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Dog days return to the White House
By Betsy Klein, CNN
Updated 1:44 PM ET, Mon November 9, 2020
CNN)President-elect Joe Biden is poised to restore a time-honored tradition back to the White House this January: first pups.
President Donald Trump ran and won on breaking with Washington norms in 2016, which included opting against a pet during his four years in office. But Champ and Major Biden, both German Shepherds, will join the elite ranks of Socks Clinton, Barney Bush, Macaroni Kennedy and Rebecca Raccoon Coolidge, among others, this January when they move into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Champ joined the Biden family during the presidential transition in December 2008, weeks after Biden became vice president-elect.
Happy #InternationalDogDay from Major and camera-shy Champ! pic.twitter.com/haKhxniUYd
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 27, 2019
"With Barack inquiring about would I be willing to get vetted, Jill said, 'I'll make you a deal: if you get the vice presidency and get elected, you can get a dog,'" Biden told campaign reporters aboard his plane on Election Day 2008.
Major joined the Biden clan almost eight years later. The Bidens fostered Major from the Delaware Humane Association and made his adoption official in November 2018.
Major isn't the first rescue pet to land in the White House. Yuki, a mixed breed pup abandoned by his owner at a gas station in Texas, was rescued by President Lyndon B. Johnson's daughter Luci was the first, and Clinton's cat, Socks, was also a rescue.
Jill Biden tweeted a photo with Major and Champ in August 2020.
Jill Biden tweeted a photo with Major and Champ in August 2020.
Champ is mostly light brown with a dark snout, and Major is mostly black with light brown paws. News of the new first pets was welcomed on social media – a Saturday post from the popular account "We Rate Dogs" rating both dogs 14 out of 10 received more than 355,000 likes on Instagram.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/09/politics/biden-dogs-champ-major-white-house-pets/index.html