(CNN) -- For all the headaches on the campaign trail, you would not think a candidate would be hounded by his own dog.

That, however, has been the relentless fate of Republican contender Mitt Romney. A trip to Canada 30 years ago with the family pooch in a car top carrier, has been the gift that just keeps giving to Democrats. They've lampooned him as cruel at worst, foolish at best, with bumper stickers and T-shirts that say "Dogs aren't luggage!" and "Mitt is Mean!"

Republicans have counterattacked by pointing out that President Obama wrote in his own book about eating dog as a child, helping the dog fight become a theme at this year's White House Correspondents Association dinner.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel nipped at both of them. "If Mitt Romney offers you a ride, call shotgun. And if President Obama starts buttering you, run!"

It would be easy to dismiss all of this as political silliness were it not for one troubling fact: Sometimes the way a president connects with critters can affect the way voters relate to him.

"Presidents and their pets have a long and storied history," says Garrett Graff, a goldfish owner and editor-in-chief at Washingtonian magazine. His theory about why voters take such an interest in such matters: "Most of us don't 'get' Middle East oil politics, and the rise and fall of the G.D.P., but we can 'get' if you connect with a dog or you connect with a cat."

First a little history. Ever since George Washington took office with horses and hounds in tow, presidents have welcomed animals into their lives. A lot of animals.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. How long ago did someone go on a trip?
2. Where did they go?
3. What is this story about?
4. Did he have a pet?
5. What kind?
6. Why were people mad at him?
7. What did they say?
8. Are any other presidents mentioned?
9. Which is one?
10. Did he have a pet?
11. Did he eat a cat?
12. What did he eat?
13. Who made fun of them?
14. Did anybody else?
15. What did he say about Mitt?
16. And the other?
17. Which editor is mentioned?
1. 30 years ago
2. Canada
3. Mitt Romney
4. yes
5. dog
6. the family pooch was in a car top carrier
7. unknown
8. yes
9. President Obama
10. no
11. no
12. dog
13. Democrats
14. Jimmy Kimmel
15. If Mitt Romney offers you a ride, call shotgun
16. And if President Obama starts buttering you, run!
17. Garrett Graff