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Instagram: @champandmajor

After the 2020 presidential race was called for Joe Biden, many Americans expressed joy that his two German shepherds, Major and Champ, would be moving into the White House with him next January.

After four years of no presidential pet ownership, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will once again double as a dog house. The custom of presidential pets began with George Washington and 30 of the 45 U.S. presidents have carried on this tradition. 

President Trump is the first president since James K. Polk to not have a presidential pet living in the White House, and Biden used this to advantage in his campaign, tweeting: "Some Americans celebrate #NationalCatDay, some celebrate #NationalDogDay—President Trump celebrates neither. It says a lot. It's time we put a pet back in the White House."

So...who are these new presidential pooches? 

Instagram: @delewarehumane

Major, 2, is the newest addition to the Biden family. The German Shepherd puppy has lovingly been nicknamed the "First Dog Elect." Adopted from the Delaware Human Association in 2018, Major will be the first shelter dog to live in the White House—a move celebrated by many animal welfare agencies. 

Patrick Carroll, the executive director of the Delaware Humane Association, told the New York Times that the Biden family's decision to adopt Major "shows the real possibilities for what could happen for all the great dogs who need homes out there."

Instagram: @dachsadorable

Champ, 12, has been a beloved member of the Biden family since 2008 when they purchased him from a breeder when he was a puppy. He was named by Biden's grandchildren and has been by their family's side ever since.

Champ is already a professional when it comes to D.C. living—as he previously lived in the Vice Presidential residence at One Observatory Circle when his Dad was President Obama's VP. In 2017, Jill Biden even told the Washington Post that of the entire family, Champ was going to have the hardest time leaving the White House.

"Champ has a built-in family here 24 hours a day with all the staff and security guards that keep little dog biscuits on hand for him," she said. I'm sure he is going to be *thrilled* to show Major his old stomping grounds this January.

Image: Pinterest

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Slider Image: @womenforbiden on Instsagram

by Claire Hutto | 11/11/2020