The Dogs Of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln

"George Washington's Home, Mount Vernon"
(C) Allen Pearson

WOOF! Happy President’s Day! Hope you have a day of fun planned with your family and friends! BARK! Be certain to take your dog along! WOOF!

Paws, I thought it would be interesting to share a bit about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s dogs. While researching information for this article, I found quite a bit of detail about the dogs in their lives!

Barkingly, George Washington had many dogs while at Mount Vernon. The dogs were owned by George and Martha Washington, grandchildren, friends, and slaves who lived on the estate.

I have to pawnder what type or breed or kind of dogs George Washington would have. After all, this was way back in the good old days. I’m thinking even further back than Dads childhood days. So am guessing the dogs didn’t have the best of everything like we dogs often do today.

"George Washington's Home,
 Mount Vernon"
(C) Allen Pearson

My inquisitive doggy mind determined to learn more, found that the Mount Vernon estate was host to a wide variety of pawsome dogs from nearly every group recognized by the American Kennel Club including Hounds to Non-sporting Dogs to Sporting Dogs to Terriers to Working Dogs. Washington kept a kennel for his dogs about 100 feet away from the family vault.

Barks, a pawful and more says Washington’s dogs were used dogs for hunting. He is often credited by the American Kennel Club with helping to develop the American Foxhound breed!

Barkingly, throughout the years, Washington acquired or was given a “Coach Dog,” a Spaniel, Terriers, and a Newfoundland. “Coach Dog?” The term refers to a type of dog rather than a specific breed. It could have been a Dalmatian as it often referred to as a breed of white dog with black spots. WOOF!

When Washington traveled, he left instructions for the butler to care for the dogs. WOOF!  When one of the dogs was expecting a litter of pups, Washington’s butler was in attendance! BARKS!

According to the pawsome website www.mountvernon.org, barkingly, the most hilarious story of  Washington’s having dogs in the home occurred with their dog, the beloved French Hound Vulcan!  “The mischievous Vulcan ambled into the Mount Vernon kitchen on the very day Mrs. Washington had ordered a fine ham for dinner. Excited about this menu, Vulcan sunk his teeth into the savory prize and carried it cleanly away as the kitchen servants chased after him.” WOOF! Can’t say I blame him- I did that with a chicken! BARK! 

"Site of Abraham Lincoln's Boyhood Home"
(C) Joe Shlabotnik, Flickr Creative Commons

Barks! Abraham Lincoln had a dog named “Fido!” He was a yellow mixed breed who seemed to be Lincoln’s companion too. He went everywhere Lincoln went! Fido could be found waiting outside a barber while Lincoln got a trim! Or, you would often see Fido carrying packages from the market back to the house- Dad, don’t get any ideas!

Barkingly, when Lincoln was elected President, the noises of the local celebration, booming cannons, loud fireworks, ringing church bells, and the excitement of the community proved to terrify Fido and be too much for him. This caused Lincoln to make arrangements for Fido to stay with a family friend, John Roll and his family. Barkingly, the friend promised to return Fido to them when they returned from Washington.

WOOF, Fido had the run of the Lincoln household. Bark, like me at mine! When Lincoln left him with the Rolls, he specified that Fido was to be all to come into the Roll family home, even if his paws were muddy and not be scolded.  ARF! Since the Lincolns shared table scraps with Fido at mealtime, the Rolls should do the same. BARK! Fido had a favorite sofa which was taken to the Roll home too!

When Lincoln was assassinated, the Roll family brought Fido along with them to the Lincoln family home in Springfield to pay respects! Ironically, a  few years later, Fido was being his pawsome playful self with a drunk man who in a drunken rage, thrust a knife into him. Fido met the same fate as his pawsome master, Assassination!

Barks! However you celebrate President’s Day, may it be a blessed one! BARKS!

"Lincoln's Home in Springfield, Illinois"
(C) Matt Turner, Flickr Creative Commons

Barks! Happy President's Day

Used by Permission, GraphicStock

BARKS!  In honor of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln whose birthdays we celebrate on this pawsome holiday, I have collected a few interesting facts about each which you probably don't know-

George Washington: 

• He is the only president in American history was was unanimously elected!

• He kept and bred many hunting hounds!  WOOF!! WOOF!!! Known as the "Father of the American Foxhound." He had more than 30 of the dogs. 

• Washington didn't have to wear a wig.  He had real hair which was powdered.  

• He is the only president to have actually gone into battle while serving as President.

• In 1976. he was posthumously rewarded the highest rank in the American military ever!  General of the Armies of the United States!

• Washington's birthday is a bit confusing. He was born on February 11, 1731.  Barkingly, a switch to the Gregorian calendar from the Julian calendar caused his birthday to be moved eleven days,  WOOF!  Since the day fell before the old date for New Year’s Day, but after the new date for New Year’s Day, his birth year was changed to 1732. WOOF!!! 

Abraham Lincoln:

• Have you ever been to the White House and seen the Lincoln Bedroom or heard of it?  BARKS!! Lincoln never slept there!  Though one of the most famous rooms in the White House, it was an office during his Presidency.  During the Truman Administration, it was renovated and the Lincoln Bedroom which still features a few pieces of furniture from his day.

• Earlier in the day before he was shot, Lincoln had created the U.S. Secret Service in 1865, but not for what you think! BARKS! It's original mission was to combat currency counterfeiting.  After the killing of two presidents, in 1901 the Secret Service was assigned to protect the president.

• In Illinois, Lincoln was often seen with his dog Fido as he did errands to the local market or to get his hair cut. Fido was a floppy-eared, rough-coated, yellowish dog of uncertain ancestry. Despite his love and companionship, and his son's attempts to change his mind, Fido wasn't taken to the White House!  Lincoln was concerned the travel, noise and confusion would be too much for the great dog! Family friends cared for the dog instead. Pawsingly, it wasn't long before another dog, Jip, joined the family in the White House- along with a host of other animals!! BARKS!!! Lincoln was fond of cats too! 

• Lincoln was a fan of John Wilkes Booth who was quite the acclaimed actor in his day!  Nowadays, Booth is universally remembered as Lincoln’s assassin.

• Lincoln is the only president to have obtained a patent. Lincoln loved tinkering with machines. After being on a steamboat which ran aground on low shoals causing it to unload its cargo, Lincoln designed a method for keeping vessels afloat when traversing shallow waters through the use of empty metal air chambers attached to their sides. For his design, Lincoln obtained Patent No. 6,469 in 1849.

• BARKS! Why did Lincoln have a beard?  At the meows of an 11-year-old Grace Bedell, an 11-year from Westfield, New York, Lincoln began to grow his signature beard.  She wrote him a letter advising ti let the whiskers grow as it would serve him well.  She thought his face was too thin.  The two met during his campaign trail stop in Westfield!  Later the future president thanked the girl for her advice!