Sunny, the Obama family’s cherished Portuguese water dog who lived in the White House, has died. She was 14. Barack Obama shared the news in a heartfelt Instagram post on September 16, 2026, describing Sunny as a “force of nature” who was “athletic and full of boundless energy” from the moment she joined the family during his second term. The former president also posted a series of photos, including one of the Obamas and Sunny meeting Pope Francis in 2015.
Obama wrote that Sunny would easily leap over hedges on the White House’s South Lawn and chase “squirrels, birds and anything else that moved.” While the family’s first dog, Bo, always enjoyed a good treat, the way into Sunny’s heart was to run around and roll on the floor with her, or rub her belly. He recalled that she was “fiercely protective” of Bo, who wasn’t always as alert or attentive as she was. The Sunny Obama dead news marks the second loss for the family, following Bo’s death from cancer in 2021.
Sunny was cherished by Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, even when they bothered her while she was snoozing. Barack admitted Sunny “had her eccentricities,” including being more partial to dogs than humans and loudly slurping when she drank. He wrapped up his tribute with: “We will miss her terribly, and imagine she’s with her big brother now, making sure he’s okay.” Sunny is survived by the Obama family, who adopted her in 2013 after Senator Ted Kennedy’s family bred Portuguese water dogs.
