06-11-2023 Capital Style - Flipbook - Page 56
Above: Tucker playfully tugs at the tie worn by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on the grounds of Government House. Right: Tucker is held by
the governor and first lady Dawn Moore. The dog was adopted from the Maryland SPCA in Baltimore. PHOTOS BY KARL M. FERRON
BY ABIGAIL GRUSKIN Capital Style
erhaps you’ve run into him
confidently strutting the streets
of Annapolis on a Saturday
afternoon. Maybe you caught
a glimpse as he was hitting his
stride on one of Maryland’s hiking trails. Or
you could have been among the many to offer
congratulations on the announcement of his
move into Government House.
No, he’s not the governor. He’s Tucker Balti
Moore — Maryland’s new first dog.
In February, Gov. Wes Moore and first lady
Dawn Moore delivered on a campaign pledge
to their children. “We made a promise to the
kids,” he explained. “We said, ‘Win, lose or
draw, we’re gonna get a puppy.’”
Tucker, a Shih Tzu-poodle mix (also known
as a “shih-poo,” Moore said), weighs about
11 pounds and won’t grow much bigger. The
Moore family proclaimed Sept. 24 as his
birthday, after learning the pup was likely 5
months old when they took him in. And like
most youngsters, Tucker is full of energy.
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“He’s fun-loving, he’s active, he bites
everything,” the governor said. “When he gets
out…there will be, like four state troopers
chasing him around, trying to grab him,
because he is incredibly fast.”
“He’s an all-purpose puppy,” Moore added.
The family of four, including the couple’s two
young children, Mia and James, adopted Tucker
from the Maryland SPCA in Baltimore. He
came to the shelter “a little bit malnourished,”
Moore said, but not much was known about
his upbringing except that he was probably
born in the city.
The Moores’ search for a pet had many
requirements: Their daughter wanted a small
dog; their son, a large one. It was the first lady’s
dog allergy, however, that presented the greatest
obstacle. “The biggest question we had was,
what is the compromise dog when you have all
these different dynamics?” Moore said.
Tucker proved to be the answer.
Though it’s the family’s first time adding
a pup into the mix, the governor grew up
with dogs. His previous pets were of a slightly
different stature: Ensign, a Rottweiler; Africa,
another Rottweiler; and Cushions, a German
shepherd.
Nonetheless, Tucker has quickly nestled his
way into the governor’s heart. “That’s his baby,”
the first lady said.
The Moore kids are responsible for keeping
tabs on Tucker around the house, feeding him
and taking him on walks. “One of the things
that’s gonna stay constant is when they get
home, Tucker’s going to be there waiting for
them,” Moore said. “Waiting to jump on them,
waiting to kiss them, waiting to follow them
wherever they go.”
So far, he’s proven an easy sport: Tucker
enjoys playing a game of catch or tag in the
yard, meandering through St. John’s College
campus and making appearances downtown.
“He’s got a higher name recognition than I
do,” Moore said.
So Tucker, sounds like you’re already top
dog in Annapolis.
