The Obamas’ beloved family dog, Sunny, has died.
Former president Barack Obama announced that the Portuguese water dog, who joined the first family during Obama’s second term in the White House, died Tuesday at the age of 13.
Barack and Michelle welcomed Sunny as a companion to their other Portuguese water dog, Bo, in 2013 as their two daughters, Sasha and Malia, grew up. Bo died of cancer in 2021 after 12 years with the family.
Obama wrote in a social media post Wednesday: “Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family. 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 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. 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.”
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
Obama shared that Sunny loved Sasha and Malia, “even if they were pestering her when she was napping,” as well as the former president’s staffers.
“She was fiercely protective of Bo, who she rightly sensed wasn’t always as alert and attentive as she was,” Obama continued. “She had her eccentricities: 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 concluded: “But as far as our family was concerned, she was pretty much perfect, 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. We will miss her terribly, and imagine she’s with her big brother now, making sure he’s okay.”
Bo and Sunny were famous for their White House appearances, and often made cameos during public events. Michelle later said that the two dogs were so popular that they had their own official White House schedules.
“I would do briefing requests for them,” the former first lady joked on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2018. “They had to get my permission but I would find – in my briefing book, it would be: ‘Can Bo and Sunny stop by this press event at 2.30pm?’ There would be a time and I had to approve of it.”
