Dog Quotes By or About
Heads of State and Royalty

These 31 quotes are from or about heads of state and royalty, including presidents and prime ministers, and the dogs they had.

Some reveal in their words a personal warmth that their public personas rarely showed. Others used dogs as metaphors to make points to their constituents.

These quotes make it clear that world leaders find dogs as important as we "little people" do.

Mrs. Bush had a rule about not giving Millie food at the table—which the President would often break. Millie would look at him with those eyes, and he couldn't resist.

Jean Becker, George Bush's Chief of Staff

Here, Gentlemen, a dog teaches us a lesson in humanity.

Napoleon Bonaparte, after being saved by a Newfoundland after slipping on his ship and falling overboard. He did not know how to swim, and was kept above water by the dog until he could be rescued.

This soldier, I realized, must have had friends at home and in his regiment; yet he lay there deserted by all except his dog. I looked on, unmoved, at battles which decided the future of nations. Tearless, I had given orders which brought death to thousands. Yet here I was stirred, profoundly stirred, stirred to tears. And by what? By the grief of one dog.

Napoleon Bonaparte, on finding a dog beside the body of his dead master, licking his face and howling, on a moonlit field after a battle. Napoleon was haunted by this scene until his own death.

There are two kinds of fidelity, that of dogs and that of cats; you, gentleman, have the fidelity of cats who never leave the house.

Napoleon Bonaparte, to French courtiers who had not followed him to Elba, after he escaped from there.

I was there in Jack Kennedy's office that day. Everything was in an uproar. I was then feet from Kennedy's desk as Pierre Salinger ran around the office taking messages and issuing orders while the President sat looking awfully worried. There was talk about the Russian fleet coming in and our fleet blocking them off. It looked like war. Out of the blue, Kennedy suddenly called for Charlie to be brought to his office.

Traphes Bryant, White House kennel keeper, describing events in the Oval Office during the Cuban missile crisis. After petting Charlie, his Welsh terrier, the president relaxed, returned Charlie to the kennel keeper, and said, "I suppose that it's time to make some decisions."

Study hard, and you might grow up to be President. But let's face it: Even then, you'll never make as much money as your dog.

George Bush, to a graduating class, referring to Millie, his dog, who earned $889,176 in book royalties.

I have consolidated all Winston Churchill dog quotes together on one page.

Sometimes I feel like a fire hydrant looking at a pack of dogs.

Bill Clinton

Be careful, Peter is one Republican in the White House who bites.

Calvin Coolidge, warning about Peter Pan, his wirehaired fox terrier

The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.

Charles de Gaulle

What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight—it's the size of the fight in the dog.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

The friendship of a dog is precious. It becomes even more so when one is so far removed from home.... I have a Scottie. In him I find consolation and diversion... he is the "one person" to whom I can talk without the conversation coming back to war.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

I was desperate. The swine who stole my dog doesn't realize what he did to me!

Adolph Hitler, 1917, After a railroad worker in Alsace stole his terrier

You know there is no one in the world I would rather sleep with than Yuki.

Lyndon Baines Johnson, referring to his dog

I have consolidated all Abraham Lincoln dog quotes on one page.

The dog that trots about finds a bone.

Golda Meir

During the Prince's visit, King Timahoe will be referred to only as Timahoe, since it would be inappropriate for the Prince to be outranked by a dog.

Richard M. Nixon, (writing to White House staff on how to address the president's Irish Setter, during a visit by Prince Charles)

A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention the fact that our two daughters would like to have a dog. And believe it or not, the day before we left on this campaign trip we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore, saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was? It was a little cocker spaniel in a crate that he sent all the way from Texas.... And our little girl, Tricia, the six-year-old, named it Checkers. And you know the kids love the dog and I just want to say this, right now, that regardless of what they [the Press] have to say about it, we are going to keep it.

Richard M. Nixon, speaking on TV about the dog given to him after he was accused of accepting improper gifts. 

This speech later became known as the Checkers speech, and saved Nixon's political career. It also made Checkers one of the most famous dogs in political history. 

The body of Checkers was exhumed three years after Nixon died, and moved to the Nixon Library grounds, near the graves of the late president and his wife.

Golf seems to be an arduous way to go for a walk. I prefer to take the dogs out.

Princess Anne

She was such a beautiful and sweet creature... and so full of tricks.

Queen Victoria

I dressed dear sweet little Dash for the second time after dinner in a scarlet jacket and blue trousers.

Queen Victoria (referring to her cavalier King Charles spaniel)

Here lies DASH, the Favourite Spaniel of Queen Victoria
By whose command this Memorial was erected.
He died on the 20 December, 1840 in his 9th year.
His attachment was without selfishness,
His playfulness without malice,
His fidelity without deceit.
READER, if you would live beloved and die regretted, profit by the example of DASH.

Queen Victoria, epitaph on the gravestone of her cavalier King Charles spaniel, Dash, who was buried in the castle's garden.

The best way to get over a dog's death is to get another soon.

Ronald Reagan

These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, on my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my little dog, Fala. Well, of course, I don't resent attacks... but Fala does resent them.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, about allegations that his Scottie had been left behind on an Alaskan island, and a destroyer was dispatched to bring him home.

An Airedale can do anything any other dog can do and then whip the other dog if he has to.

Theodore Roosevelt

It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked.

Haile Selassie

Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads.

Harry S. Truman

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog.

Harry S. Truman

I didn't know if there was a special dog that she was looking for... she just slowly walked through the little burial plot, reading the names and pausing now and then to stop by a gravestone. She stooped down once to touch one of the grave markers and to brush something off of it. She looked sad and thoughtful, and finally left, without saying a word.

Unknown member of Queen Elizabeth's household, talking about her visit to the cemetery on the castle grounds, where her dogs are buried.

Great men have great dogs.

Otto von Bismarck

Our German forefathers had a very kind religion. They believed that, after death, they would meet again all the good dogs that had been their companions in life. I wish I could believe that too.

Otto von Bismarck

Every dog is allowed one bite, but a different view is taken of a dog that goes on biting all the time. He may not get his licence returned when it falls due.

Harold Wilson

If a dog will not come to you after he has looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.

Woodrow Wilson