Best Friends: Bo and Sunny It is said that a dog makes a house a home. This is what happened to the Obama family in 2009 when they got their dog, Bo. Bo was a gift for the Obama family, given by Senator Edward Kennedy and his wife. President Obama had promised his daughters, Photo Credit: Pete Souza Pete Credit: Photo Malia and Sasha, that they could have a dog after he became President. Bo is a Portuguese water dog. This breed was selected for the Obama family because of the breed’s reputation for being hypoallergenic. President Obama’s daughter Malia is said to have allergies, so Bo was a good fit for the family. They named him Bo as a connection to Mrs. Obama’s father who had gone by the name “Diddley.” (Bo Diddley was a famous singer.) A few years after the Obama family got Bo, they decided to add another dog to their family. They adopted another Portuguese water dog. They named her Sunny because of her cheerful disposition. Sunny and Bo were very busy dogs while living at the White House. They were often requested at events and were frequently seen running around the grounds of the White House. Mrs. Obama had to approve Bo and Sunny’s schedules every month. Their official duties included visiting Walter Reed and Children’s National Medical Center and greeting guests at the annual Easter Egg Roll. Bo and Sunny left the White House with the Obama family in 2017.