Many of the Founders had dogs and avidly pursued breeding them, especially Washington. He had dozens of different breeds, and was particularly fond of fox-hunting dogs. Jefferson brought three dogs back with him from France in 1789, and Gen. Charles Lee was well-known to have several dogs with him nearly all the time. John and Abigail Adams also had a pair of mixed-breeds named Juno and Satan. Washington even loved dogs enough that in 1777, he returned one of British General William Howe's dogs to him after he had been found following the Battle of Brandywine. http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/biography/washington-stories/solider-statesman-dog-lover-george-washingtons-pups/ https://www.monticello.org/site/house-and-gardens/dogs http://www.akc.org/press-center/press-releases/the-american-kennel-club-celebrates-the-dogs-of-our-founding-fathers-t/