Pete became famous in history as the dog who terrorized the White House between 1905 and 1908.
President Theodore Roosevelt loved dogs and had several while in the White House. Pete, listed as a Boston bull terrier, a bull terrier and a bulldog (no picture of Pete can be found), is said to have been Roosevelt's favorite dog - despite his aggressive ways.
While at the White House, Pete threatened many people, tore pants and even sunk his teeth into the flesh of a Naval officer. When the dog nipped and snapped, the President waved the incidents off as "the nature of the breed". However, Pete's aggression continued to increase and one day the dog chased the French Ambassador down a corridor, caught up with him and ripped the bottom of his pants off. The French government was not happy about the incident, and rather than jeopardize US relations with France, the nippy dog was banned from the White House and sent to live at the Roosevelt family home in New York.
