Dog Days at the White House Trivia Quiz

Answer: Airedale terrier

"Happy Birthday to you, Laddie Boy" may or may not have been sung at Laddie Boy's White House birthday party. However, all the neighboring dogs were said to have been invited. A dog biscuit birthday cake was served. Airedales are most often referred to as the "King of Terriers". Surely this was a birthday party fit for a king?

Answer: Border collie (cross breed)

Amy Carter, the president's daughter, was given Grits by her public school teacher. For an unknown reason, the dog had a short stay and was returned to her teacher. Amy did have a Siamese cat during the Carter Administration. Aside from their excellent ability to be trained as sheep herding dogs, Border collies are frequently entered in Frisbee competitions and are frequent winners in that sport.

Answer: Collie

Collies come in six different colors, with the sable and white coloration of Lassie being the most familiar. White collies such as Rob Roy, President Coolidge's dog, are rare and have white bodies and patches on their heads which can be blue, sable, tri or sable merle.

President Coolidge also had another dog named Primrose Prim. In addition, "Silent Cal" had a collection of pets which included a donkey, canaries, a mockingbird, a raccoon, and a goose. The White House official portrait of First Lady Grace Coolidge, depicts her standing with her hand on the head of Rob Roy who sits beside her.

Answer: St. Bernard

Rollo, a Saint Bernard, was one of the pets that President Roosevelt moved into the White House along with his wife and six children. Rollo was a popular breed of dog in this era. The Saint Bernard Club to which Rollo could have belonged was founded shortly after the 1884 establishment of the American Kennel Club.

The St. Bernard has a forebear who is famous for its exploits, just as Teddy Roosevelt is famous for his. This guardian breed of dog is native to the Swiss and Italian Alps. Barry or sometimes referred to as Berry, an early 18th century St. Bernard, is said to have saved forty to one hundred lives at The St. Bernard Pass. Barry's body was preserved and is in the Natural History Museum in Berne, Switzerland.

Answer: Cocker spaniel

Feller was a Cocker spaniel who enjoyed the grounds of the White House for over four years. Vice President Harry Truman, his wife, Bess, and their young adult daughter, Margaret occupied the White House after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the unpredicted turn of events with Truman's defeat of Thomas E. Dewey in the 1948 Presidential election.

The President Truman's dog, Feller, seemed a good choice to accompany the family to the White House. According to reviews of this sporting breed, Cocker spaniels seem best suited for older children or adult families. President Harry Truman also had advice about dogs as he has been quoted as saying: "If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog."

Answer: Labrador retriever

The Labrador retriever, a member of the gun group, was first known as the St. John water dog. Bill Clinton's dog, Buddy, was a chocolate Labrador retriever. It seems President Clinton made a good choice for the breed of dog he chose for a pet. In Stanley Coren's book, "Intelligence of Dogs", the Labrador Retriever is ranked seventh in intelligence. Bill Clinton after graduating from Georgetown University was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University, England. Among other brown colored dogs are the singing dog of New Guinea, the German long haired pointer, and the American staghound.

Answer: Weimaraner

It may have been about "I like Ike" but it seems that President Eisenhower's Weimaraner, Heidi, was also very popular with her owner and the public. In a letter to a Mr. Arthur Summerfield, Jr. dated January 27, 1958, President Eisenhower writes: "Heidi is definitely an asset to life in the White House. She cavorts on the South Lawn at a great rate, with such important projects as chasing squirrels and investigating what might be under bushes. She is beautiful and well-behaved (occasionally she tends toward stubbornness but is then immediately apologetic about it). And she is extremely affectionate and seemingly happy. I am constantly indebted to you both for giving her to me .. ".

Following his two terms as President, the Eisenhowers took Heidi with them to their farm in Gettysburg, Pa.

Answer: King Charles spaniel

Once bred by royalty for hunting, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel is now considered more of a lap dog. The Cavalier King Charles spaniel is also known as the English toy spaniel. Royal owners of this breed have included Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. There are many photos of the Reagans with their pets one including President Reagan with Lucky walking in the Rose Garden with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The other photo posted by the courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is that First Lady Nancy Reagan standing on the White House Lawn with Rex beside her.

Answer: Belgian shepherd

King Tut, White House pet of President Herbert Hoover, was a Belgian shepherd, or as it is also known a Belgian sheepdog; however the American Kennel Club since 1960 now recognizes this breed as a Tervuren. The Belgian sheepdog is noted to be a good herder, watchdog, and companion. During World War II, the Belgian shepherd was an ambulance dog. President Hoover also had two fox terriers, and an Irish wolfhound named Patrick.

Answer: Golden retriever

Gerald Ford, who became President of the United States after the resignation of Richard M. Nixon, occupied the White House with his wife, Betty. His dog, Liberty, a golden retriever, was his companion during that time. The golden retriever bred for hunting waterfowl and easily trained to retrieve and carry back in their mouths the hunter's conquests.

The golden retriever is a highly intelligent dog with the ability to be trained as guide dogs for the blind and the deaf as well as being used as search and rescue dogs.

In 1975, Gerald and Betty Ford donated one of Liberty's puppies to the Guide Dog Association of the Blind.