At the White House, he's dog's best friend

Groundskeeper cares for presidential pets, too

WASHINGTON -- Dale Haney is the keeper of the White House grounds. In nearly 40 years of keeping the flowers blooming, he has also managed to cultivate something just as important: relationships with the presidents' pooches.

Haney is often spotted walking Bo, the Obama family's Portuguese water dog. In fact, he has tended to every White House pup since King Timahoe, Richard Nixon's Irish setter.

Haney, 57, has been a White House fixture since 1972. Before Bo came along to romp on the South Lawn and roam the White House hallways, Haney spent a lot of time walking and playing with President George W. Bush's Scottish terriers, Barney and Miss Beazley. Haney was most fond of Spot, an English springer spaniel whose mother, Millie, belonged to Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush.

Barney had endearing qualities, too.

"He has his own mind and does his own thing," Haney said in an online chat in 2003.

Besides taking care of the now year-old Bo, Haney has 18½ acres of lawns, trees and gardens to care for, including the Rose Garden, the slightly smaller Jacqueline Kennedy Garden (also known as the first lady's garden) and Michelle Obama's bountiful South Lawn produce garden.

It's a 365-day job. Just mowing the North and South lawns takes eight hours. Trimming is done twice a week.

Haney typically gets to his office in the lower level of the White House residence about 6 a.m, and calls it a day around 4 p.m. He has a staff of about 20, including electricians, gardeners and repairmen.

The Obamas are "very into the grounds," said Haney, who is now serving his eighth president.

"They know what's going on because they're always out here walking the dog," he said.

AP