It was a thank you note from the White House. It was addressed to 1 Wales Ave. in Alexandria, home of the Barkley Square Gourmet Dog Bakery and Pet Boutique. It was a professional, watermarked letter from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

It was signed “WOOF WOOF and MEOW.”

Barney the Scottish terrier, the real owner of the First Lady’s Garden, wrote this particular presidential correspondence. Signed also by Miss Beazley (Barney’s significant other), Kitty (a kitty, a.k.a. Willie) and Laura Bush (First Lady), Barney thanked Cocoa, a local Chihuahua and co-owner of the luxurious Old Town pet boutique, for a care package sent over the holidays.

The letter, which exemplified Barney’s charming diction and hesitant verbosity, indicated a struggle between Miss Beazley and Kitty for a furry green toy mouse sent by Cocoa. Miss Beazley stole it from under the cat’s nose.

“Kitty looks like she is plotting her revenge,” Barney wrote.

Kristina Robertson, human owner of Barkley Square Boutique, deserves some credit too: “Cocoa helped me pick all the toys and treats for the fur kids,” she said.

Regarding the mouse theft, Miss Beazley could not be reached for comment.