Biden family announces death of ‘first dog’ Champ

WASHINGTON: Joe Biden’s family dog Champ has died, the president said on Saturday, remembering the German shepherd as a “constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years.”

The Bidens revived the long-standing tradition of presidential pets that was broken under Donald Trump, when they arrived at the White House with dogs Champ and Major.

“Our hearts are heavy today as we let you all know that our beloved German shepherd, Champ, passed away peacefully at home,” the president and First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement.

“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,” they added. “We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always.”

The Bidens’ other pooch, Major, also a German shepherd, has had some trouble adapting to life in the White House.

In March, he was briefly sent back to the Biden family home in Delaware after at least one biting incident, and in April the first lady’s spokesman announced some “additional training” for the pooch.

Joe Biden attributed the pooch’s unpresidential behaviour to the way he gets surprised by Secret Service agents and others appearing around every corner in the busy White House complex.

The dog-loving Bidens have also announced they were getting a cat, which Press Secretary Jen Psaki once warned would “break the internet.”