Barack Obama mourns death of 'fiery and gorgeous' White House dog Sunny aged 13

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Barack Obama announced on Wednesday that Sunny, the Portuguese Water Dog who spent eight years in the White House, died on Tuesday aged 13. The former president wrote on social media that the family had "lost a cherished member of our family" and that she was "still fiery and gorgeous till the very end of her days." Sunny joined the Obamas in 2013 at the start of his second term and met dignitaries including Pope Francis during her time in the White House.

Obama said Sunny was a "force of nature" who leapt over the South Lawn hedges chasing squirrels and "hated getting wet" despite being a water dog.

Sunny had her share of White House mishaps — knocking over two-year-old Ashtyn Gardner at a Christmas event and biting a friend of daughter Malia days before the family left office in 2017.

Obama said he imagines Sunny is now with Bo, the family's first dog who died in 2021, "making sure he's okay."