owning Biden or the man who made America a safer place for dogs? We'll find out soon enough!
