It's farewell to Buddy and howdy to First Dog Spot

WASHINGTON - When George W. Bush is sworn in as United States President in January, not only will a son of a former President take up residence in the White House, but the offspring of a First Dog will too.

It's farewell to Buddy, the chocolate labrador who shared many a photo opportunity with President Bill Clinton, and hello to Spot, a feisty English springer spaniel born in the White House when Bush's father was President.

The mansion and its grounds have a long and exotic history as a home to animals including alligators, grizzly bears and racoons.

The Bush animal dynasty connection, however, is a historical first, according to Ron Elmore of Kansas State University, an expert on presidential pets.

"As far as I know the closest was when Warren Harding had an airedale, Laddie Boy, whose half-brother Laddie Buck lived with Calvin Coolidge," he said.

In this nation of dog lovers, a canine companion has been an ally to those seeking a relaxed, caring or warmer image.

Presidential pets affected the course of US history, Elmore said. Two of the most famous examples were Franklin Roosevelt's scottie, and Richard Nixon's cocker spaniel. Both were credited with winning elections for their owners.

Roosevelt was under fire from Republicans for turning around a destroyer at taxpayer's expense to return to the Aleutian Islands where his dog, Fala, had been left behind. Roosevelt said he could take the criticism but caused laughter and secured victory by saying the dog was "furious."

Nixon, aiming to be Vice-President in 1952, won a powerful wave of political support by saying the only gift he had ever accepted was Checkers, "a little black-and-white cocker spaniel puppy."

But playing the presidential pet can backfire.

Lyndon B. Johnson picked up his beagles, Him and Her, by their ears in front of photographers so they could get a better shot but his action provoked a storm of cruelty accusations.

Elmore estimated that the White House, which used to have stables and pets for food-providing farm animals, had been home to more than 400 animals. Until 1921, Presidents rode horses to the inauguration ceremony.

Thomas Jefferson kept grizzly bears in a cage while under John Quincy Adams, an alligator briefly occupied the East Room.

Martin Van Buren reluctantly relinquished to the nation a pair of tiger cubs, given to him by the Sultan of Oman, after Congress intervened.

Calvin Coolidge, so quiet he was known as "Silent Cal," had no trouble communicating with animals and gifts to him included a wallaby, a pair of lion cubs, an antelope and a pigmy hippo. Most went to the zoo but one of his favourite pets was a racoon.

- REUTERS

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