Pete (Theodore Roosevelt's dog)

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 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 Corelyou 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]