“I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons,” said Will Rogers, friend to a number of politicians, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose constant companion was a Scotch Terrier named Fala.

You can see photos of Fala and a whole menagerie of presidential pets, including Lincoln’s dog Fido at www.presidentialpetmuseum.com. The site includes lists of presidential pets as far back as George Washington, who kept five French hounds and a parrot that belonged to his wife, Martha.

The site also includes interesting footnotes. For instance, to set an example and encourage conservation during World War I, Woodrow Wilson kept sheep on the White House lawn. It was Wilson who said, “If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.”