Former US President, Barack Obama, has announced the death of his family dog, Bo.

Writing on Facebook, President Obama said:

Today our family lost a true friend and loyal companion. For more than a decade, Bo was a constant, gentle presence in our lives—happy to see us on our good days, our bad days, and everyday in between.

He tolerated all the fuss that came with being in the White House, had a big bark but no bite, loved to jump in the pool in the summer, was unflappable with children, lived for scraps around the dinner table, and had great hair.

He was exactly what we needed and more than we ever expected. We will miss him dearly.