7. The Tylers were the first White House occupants to have a dog, even if it was more of a fashion accessory for the First Lady
Over the years, many Presidents have enjoyed the company of a pet dog or cat in the White House. Indeed, President Trump is the first Commander-in-Chief to not have a pet for several decades! But it was Julia Tyler who first introduced the idea of a ‘First Dog’ to the world. And, again, she did so largely to improve her image with the wider public. Julia had only been resident in the White House for a few weeks when she took receipt of her dog, a short-haired Italian greyhound imported from the Consul of Naples.
There are no records of what the dog was called. However, several contemporary reports do reveal that Julia would regularly walk through the muddy streets of downtown Washington with the fashionable dog beside her. Indeed, she even had an official portrait made of the pet, again an American first. Quite what became of the dog once President Tyler’s term came to an end and the couple moved out of the White House remains a mystery, however.