Calvin and Grace Coolidge literally had a zoo at the White House. Most famous and beloved was the white collie, purchased from Thomas and Olive Shover who owned "Shomont White Collies". They also entertained and cared for: Peter Pan, a Terrier, Paul Pry, and an Airedale that was originally named Laddie Buck. Rob Roy was their white Collie, and he was originally named Oshkosh. Grace Coolidge loved to change the names on her pets, or else she just couldn’t make up her mind what name suited the animals best. Also very adored by Mrs. Coolidge was Calamity Jane, a Shetland sheepdog. Tiny Tim, a Chow was also sometimes called “His Highness”. Blackberry, was also a Chow, but was not as well known as Tiny Tim. The Coolidge’s also had a rough brown Collie named Ruby Rough. They also had Boston Beans, who is mentioned as a bulldog by some reporters, but was a Boston Terrier. King Kole was a police dog on the German shepherd type although pedigree papers have not been found. Bessie, a yellow collie, is well documented as most of his Collies were from the Shomont Kennel. Their stay in the White House also shows that they had a bird dog named Palo Alto, and perhaps for him they added Nip and Tuck, two yellow canaries, Snowflake a white canary, and Old Bill, a thrush. Enoch was a goose and they also kept a Mockingbird for a period of time. Finally there was Tiger, an alley cat, Blacky, another cat and Rebecca and Horace, raccoons. Mrs. Coolidge loved showing off her pet raccoons and often walked them on leashes around the White House grounds. During Easter week she would put bonnets on her collies. Then, we must not forget Ebenezer, the donkey and Smokey, a bobcat. There was also: lion cubs, wallaby, a pigmy hippo, and a bear. Many of these exotic animals were given to them by dignitaries or heads of state from other countries. Many of them helped to populate the National Zoo. |