richard nixon

Richard Nixon’s Yorkshire Terrier, Pasha

February 26, 2016 By Presidential Pet Museum

Pasha, a Yorkie, peers out of a window at the White House, Dec. 1, 1970. — Pasha, so far the only known Yorkie presidential pet, peers out of a window at the White House, Dec. 1, 1970.

Pasha, a Yorkshire terrier, belonged to Tricia, one of President Richard Nixon’s daughters. When Tricia first saw Pasha, she immediately fell in love.

Pasha spent much of his time with Tricia Nixon, but was spotted with President Nixon or his wife, Pat, on several occasions.

In 1968, Pasha was with Nixon at the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the March of Dimes. Shortly thereafter, Nixon announced that he would be running for president.

On the day the Nixons moved into the White House, departing President Johnson and his wife arranged for a special greeting, according to President Nixon’s other daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower:

Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson were waiting at the top of the steps. A few feet away were our French poodle Vicky, dressed in a new white jacket trimmed in red, white, and blue, and Pasha, our Yorkshire terrier, his thin hair pulled back from his face by a ribbon. President Johnson had sentimentally arranged for the dogs to be the first to greet us in our new home.”

From left to right, King Timahoe, Pasha, and Vicky "wait for Santa" outside their kennel, Dec. 9, 1970. — From left to right, King Timahoe, Vicky, and Pasha “wait for Santa” outside their kennel, Dec. 9, 1970.

Playing With His Big Brother

During his time in the White House, Pasha enjoyed spending time with the family — which included his much bigger brother, Irish setter King Timahoe. These two could often be spotted playing together in their kennel outside the West Wing or on the White House lawn.

Vicky, the French poodle, would engage in some outdoor play as well, but she was more fond of trying to catch goldfish out of a small pond in the gardens.

President Nixon and Pasha, a Yorkie, meet with David Lupi, the poster child of the National Hearing and Speech Foundation, 1969. — President Nixon and Pasha meet with David Lupi, the poster child of the National Hearing and Speech Foundation, 1969.

“Pasha Passes By”

In early 1974, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, 25, published a children’s story about Pasha — then 6 years old — in the Saturday Evening Post. Her story was titled “Pasha Passes By,” and it imagined “a brief and unsatisfying exploration of the White House” after Pasha escapes from his kennel, according to the Associated Press.

Here’s an excerpt:

Once Pasha had made the hard decision about his friend, he began to dig furiously in the tiny hole he had discovered under his fence a few days before. Large chunks of soil flew out from under his paws. By the time he had enlarged the hole enough to wiggle through, he was thoroughly dirty and happy. With one last glance back at King and Vicky, Pasha popped through the hole under the fence. He was free!”

The Associated Press said the short story launched a new career in writing for the young author.

The Nixons walk their three dogs at Camp David, November 1973. Pasha is on the left.

Bringing a Smile to the President’s Face

It’s clear that the Nixons loved their dogs, and genuinely enjoyed greeting them after any time away. According to dog handler Traphes Bryant: “Tim and Pasha and Vicky are happy, affectionate dogs. And it’s a wonderful thing to see that big smile on the president’s face when he comes home and sees those three running out to meet him.”

Nixon family veterinarian Dr. Colden Boyle agreed with Bryant’s assessment, stating that the family cared very much for their dogs: “They took good care of the animals, and they were concerned. They were affectionate, close with the animals.”

After the Watergate scandal and Nixon’s subsequent resignation in August 1974, the family — dogs included — returned to their home in San Clemente, California.

King Timahoe

January 6, 2014 By Presidential Pet Museum

President Richard Nixon’s lovely Irish setter, King Timahoe, had a bit of a sweet tooth.

A fascinating clip from the NBC Evening News on Jan. 9, 1974 shows the dog sneaking a large piece of the cake during a small surprise party for Nixon’s 61st birthday.

The dog’s sneaky move in front of the camera apparently befuddled the president, because the footage next shows him with frosting all over his jacket.

“A Good Irish Name”

King Timahoe, hamlet in County Kildare, Ireland, where Nixon’s ancestors were from, was a gift from Nixon’s staff in 1969. The staff members had first given Nixon a small model of an Irish setter as birthday gift to represent the puppy to come in a few weeks.

Nixon held off on naming the dog until he met him, explaining that he wanted to “judge his personality” but that it would “certainly be a good Irish name.”

When it comes to dogs, Nixon is usually associated with the cocker spaniel Checkers because he included the dog in a famous televised speech when he ran for vice president in 1952. Checkers never lived in the White House, however.

The family arrived at the mansion with two dogs: daughter Julie’s French poodle, Vicky, and daughter Julie’s Yorkshire terrier, Pasha.

King Timahoe gets a treat from President Nixon for the holidays. Timahoe was born in July 1968.

Life at the White House for “Tim”

King Timahoe, or Tim as he was called, appears to have gotten along well with the smaller dogs. The three of them lived in a heated enclosure and dog run located just behind the West Wing.

Traphes Bryant, who handled the dogs, reported in his book Dog Days at the White House that Nixon’s daughters visited the dogs frequently, and that he was often asked to bring the dogs inside to the family.

The president enjoyed watching the dogs play on the White House grounds, and he told Bryant that he found them to be relaxing. In his book, Bryant mentions a time when King Timahoe went into a full pointer position — body taut, nose stretched outward, one paw raised — as he focused on a bird in a nearby bush. Bryant said Nixon himself stood nearby completely still for about 10 minutes watching the scene until the bird flew away.

Tim could shake paws on command and enjoyed doing so. The good-looking dog provided a popular photo opportunity for visiting dignitaries and heads of state.

King Timahoe lived to be 11 years old; he died in 1979.

(Special thanks to Crane Harkington-Quilly for research assistance.)

Checkers: The Best-Known Presidential Dog to Never Have Lived in the White House

September 19, 2013 By Presidential Pet Museum

Photo courtesy the Richard Nixon Foundation

Every year, September 23 is designated National Dogs in Politics Day, which is also known as Checkers Day. Why Checkers? Because this day is the anniversary of a very famous pre-presidential Richard Nixon speech that introduced America to …

… The Best-Known Presidential Dog to Never Have Lived in the White House.

Although Nixon’s cocker spaniel never lived in the White House, Checkers became quite a celebrity after then-Senator Nixon mentioned the dog in a televised speech on Sept. 23, 1952.

Nixon used the new medium of TV to take his case to the people to deny any alleged misuse of $18,000 in campaign contributions.

The press learned of the fund two months after Gen. Dwight Eisenhower selected Nixon as his running mate, and a controversy developed that threatened the Republican presidential ticket.

In a 30-minute address paid for by the Republican National Committee, Nixon defended himself, outlined his modest financial means and went on the offense against his opponents. The most famous part of the speech, however — and what may have saved his candidacy because of the chord it struck with the American people — was about Checkers.

Richard Nixon's dog Checkers — A year after Nixon’s famous Checkers speech, the family vacations in New Jersey as Checkers frolics. The daughters are Patricia at left, 7 years old, and Julie, 5. National Archives photo dated Aug. 16, 1953.

Nixon explained that no matter what happened as a result of the controversy, his young daughters, Julie and Tricia, were keeping one campaign gift: a black-and-white puppy from a supporter in Texas.

The Checkers speech, as it came to be known, much to Nixon’s chagrin, was the first time a politician used TV to appeal to the voters — though the speech recalled Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech about Fala eight years prior.

Not only did Nixon stay on the ticket, but he and Eisenhower swept the election that November. Nixon, of course, eventually went on to become president and became embroiled in another, much bigger scandal that eventually ended with his resignation.

Photo courtesy Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace.

But what about Checkers? The cocker spaniel lived with the Nixons until he died at the age of 13 in 1964, four years before Nixon was elected president.

Three other dogs romped in the Nixon White House, however:

Nixon reportedly kept a drawer full of dog biscuits in his desk. He enjoyed watching the dogs play and often requested that the dogs be let outside at dinnertime so that he could watch them while he dined on the Truman balcony.

In honor of National Dogs in Politics Day, here is an excerpt from the Checkers speech:

President Nixon’s French Poodle, Vicky

July 22, 2013 By Presidential Pet Museum

Richard Nixon's dogs Pasha (left), Vicky (middle), and King Timahoe peer out of a White House window, Dec. 1, 1970. — From left, Pasha, Vicky, and King Timahoe peer out of a White House window, Dec. 1, 1970.

In January 1969, French poodle Vicky accompanied the Nixon family to their new home: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, more commonly known as the White House.

At the time, Vicky had one sibling of sorts — a Yorkshire terrier named Pasha. But they were soon joined by King Timahoe, an Irish setter given to President Nixon.

All three dogs got along famously, living both inside the White House and in a dog run outside the West Wing. In the dog run, Vicky enjoyed her own heated doghouse.

Watch Out for Goldfish

Although Vicky was technically daughter Julie Nixon’s dog, she enjoyed taking walks with all members of the First Family.

One day when First Lady Pat Nixon and her daughter Tricia were strolling through the gardens, Vicky noticed a goldfish pool. Before anyone could react, she pounced! Thankfully, a White House aide was with the trio and managed to rescue both Vicky from the pond and the goldfish from certain doom.

At Christmas time, Vicky could be found in the family’s private quarters. She played with her siblings as well as President Nixon himself — disconcerting CBS reporters Charles Kuralt and Marya McLaughlin, who had come to do a special show on the First Family during Christmas time of 1971:

Most remarkable … is the spectacle of a nattily dressed Richard Nixon romping on the sitting-room floor with his dogs, King Timahoe, an Irish setter, Vicky, a gray miniature poodle and Pasha, a Yorkshire terrier.”

President Richard Nixon is shown in the White House with his dog, Vicky, the night before he resigned in August 1974. — President Nixon is shown in the White House with Vicky the night before he resigned in August 1974.

A Fixture in the Nixon White House

Vicky had the distinction of attending Tricia’s White House wedding. She sat with King Timahoe and Pasha, all wearing flowered collars and watching the events.

Vicky could also be spied spending time with President Nixon alone. On one occasion, Vicky was seen to nap in the soon-to-be notorious room where tape recordings captured conversations pertaining to Watergate.

The night before Nixon resigned from office, Vicky curled up on an ottoman beside him, perhaps bringing a certainly troubled man some comfort.

Vicky died in 1976.

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