President Obama’s first pet, Bo, a Portuguese water dog that enjoyed playing in the executive mansions, passed away on Saturday.

Michelle Obama shared Bo’s cancer diagnosis on Instagram when he was 12 years old. Obama said that the family had lost “a great friend and trusted companion.”

Bo “was a regular, loving presence in our lives for more than 10 years – happy to see us on our good days, our horrible days, and every day in between,” Mr. Obama said on Twitter.

He tolerated all the commotion that came with being in the White House, had fantastic hair, a large bark but no bite, and enjoyed to swim in the pool in the summer. Among children, he was cool and collected.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and his wife Victoria sent the Obamas’ first children, Malia and Sasha, a 6-month-old puppy as a gift in April 2009.

The kids gave the dog the name Bo partially in homage to musician Bo Diddley and partly because one of their cousins had a cat by that name. The dog swiftly began to dominate national media attention.

After President Donald J. Trump’s term, the White House was pet-free for the first time in decades.

President Biden and his two German shepherds, Champ and Major, started the pattern again in January. Following many biting incidents, Major was recently sent for training.

Bo was well-known for playing on the South Lawn as the White House press corps watched, barking during press briefings, and receiving condolence cards from young people all around the nation.

Bo, America’s Commander in Leash, a children’s book about him, was written by Naren Aryal and Danny Moore. He also sat with his tongue out for a ceremonial White House photograph.

After Mrs. Obama said that Bo need greater connection with other dogs, Sunny, a second Portuguese water dog, joined Bo in the White House in 2013.

According to Mrs. Obama, Bo ended up representing much more to the Obamas than just a friend for Malia and Sasha.

She stated that the dog came into their workplace “like he owned the place, a ball clenched firmly in his teeth,” calling him a “continuous, soothing presence in our life.”

She claims that he went to both the pope’s visit and the customary Easter egg roll on the South Lawn.

Bo assisted the couple in adjusting to life as empty nesters after Malia and Sasha left for college, according to Mrs. Obama in a post on Instagram titled “Michelle, Barack, Malia, Sasha, and Sunny.”

According to what she wrote, Bo was the happiest dog last year when everyone stayed at home because of the epidemic. Just like the day we got him, everyone was back together under one roof.