#2 Lucky: Bouvier des Flandres – Ronald Reagan

The press secretary for First Lady Nancy Reagan, Sheila Tate, persuaded the 40th president, who served from 1981 to 1989, to buy a dog. She didn’t provide the Reagans with their dog, named Lucky, though.

The puppy was a gift from 6-year-old spina bifida patient Kristen Ellis, who serves as the March of Dimes poster child. In memory of her mom, Edith Luckett “Lucky” Davis, Mrs. Reagan gave the new dog that name.

Lucky, who eventually weighed a stunning 70 pounds, still saw herself as a lap dog and frequently hopped on the Republican president’s legs during trips in Marine One. In fact, after just a few flights aboard, she began to link the presidential chopper with visits to Camp David, her preferred location. The dog would eagerly run into the path of the helicopter whenever she saw it.