Roll out the red carpet and get the dog treats ready: Champ and Major Biden, President Joe Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden’s dogs, moved into the White House on Sunday.
Adam Schultz / The White House
The two German shepherds brought back a longstanding tradition of pets in the White House that dates back to George Washington – the only presidents not to have a pet while in office were James K. Polk and Donald J. Trump.
Adam Schultz / The White House
“The First Family wanted to get settled before bringing the dogs down to Washington from Delaware. Champ is enjoying his new dog bed by the fireplace, and Major loved running around on the South Lawn,” First Lady Jill Biden’s press secretary Michael LaRosa said in a statement to CNN.
Adam Schultz / The White House
Champ is no stranger to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, having joined the Biden family shortly after he was elected vice president.
Adam Schultz / The White House
However, this is all brand new for Major, who takes on a historic first: He is the first shelter dog to live in the White House. The Biden family adopted Major from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018.
Earlier this month, the Delaware Humane Association and Pumpkin Pet Insurance hosted an “indoguration” event for Major, which raised over $200,000 to benefit the DHA.
Meanwhile, there is still much speculation about when the first cat will arrive. Dr. Biden announced plans to bring a cat to the White House back in December.
While answering social media questions over the weekend, White House press secretary Jenn Psaki did not have any specific answers, but said she wanted to know herself.
“I’m also wondering about the cat because the cat is going to dominate the internet,” she said.
