--- title: "Barack and Michelle Obama announce the death of Sunny: the Portuguese Water Dog lived with the family for more than 13 years" description: "Barack and Michelle Obama announced the death of Sunny, a Portuguese Water Dog who lived with the family for more than 13 years, including years in the White House. The couple shared their memories on Instagram." date: 2026-09-16T15:22:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/obama-family-announces-death-of-sunny-portuguese-water-dog tags: [obama-family, white-house-pets, sunny-the-dog, portuguese-water-dog, us-politics] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Barack and Michelle Obama announce the death of Sunny: the Portuguese Water Dog lived with the family for more than 13 years ![Barack and Michelle Obama with their Portuguese Water Dog Sunny greeting Pope Francis](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/17/obamy-soobshchili-o-smerti-sobaki-sanni/obamy-soobshchili-o-smerti-sobaki-sanni-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Barack and Michelle Obama announced on Instagram the death of their dog Sunny, calling her a "dear member of the family." - Sunny, a Portuguese Water Dog, joined the family in 2013 and lived with them for more than 13 years, including time in the White House. - Despite her breed, Sunny did not like water; after Bo's death in May 2021, she remained the family's main pet. Barack and Michelle Obama have publicly announced the death of their beloved pet Sunny — a Portuguese Water Dog who became part of the family during the American leader's second presidential term. The couple published a joint farewell message on Instagram, accompanied by a series of photos of Sunny from different years. "Yesterday we lost a dear member of our family," they wrote, emphasizing that the four-legged companion had been by the side of Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha for more than 13 years. ### How Sunny came to the White House According to the family, Sunny arrived at the Obamas' home in 2013, when Barack Obama began his second presidential term. She joined Bo — the family's first dog, who was also a Portuguese Water Dog. As the couple recalls, all members of the family, including Bo, immediately fell in love with the new addition, and from then on she accompanied them both in the White House and after the end of the presidential term. ### Temperament and funny habits In their farewell message, the Obamas describe Sunny as a very active and energetic dog. In the White House, they say, she would leap over the hedges on the South Lawn, chasing squirrels, birds and anything that moved. At the same time, she had one comical quirk: despite belonging to the Portuguese Water Dog breed, Sunny did not like water. The family also notes that the dog loved spending time with people and was especially devoted to the family. ### Sunny and Bo: the bond between two dogs Bo held a special place in Sunny's life. The Obamas' first dog passed away in May 2021 after a battle with cancer. After his death, Sunny remained the family's main pet. In their farewell post, the couple wrote that they would miss Sunny terribly and "picture her now with her older brother, making sure he is okay." ### Sunny in the official life of the White House During Barack Obama's presidency, Sunny and Bo regularly appeared in official White House photos, took part in holiday events and accompanied the family members. The dog could be seen next to the Obama daughters — Malia and Sasha — as well as at the traditional Easter and Christmas events at the residence. One of the most famous shots is a photograph in which Barack and Michelle Obama, together with Pope Francis, pet Sunny during the pontiff's visit to the White House. ### Farewell to a "dear member of the family" In the final part of their message, the Obamas call Sunny loyal, affectionate and always ready for new adventures, noting that she remained energetic until her last days. Thus, the family said goodbye to one of its most cherished "members," who had been by their side in the most important moments of their lives for more than 13 years. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Obama family announces loss: their beloved dog Sunny has died](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/stars/rodina-obam-povidomila-vtratu-pomerla-yihnya-1789571625.html) - Ссылка на совместный пост Обам в Instagram: смерть Санни, появление в семье в 2013 году, более 13 лет рядом, характер, смерть Бо в мае 2021 года, участие в официальных мероприятиях Белого дома. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Who is Sunny and when did she join the Obama family? **A:** Sunny is a Portuguese Water Dog who joined the Obama family in 2013, at the beginning of Barack Obama's second presidential term, and lived with them for more than 13 years. ### Q: Why didn't Sunny like water if she is a Portuguese Water Dog? **A:** The family notes this as a funny quirk: despite belonging to the Portuguese Water Dog breed, Sunny did not like water. ### Q: What happened to the family's first dog, Bo? **A:** Bo, the Obamas' first dog, died in May 2021 after a battle with cancer; after that, Sunny remained the family's main pet.