US President Joe Biden has paid tribute to his beloved dog Champ who has died ‘peacefully at home’.
The German Shepherd, the older of the family’s two dogs, was 13 years old.
The President and First Lady, Dr Jill Biden, described Champ as ‘our constant cherished companion’.
In a heartfelt statement posted on the POTUS Twitter account today, they said he was ‘adored by the entire Biden family’.
The Biden’s added: ‘Even as Champ’s strength waned in his last months, when we came into a room, he would immediately pull himself up, his tail always wagging, and nuzzle us for an ear scratch or a belly rub.
‘Wherever we were, he wanted to be, and everything was instantly better when he was next to us.’
The family got Champ from a breeder after Biden was elected vice president in 2008.
He became a fixture at the vice president’s home at the Naval Observatory, and more recently at the White House.
The Bidens, who are spending the weekend at their home in Wilmington, Delaware, told how Champ was ‘happiest’ chasing golf balls on the front lawn of the Naval Observatory or ‘racing to catch our grandchildren as they ran around the backyard in Delaware’.
He also enjoyed ‘joining us as a comforting presence in meetings or sunning himself in the White House garden,’ the family revealed.
Their statement added: ‘In our most joyful moments and in our most grief-stricken days, he was there with us, sensitive to our every unspoken feeling and emotion. We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always’.
The Biden’s younger dog, Major, also a German Shepherd, was adopted from the Delaware Humane Society in 2018.
The President and his family were pictured walking their dogs on the White House lawn or taking them for trips to Camp David and Delaware.
Major is said to have been somewhat troublesome in the past, causing the then President-elect to hurt his foot after tripping over the dog while they were playing in November.
He is also said to have undergone training after two biting incidents at the White House.
Days after the second mishap, another stink was caused after one of the Biden’s dogs apparently pooed on the floor of the White House.
The Bidens, who visited Britain last week for the G7 summit in Cornwall, are expected to welcome a cat into their family.
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