Presidential Pets

Many U.S. presidents and their families have had well-known pets, as can be seen in the photo essay “Presidential Pets.”  Works about presidential pets are often historical and biographical, e.g., The Presidents and Their Pets, which is classed in 973.099 United States presidents—collected biography (built with 9 plus T2—73 United States plus 099 Collected persons treatment, as instructed under 930–990 History of ancient world; of specific continents, countries, localities; of extraterrestrial worlds and under 973.01–973.09 Standard subdivisions, which shows that only one zero instead of two should be used and which has the note, “As modified under 930–990”).  

There are also historical and biographical works about individual pets, e.g., First Dog, Fala, which is classed in 973.917092 Administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1933–1945—biography (built with 973.917 Administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1933–1945 plus T1—092 Persons). Even Millie’s Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush sticks close to history and biography; the book is classed in 973.928092 Administration of George Bush, 1989–1993—biography (built with 973.928 Administration of George Bush, 1989–1993 plus T1—092 Persons).       

Biographical works about presidential pets are usually classed according to the advice in the “Families and close associates of the famous” part of the Manual note at T1—092 Persons: “Class a history of the immediate or extended family of a famous person with the biography of that person if the work strongly emphasizes the famous person. The same rule applies to the biography of a single relative or close associate of a famous person. However, if the relative or associate is important in his or her own right, or if the famous person is not strongly featured, class the life of the relative in the subject warranted by his or her own work, e.g., use 269.2092 for a biography of evangelist Ruth Carter Stapleton, sister of President Jimmy Carter, that treats the president only incidentally.”  Most presidential pets are not famous or important in their own right—that is, they are best known as pets of famous people, not best known as prize-winning show dogs or racehorses, not famous for having rescued humans, etc.—and usually the famous person is strongly featured.  Consequently, biographical works about presidential pets are usually classed in presidential biography numbers instead of in the pets’ own biography numbers, and T1—0929 Persons treatment of nonhumans is not used.

The newest presidential pet, Bo, is a Portuguese water dog.  The interdisciplinary number for the Portuguese water dog is 636.73 Working and herding dogs, where the breed is named in the including note and where there is an unsubdivided Relative Index entry for the breed.  The American Kennel Club puts the Portuguese water dog in the “working group.”  The Manual entry 636.72–636.75 Specific breeds and groups of dogs explains, “The main groupings used are those recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in The Complete Dog Book, 1997. The roughly corresponding groupings of the Kennel Club of United Kingdom (KC) are given in class-here notes when the names differ materially.”  An example of a work classed in 636.73 Working and herding dogs is Portuguese Water Dog.  

Comments

[Natural Dog Food Recipes]

I think that the most unusual president pet is Josiah the Badger, Teddy Roosevelt's dog. Even more unusual than the pet itself is the way it came to live with Roosevelt. It was thrown at him by a little girl. Really. She chunked it at him, he caught it and raised it and allowed it to roam the halls of the White House biting the heels of visitors. Teddy also kept a one-legged rooster, a bear, a pig and a hyena .

[Free Pet Advice]

I think that golden retriever is the only suitable dog for a president.