Politics in the "Woof"-Style

It may seem like an unlikely combination, where dogs meet high-stakes politics. However, in reality, our four-legged companions can do more than just frolic in parks with frisbees; they can also assist world leaders in managing state affairs. Although there is no clearly defined role for them, as every politician utilizes dogs in their own way...

A Dog for Intimidation

Speaking recently at the Yalta European Strategy forum in Kyiv, former U.S. President George W. Bush shared a remarkable story about how Vladimir Putin tried to measure himself up against... dogs. During their first meeting, he mocked his American counterpart for having a Scottish terrier named Barney (Bush Jr. adored this dog and used to bring him along to official meetings during his presidency). Putin surprised him with his unconventional reaction, suggesting that this couldn't be considered a real dog.

Photo: Scottish terrier named Barney of former U.S. President George W. Bush Jr., Source: GWBLibrary

Later, when Bush Jr. visited Moscow, Putin asked, "Would you like to see my dog now?" Without waiting for an answer, he introduced a massive female Labrador named Connie, a gift from the then Russian Minister of Emergency Situations, Sergey Shoigu (who is now the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation and, consequently, a war criminal like his boss). Bush Jr. politely praised Putin's beloved pet, but Putin decided to boast and insinuate why, for instance, people today disrespect him a lot. He declared, "I know for sure that my dog is stronger than your terrier, Barney." Bewildered, Bush Jr. expressed his indignation in this toxic style of dealing with the leader of the United States. But Putin, according to his words, never understood why he had to apologize for anything.

Furthermore, Putin has repeatedly tried to intimidate Western world leaders with his dog. The story of how, in 2007, when hosting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he unexpectedly let his massive black dog into the negotiation room gained widespread attention. It was widely known that Merkel was both afraid of and didn't particularly like dogs (one of them bit her severely in 1995). German diplomats even informed the Russians about this a year before the incident, after Putin, during Merkel's first visit to Moscow in 2006, gave her a soft toy in the shape of a dog as a gift.

Photo: Labrador named Connie owned by dictator Putin, Source: TASS

In short, there was a time when Putin frightened the entire civilized world with his dog, and if someone had explained to him back then (meaning with sanctions) why he shouldn't do that, perhaps today he wouldn't have considered frightening all of humanity with nuclear war. However, Putin and his dog are an exception rather than the rule. Typically, modern politicians use their four-legged companions to showcase their humanity and commitment to friendly relations.

Joe Biden's Tail-Wagging Team

Joe Biden introduced his two German Shepherds, Champion and Major, during the 2020 presidential campaign. At the time, he tweeted, 'Some Americans celebrate #NationalCatDay, some celebrate #NationalDogDay... President Trump celebrates neither. That says a lot. It's time to bring a furry friend back to the White House.' However, with the return of the tradition of U.S. presidents having dogs, the White House also welcomed some animal-related chaos.

Photo: German Shepherd Major owned by Joe Biden, Source: White House

While Champion behaved fairly decently (until he passed away in 2021), Major became known for numerous unpleasant incidents. Even before becoming president, Biden once playfully wrestled with Major, resulting in both of them slipping on the bathroom rug, and Biden himself breaking his foot in the fall. But what Major was most notorious for were his attacks on White House staff and Secret Service agents. He was even sent for canine rehabilitation. However, the dog never quite improved, and by the end of 2021, Biden announced that it would be safer for the 'bitey' dog to live in calmer circumstances with family friends.

Photo: German Shepherd Champion owned by Joe Biden, Source: White House

In exchange, a German Shepherd puppy named Commander moved into the White House. While he was still a puppy, there weren't many problems. However, as he grew up, the new dog followed in his predecessor's footsteps. Last year, Commander managed to bite seven people in the White House within just four months. One of them even had to defend himself from the dog by wielding a chair, and another had to seek medical attention after an altercation with Commander. The Biden family commented on the situation, stating that they were working on improving the protocol for the safe presence of staff around Commander, although it's evident that the 'improvement' in this context is a muzzle.

Photo: German Shepherd Commander owned by Joe Biden, Source: White House

Royal Corgis and More...

Turning our attention to the United Kingdom, the royal corgis have long held the canine spotlight. Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned from 1952 to 2022, had nurtured nearly three dozen corgis during her rule. In 2002, to commemorate her 50-year reign, a coin was even minted featuring one of her beloved corgis. After Queen Elizabeth II's passing, her corgis were transferred to Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah, the Duchess of York. This decision was made because Prince Andrew and his daughters presented the Queen with the last batch of corgi puppies during the lockdown, and the Duchess was the one who selected the puppies as a gift.

Photo: Corgi of Queen Elizabeth II, Source: Wiki

Currently, the top dog in the United Kingdom is a red Labrador Retriever named Nova, owned by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He acquired this dog while still serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer. For a long time, Sunak resisted the idea of having a pet until his daughters, Anushka and Krishna, were introduced to Boris Johnson's dog named Dilyn. Interestingly, Dilyn is a Jack Russell Terrier, just like Patron, the famous Ukrainian canine diplomat and mascot, as well as the search and rescue dog for Ukrainian Ministry of Emergency Situations (could that be why Johnson was so eager to assist Ukraine in the early days of the conflict? Like: they love Jack Russells, and I love Jack Russells - hmm... let's send them more NLAWs).

Photo: Boris Johnson's dog named Dilyn, Source: Twitter

Sunak's daughters persuaded their father to get a dog, and when he agreed, he quickly bonded with Nova even more than the girls did. As for Nova herself, not much is known about her. For instance, it's known that she enjoys eating roasted chicken and napping next to her owner while he works on financial reports for the British people in his Downing Street residence. Unlike Biden's biting dogs, Nova has never attacked people. However, there was one incident where Sunak found himself in an unpleasant situation with her...

Photo: Rishi Sunak's Family with the Dog Nova, Source: Wiki

The British Prime Minister is known for occasionally receiving fines for minor infractions (such as not wearing a seatbelt). In the spring of this year, he was walking Nova in Hyde Park around Serpentine Lake. You might wonder, what's the problem with that? Well, the issue was that there are signs everywhere stating that dogs must be kept on a leash. This is how the British care for ducks and other animals that dogs without leashes tend to chase for fun. A police officer, upon seeing Nova running around freely as she pleased, approached and gave Sunak a warning. He promptly put his Labrador on a leash, and the incident ended. It served as an important lesson for everyone else: the law is the same for everyone.

Nemo, Who Almost Became President

Another notable dog in European politics is Nemo, a Labrador-Griffon mix owned by French President Emmanuel Macron. He received his name in honor of a character from Jules Verne's novel. Interestingly, Labradors have been a part of the lives of all post-war French presidents, except perhaps for Charles de Gaulle, to whom Queen Elizabeth II gifted... well, you know who she gave him. So, when Macron became president in 2017, to uphold this political tradition, he and his wife went to an animal shelter, where they adopted Nemo and brought him to the Élysée Palace. Starting as one of the 100,000 dogs abandoned on the streets each year and then becoming the First Dog of France, Nemo quickly understood his role in his new life...

Photo: Nemo, a Labrador-Griffon owned by French President Emmanuel Macron, Source: Webscreenshot

When Macron contracted COVID-19 in 2020, right when he needed to wish the nation a Merry Christmas, Nemo stepped in to assist. In his video message, he barked in dog language 'woof-woof' (with subtitles, of course!) and urged the French to adopt all shelter animals so they could love them as equal family members for life. Additionally, Nemo threatened new fines for mistreatment of animals and promised to donate 20 million euros to aid shelters.

Many thought that Nemo might become a true politician—perhaps even the next President of France. However, a minor mishap significantly tarnished his reputation as a serious figure. While his owner was conducting a televised meeting with three ministers, Nemo decided to discreetly relieve himself in the fireplace behind their backs. Needless to say, this playful act of mischief immediately grabbed the attention of the president and his government officials, making it quite challenging for them to focus on discussing state affairs once again.

Photo: Schnauzer Pyetya and a Swiss Shepherd Nora owned by President Zelensky's family, Source: Instagram

Patron and President Zelensky's Pets

Previously, we mentioned Patron, the Ukrainian dog who became a superstar during the war. Prior to that, the main dogs in Ukraine were a Miniature Schnauzer named Pyetya and a Swiss Shepherd named Nora, owned by President Zelensky's family. The last time he showcased his pets, he posted a photo of them during his first sports training session in 2022 (before the war). However, shortly after the start of the large-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine, Patron, the dog, began to take center stage in the media space.

Photo: Dog Patron, Source: DSNS

Patron is a decorated dog (he has a medal for faithful service), well-trained, very popular (Ukrposhta even issued a stamp featuring him), and highly valuable in the country's demining efforts. While Patron doesn't belong to any Ukrainian officials (he's more like a national treasure), he knows many European and North American politicians personally. During their visits to Kyiv, he was pampered by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as well as Rishi Sunak, among many others.

Perhaps this is why all the leaders of the civilized world are so eager to help Ukraine. Besides other reasons, Ukraine doesn't frighten them with huge black dogs; instead, it introduces them to its small, sometimes slightly amusing but incredibly cool, useful, and friendly dog.