Former US President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced the death of his family's pet dog, Sunny, describing her as “a force of nature” and paying tribute to the beloved pet. Obama said the family had “lost a cherished member of our family.”
In a post on X, Obama recalled several memories of Sunny, who joined the Obama family at the start of his second term in the White House. “Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family,” Obama wrote.
“We got Sunny at the start of our second term in the White House, and all of us – including our first dog, Bo – immediately fell in love. We also had trouble keeping up with her, for Sunny was a force of nature,” he added.
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Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 16, 2026
We got Sunny at the start of our second term in the White House, and all of us – including our first dog, Bo – immediately fell in love. We also had trouble keeping up with her, for Sunny was a force of nature. Athletic and… pic.twitter.com/UBHQILb4BG
Describing Sunny as athletic and energetic, Obama recalled how she would leap over the hedges on the South Lawn while chasing squirrels, birds and anything else that moved.
He also recalled how Sunny enjoyed playing with the family. “And 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,” Obama wrote.
Obama said Sunny was particularly fond of his daughters and the family's team, often following staff members around as they worked. “She loved the girls, even if they were pestering her when she was napping. She loved our team, and would often follow them around, helping them on the job,” he wrote.
“She was fiercely protective of Bo, who she rightly sensed wasn't always as alert and attentive as she was,” Obama added.
The former president also shared some of Sunny's quirks. “Other than Bo, she preferred people to dogs; she was a loud and sloppy drinker; and despite being a Portuguese Water Dog, she hated getting wet,” he wrote.
Despite her eccentricities, Obama said Sunny was “pretty much perfect” for the family and was by their side for 13 years.
“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,” he wrote.
The Obama family's other Portuguese Water Dog, Bo, died in 2021. Remembering both pets, Obama concluded, “We will miss her terribly, and imagine she's with her big brother now, making sure he's okay.”
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