Like many Presidents before him, President Herbert Hoover was a dog lover. One of the Hoovers’ many dogs was a German shepherd named Pat, who was not quite as well-known as his counterpart, King Tut!
Pat was a gift to President Hoover in May of 1930 from Captain Charles J. Mabbutt of Fort Benning, GA. Pat was intended to replace another German shepherd who had recently passed away, the famous King Tut.
Like his predecessor, Pat liked patrolling the White House grounds, making sure all was as it should be. While he was there, he enjoyed the title of “#1 Dog” wearing the ceremonial number one on his collar, according to Time magazine. Pat did have one quirk – he was known for his ability to open doors while he was on patrol through the White House!
After the Hoovers’ presidency ended, Pat retired with them to Palo Alto, where he enjoyed long walks with the former President and quietly lived out the rest of his days.