Barack and Michelle Obama Announce Death of Beloved Family Dog Sunny
Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama announced that their 13-year-old Portuguese Water Dog, Sunny, passed away. Known for her energetic presence during their time in the White House, Sunny spent 13 years with the family, joining them in August 2013 as a companion to their older dog, Bo.
Remembering a White House Resident and Family Companion
According to social media posts shared by both Barack and Michelle Obama on Wednesday, Sunny died after more than a decade as a fixture of the family’s household. “Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family,” the Obamas wrote in a joint statement. Barack Obama noted that they welcomed Sunny at the start of his second term in the White House in August 2013.
The former president described the Portuguese Water Dog as athletic, energetic, and fiercely affectionate. In their shared tributes, the family recalled how Sunny would routinely leap over hedges on the South Lawn, chase squirrels and birds, and demand attention and belly rubs.
Life Alongside Bo and the Obama Daughters
Sunny’s arrival in 2013 made her the second Portuguese Water Dog in the executive mansion, joining Bo, who had arrived in 2009. According to the Obama Foundation and statements cited by ABC News, Sunny grew fiercely protective of Bo as he aged. Bo passed away in May 2021 at age 12 following a battle with cancer.
Beyond her companionship with Bo, Sunny shared close bonds with the former first couple and their daughters, Malia and Sasha. Barack Obama wrote that Sunny loved the girls even when they interrupted her naps. Throughout her public life, Sunny participated in numerous White House traditions, including meeting Pope Francis during his 2015 visit and welcoming the official White House Christmas tree alongside Michelle Obama.
The family’s statement concluded with a nod to that history: “We will miss her terribly, and imagine she’s with her big brother now, making sure he’s okay.”