Joe Biden

Joe Biden Poses With ‘First Dogs' Champ and Major in the Oval Office

The president's German shepherds look right at home in the White House's inner sanctum

Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

First dogs Champ and Major Biden are seen on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2021.

Champ and Major have made themselves right at home in the Oval Office.

President Joe Biden had a pair of furry protectors in the White House's inner sanctum in a photo shared on Instagram Monday night by White House photographer Adam Schultz.

The photo shows a smiling Biden in the Oval Office with the latest presidential pets, German shepherds named Major and Champ, whom the president and first lady Jill Biden brought to the White House after the dogs had been part of their family for years.

The dogs aren't only just resting and relaxing on the Oval Office rug, they're also observing meetings. The White House Flickr account shared a shot of Champ taking some mental notes as Biden met with senior advisers on Feb. 9.

Champ has been with the Biden family for more than a decade since being bought from a breeder before Biden became vice president under President Barack Obama. The dog's name comes from a nickname that Biden's father used to have for him while Biden was growing up.

Major is a more recent addition to the family, having been adopted in 2018 after the Bidens fostered him from the Delaware Humane Association. He is the first rescue dog to live in the White House.

The two dogs mark a return of pets to the White House, as former President Donald Trump did not have a pet during his term. They are the first two pets in the White House since Obama’s Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny.

The Bidens' best friends have already made their presence felt by appearing in a public service announcement by the first lady urging people to wear masks during the pandemic.

Champ and Major better soak up their time alone in the Oval Office, as they may soon have a fellow pet angling for a spot on the carpet. The Bidens shared last November that they plan to add a cat to the family.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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