Pete (Theodore Roosevelt's dog)

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Pete
SpeciesDog
BreedBull terrier (conflicting reports)
DiedOctober 1910
OccupationPresidential pet
OwnerTheodore Roosevelt and his family[1]

Pete was a pet dog belonging to United States president Theodore Roosevelt. He was one of many presidential pets during Roosevelt's presidency.[1] He was reported to be a bull terrier, though other reports have said he was a Boston bull terrier or bulldog.[1]

Pete was reported to be Theodore Roosevelt's favorite of his dogs.[2]

Pete chased and bit a number of people on numerous occasions during his time living at the White House. He bit policemen on a number of occasions.[2] In a biting incident, Pete tore the trousers of Secretary of the Interior James Rudolph Garfield.[2] In another incident, Pete was reported to have chased George B. Cortelyou, causing Cortelyou to seek refuge by climbing a tree.[2] He was also reported to have numerous times chased private citizens visiting the White House.[2] In yet another incident, Pete tore the pants off of Jean Jules Jusserand (ambassador of France to the United States).[1][3][4][5]

In May 1907, Pete got into repeated fights with another dog that would wander onto the White House grounds. These fights left him with serious, even life-threatening, injuries.[6][7]

Pete would be exiled from living at the White House due to his aggressive incidents towards people.[1] He was initially exiled in July 1907, reportedly because Theodore Roosevelt decided not to euthanize the dog following a plea from his son Archibald.[8] He was again exiled in 1908, after he chased a State Department official.[9] He appears to have spent the rest of his days at the Roosevelt's Sagamore Hill estate.[1]

Pete died in October 1910.[2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Theodore Roosevelt's Pete". Presidential Pet Museum. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "SNAP SHOTS". Newspapers.com. The Buffalo Illustrated Sunday Times. October 30, 1910. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  3. ^ "Major's not the only misbehaving White House dog. But don't let that deter you from adopting a shelter pup". NewsChannel 3-12. March 10, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "Presidential Pets". CBS News. CBS Interactive Inc. October 4, 2016. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  5. ^ Kaur, Harmeet (March 10, 2021). "Major's not the only misbehaving White House dog. But don't let that deter you from adopting a shelter pup". CNN. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "WHITE HOUSE PETE LICKED; IS IN HOSPITAL NOD". Newspapers.com. The Pittsburgh Press. May 25, 1907. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  7. ^ "THE PRESIDENT'S BULLDOG ALMOST KILLED BY A MONGREL WANDERER". Newspapers.com. Tucson Citizen. May 15, 1907.
  8. ^ "PETE, WHITE HOUSE BULL PUP OUSTED". news.google.com. The Teldegraph-Herald. July 25, 1907. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "Brindle Pete Sets 'Em Goin', Caught at Last". Newspapers.com. March 16, 1908. Retrieved August 25, 2021.