Obama family dog Sunny dies: ‘a force of nature’

Sunny, who joined the Obama family at the White House in 2013, was the second Obama dog after Bo, who died in 2021

Sunny Obama, the Obama family’s second beloved Portuguese water dog, died on Tuesday, Barack Obama announced on Wednesday morning.

“Yesterday, we lost a cherished member of our family,” the former president wrote on social media, attaching a photo of the 14-year-old dog, whom he called “a force of nature”.

Sunny joined the Obama family at the White House in 2013 during Obama’s second term. She was the second Obama dog after Bo, who died in 2021.

Unlike Bo, Sunny was known for her energetic disposition, occasionally making headlines for her rowdiness – like in 2013 when she knocked over a toddler during a White House holiday party or in 2017 when Sunny allegedly bit a visitor on the face.

“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,” Obama said.

Sunny was born in June 2012 in Michigan but joined the Obamas at the White House in August 2013. She was obtained from a breeder and, upon announcing her arrival, the family made a donation to the Washington Humane Society.

The family chose to name her Sunny to “fit her cheerful personality”.

“We will miss her terribly, and imagine she’s with her big brother now, making sure he’s okay,” Obama wrote.