Heartbreaking Obama Update Announced

Barack Obama said the family “lost a cherished member” yesterday: their dog Sunny.

Story Snapshot

Barack Obama announced Sunny’s death and called her “pretty much perfect.”
Sunny was the Obama family’s Portuguese water dog, welcomed in 2013.
Reports list her age as 13 at the time of death.
Major outlets carried the news soon after the family’s post.

A Family Announcement That Landed Like News

Barack Obama shared that Sunny, the family’s Portuguese water dog, died this week. He wrote that the Obamas “lost a cherished member of our family,” praised her as “pretty much perfect,” and said they would miss her terribly.

He also imagined she was with Bo, her “big brother,” who died in 2021. The message set the tone for national coverage.

News outlets reported the announcement the next day and said Sunny died on Tuesday. They identified her as the family’s second White House-era dog, adopted in 2013 during the final years of the Obama administration.

Barack Obama announces death of 'cherished' former first dog Sunny https://t.co/AHAE7ls3p7 pic.twitter.com/k8OrUoM321

— New York Post (@nypost) September 16, 2026

Who Sunny Was In The Obama Household

Sunny joined the family in 2013 and became part of the public’s image of the Obamas at home. Photos over the years showed a high-energy dog beside the family during holidays and public events.

Reports put her age at 13 at the time of death, consistent with a 2013 arrival as a puppy. Some later summaries list her at 14, but most coverage of her death set her age at 13.

What Was Said, What Was Not, And What Matters

The reports did not include a cause of death, which is normal for a pet obituary. The news focused on Sunny’s role, her years with the Obamas, and the loss they feel.