Barack and Michelle Obama paid tribute to their dear pup they've had since 2008.
The Obama family is mourning the death of their beloved dog, Bo Obama.
Barack and Michelle Obama shared the sad news on their Instagrams on Saturday, expressing that the family said goodbye "to our best friend" after a battle with cancer. Bo, who was born in October 2008, was 12 years old.
"Today our family lost a true friend and loyal companion. For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives—happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between," the former president wrote alongside a photo slideshow. "He tolerated all the fuss that came with being in the White House, had a big bark but no bite, loved to jump in the pool in the summer, was unflappable with children, lived for scraps around the dinner table, and had great hair. He was exactly what we needed and more than we ever expected. We will miss him dearly."
The former first lady also shared a handful of photos of her family with their treasured Portuguese water dog. Among the snapshots included Bo sitting in the President's chair in the Oval Office, visiting patients at the hospital, on the red carpet and playing with the family.
"This afternoon was a difficult one for our family. We said goodbye to our best friend—our dog, Bo—after a battle with cancer," Michelle began. "On the campaign trail in 2008, we promised our daughters that we would get a puppy after the election. At the time, Bo was supposed to be a companion for the girls. We had no idea how much he would mean to all of us."
Michelle continued by expressing how, for more than a decade, Bo "was a constant, comforting presence in our lives. He was there when the girls came home from school, greeting them with a wag. He was there when Barack and I needed a break, sauntering into one of our offices like he owned the place, a ball clamped firmly in his teeth. He was there when we flew on Air Force One, when tens of thousands flocked to the South Lawn for the Easter Egg Roll, and when the Pope came to visit. And when our lives slowed down, he was there, too—helping us see the girls off to college and adjust to life as empty nesters."
She added that amid the pandemic, when everyone was back home, "no one was happier than Bo. All his people were under one roof again—just like the day we got him. I will always be grateful that Bo and the girls got to spend so much time together at the end."
The Chicago native wrote how thankful they are for Bo's joyful life and how grateful they are for all the love people showed him over the years. She also encouraged others to "hug the furry members of your family a little closer tonight—and give them a belly rub from us," before signing off, "Michelle, Barack, Malia, Sasha, and Sunny." The Obama's pet Sunny joined the family in August 2013.
During the Obama's time in the White House, Bo would attend events with Barack and Michelle. He even upstaged the former first lady as she prepared to read 'Twas The Night Before Christmas to the patients at Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C. back in 2012, graced the 2012 family Christmas card, and stole the spotlight at another holiday event.
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