WINSTON CHURCHILL, DOG LOVER

Among the most famous purebred dog fanciers was Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955.

A brilliant statesman, politician and strategist, he led Britain to victory in the Second World War. He is remembered for his extraordinary strengths during the worst of times and for his humbling human weaknesses. He “had heart” and incredible courage but it was his heart that failed him after a series of strokes. Then, in 1962 a bad fall crippled him.

Sir Winston was everything mankind seeks to be while at the same time representing that no man is perfect.

He was an avid animal lover who kept fish, cows, pigs and swans on his estate. He is best known for his bulldog Dodo and a brown poodle named Rufus. Whereas he liked to pose with his “British Bulldog” making the breed synonymous with strength, courage and determination, like any true dog-man, he was rarely without a dog at this side.

Many would say he is synonymous with the term English Bulldog.

One of his favorites to take out-and-about was his poodle Rufus. Rufus was often seen with the Prime Minister until he was struck down by a car in 1947. Missing his go-everywhere dog, the newspapers ran headlines when he got another dog which looked very similar to Rufus and named him Rufus II.

While making no secret of his love for animals, he was openly critical of Mohammedanism which he said. "...is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog."  Over a century later political scholars would agree with Britain's Prime Minister.  See Winston-Churchill-on-Islam-ISIS.asp

Winston Churchill died at age 90. He was only the second commoner to have a lying-in-state. Over 300,000 people lined up to pay tribute to “The man who saved Europe.”

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