President Biden’s Oldest Dog Dies At Age 13 : NPR

Champ Biden, one of two German shepherds belonging to President Biden and his family has died, the president and first lady Jill Biden announced late Saturday morning. He was 13 years old.

“Our hearts are heavy today,” Biden and first lady Jill Biden wrote in a statement, adding that the dog had died at their home.

“Even as Champ’s strength waned in his last months, when we came into a room, he would immediately pull himself up, his tail always wagging, and nuzzle us for an ear scratch or a belly rub,” the statement said. “Wherever we were, he wanted to be, and everything was instantly better when he was next to us.”

Champ was a puppy during Biden’s tenure as vice president under the Obama administration. The same statement commemorated the dog’s love for chasing golf balls at the Naval Observatory and spending time with the Biden grandchildren.

“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,” the statement said. “We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always.”