By Dennis Romero -
NBC News
Former President Barack Obama announced this Saturday that his dog Bo, who lived in the White House during his term, died.
He was about 12 years old.
Bo was a Portuguese water dog that Senator Ted Kennedy and his wife Victoria gave in 2009 to Sasha and Malia Obama, the former president's daughters.
Former President Obama plays soccer with the Bo family dog on the South Lawn of the White House on May 12, 2009. White House Archive / Getty Images
"Today our family lost a true friend and faithful companion,"
Obama tweeted.
"For over a decade, Bo was a constant and gentle presence in our lives, happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and every day in between."
In an Instagram post, former First Lady Michele Obama said
Bo died after a battle with cancer.
"Last year, with everyone home during the pandemic, no one was happier than Bo," he wrote.
"All his people were back under the same roof, just like when he first came to us. I will always be grateful that Bo and the girls were able to spend so much time together in the end."
Obama
had promised his young daughters a dog during his 2008 presidential campaign
, win or lose.
The Portuguese water dog was a perfect fit for the Obamas because Malia is allergic to dogs.
This breed is best for allergy sufferers.
In 2013, Bo was joined in the White House by Sunny, a 1-year-old female of the same breed.
Bo was the one with the white paws and a big white patch on his chest.
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On National Dog Day 2019, the former First Lady tweeted, "Whether you're snuggling with me on the couch or running around the backyard, I love these two furballs."
Both pets were known to frolic on the White House lawn with the Obamas.
The breed soon became popular and was well represented, in 2013, at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
When President Donald Trump took office in 2017, he said he didn't have dogs because he didn't "have time" for them.
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Obama tweeted Saturday that Bo "was exactly what we needed and more than we expected. We will miss him terribly."
