When Former President George Bush Advised His Staff to Not Feed His 'Overweight' Dog

Dogs are man's best friend, and the case of former United States President George H.W. Bush is no exception. Presidential pets are a breed of their own, and American leaders are renowned for being fond of their furry friends, especially canines. However, despite the love and affection, Bush Sr. once advised the White House staff to refrain from feeding his puppy, Ranger. 

Ranger, an offspring of Bush Sr.'s famous English Springer Spaniel pet, Millie, was a beloved puppy to the 41st US president and his wife, Barabara Bush. In honor of International Dog Day, a website that catalogs historical letters unearthed a memo by the former president kindly advising his staff not to feed the puppy during his "fight against obesity." 

The letter was sent out on February 6, 1992, in which Bush Sr. requested his people to take a "pledge." The contents read, "All offices should take a formal 'pledge' that reads as follows: "We agree not to feed Ranger. We will not give him biscuits. We will not give him food of any kind.," tweeted Letters of Notes. 

The memo further mentioned the restrictions Ranger had within the Oval Office to save him from becoming fatter. "He has been told not to wander the corridors without an escort." Although he was permitted to roam at Camp David, the staff, including the "Marines, Naval personnel, civilians, and kids," were instructed to "rat" on anyone seen feeding food to Ranger. 

Meanwhile, to make the message more specific, Ranger wore a "do not feed me" badge across his neck "in addition to his ID." The intention was reiterated by referring to the pup as "blimp, a nice friendly appealing blimp, but blimp." Apparently, the dog was put on a "weight reduction program," and the president didn't want to lose him to the "Houston Fat Stock Show." 

Millie, Ranger's mother, was Bush Sr. and his wife's family member, and (un)surprisingly, her daily routine included "attending the morning briefings and afternoon meetings" in the Presidential Palace," according to the Presidential Pet Museum. 

During his re-election bid, Bush Sr. mentioned Millie in his speech. He quipped, "My dog Millie knows more about foreign affairs than these two bozos," referring to his political rivals Bill Clinton and Al Gore. In 1989, Millie gave birth to six puppies, including Ranger, who was euthanized in April 1993 due to cancer. 

In a subsequent letter that followed Ranger's death, Bush Sr. expressed his grief, "I cried for two days. I cried because I loved him and knew I'd miss him, for he had made me the happiest dog owner in the whole world. I know that when you are an old guy, you aren't supposed to cry, but I did." 

Meanwhile, Ranger's mother, Millie, died in May 1997 at the Bush summer home in Maine at the age of 12. The former president's spokesperson Jim McGrath revealed, "President and Mrs. Bush are somewhat in a state of shock because it happened so quickly." at the Bush summer home in Maine at the age of 12, per The Los Angeles Times.  

However, in 2018, Bush Sr. welcomed another furry friend named Sully, a yellow Labrador retriever, and posted the happy picture on X, formerly Twitter. "A great joy to welcome home the newest member of our family, "Sully," a beautiful -- and beautifully trained -- lab from @AmericasVetDogs. Could not be more grateful, especially for their commitment to our veterans." 

Sully, a service dog for the late president, traveled with his casket on the flight from Texas to Washington.