Sunny, the Portuguese water dog who lived in the White House during Barack Obama's second term, has died at the age of 14, the former president announced Wednesday in an Instagram post.
Obama, the 44th president of the United States, shared the news alongside a series of photographs, one of which showed the family and Sunny meeting Pope Francis in 2015. Sunny joined the family during Obama's second term, which ran from 2013 to 2017.
In the post, Obama described Sunny as a "force of nature" who was "athletic and full of boundless energy," according to TMZ.com. He wrote that she would easily leap over hedges on the White House's South Lawn and chase "squirrels, birds and anything else that moved," TMZ.com reported.
Obama also noted that while the family's first dog, Bo, always enjoyed a good treat, the way to Sunny's heart was to run around and roll on the floor with her, as well as rub her belly.
Sunny was cherished by Obama's two daughters, Sasha and Malia, even when they bothered the dog while she was sleeping, according to the post. Obama recalled that Sunny was "fiercely protective" of Bo, who was not always as alert or attentive as she was.
Obama acknowledged that Sunny "had her eccentricities," including a preference for dogs over humans and a habit of loudly slurping when she drank.
He concluded the tribute by writing, "We will miss her terribly, and imagine she's with her big brother now, making sure he's okay." Bo died in 2021 after a battle with cancer.
Sunny was 14 years old.
About the Author
Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a pop culture junkie and loves to share what's happening in Hollywood and what trends are taking the world by storm.
