当拜登夫妇在他们心爱的德国牧羊犬冠军拜登去世后从特拉华州返回华盛顿特区时，白宫将会稍微安静一点。

“我们今天心情沉重，因为我们让你们都知道，我们敬爱的德国牧羊犬冠军，在家中安详地去世了。在过去的13年里，他是我们始终如一、珍惜的伴侣，受到拜登全家的崇拜，”总统和第一夫人在宣布他去世的声明中写道。

“在他年轻的时候，他最喜欢追逐高尔夫球在特拉华州，当我们的孙子们在我们的后院跑来跑去的时候，在海军天文台的前草坪上玩球或者跑着去抓他们。“在我们最快乐的时刻，在我们最悲痛的日子里，他和我们在一起，对我们每一个未说出口的感觉和情感都很敏感，”家人写道。我们爱我们可爱的好孩子，并将永远想念他。"

亚当·舒尔茨拍摄的白宫官方照片

第一狗于2020年1月23日抵达华盛顿的白宫，包括这里看到的冠军。

冠军在2008年选举后成为拜登家族的一员。根据政治的说法，吉尔·拜登曾承诺他们一家可以在选举后得到一只狗。那年圣诞节，拜登的孙子们给他取名为冠军。

“我从小就有德国牧羊犬。我实际上已经训练过它们，并在过去，我过去的生活中展示过。所以我想要一只德国牧羊犬，”拜登在2008年12月美国广播公司的“本周”节目中说。

在白宫时，13岁的冠军展示了他的年龄迹象。情人节那天参观完北草坪后，可以看到他一瘸一拐地回到屋里。

“即使冠军的力量在最后几个月减弱了，当我们走进一个房间时，他会立即站起来，他的尾巴总是摇着，用鼻子蹭我们的耳朵或腹部，”这家人回忆道。

冠军还帮助把拜登少校，这个家庭的年轻的德国牧羊犬，纳入混合。

“我有两只德国牧羊犬。拜登在2020年选举期间在爱荷华州竞选时说。

亚当·舒尔茨/亚当·舒尔茨拍摄的白宫官方照片

2021年2月9日，乔·拜登总统与拜登家族的狗冠军(左)和梅杰合影

“而另一只是小狗。我的兽医说，“你的牧羊人才12岁。他越来越慢了。让他继续活下去的最好办法是再养一只小狗。"

亚当·舒尔茨/白宫

美国总统乔·拜登在白宫玫瑰园问候拜登的狗冠军、中锋和少校

虽然少校已经大部分注意力在拜登夫妇入主白宫期间，2015年，时任副总统的冠军在接受哥伦比亚广播公司采访时展示了他的风采，这也让他备受瞩目。

当拜登问冠军是否想去打高尔夫球时，狗兴奋地开始尖叫，像他一样偷走了一些心。

Bidens announce their elder German shepherd, Champ, has died

The White House will be a little quieter when the Bidens return from Delaware to Washington, D.C., after the passing of their beloved German shepherd, Champ Biden.

"Our hearts are heavy today as we let you all know that our beloved German Shepherd, Champ, passed away peacefully at home. He was our constant, cherished companion during the last 13 years and was adored by the entire Biden family," the president and first lady wrote in a statement announcing his death.

"In his younger days, he was happiest chasinggolfballs on the front lawn of the Naval Observatory or racing to catch our grandchildren as they ran around our backyard in Delaware. 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 family wrote. "We love our sweet, good boy and will miss him always."

Champ became a member of the Biden family after the 2008 election. Jill Biden had promised the family could get a dog post-election, according to Politico. Champ was given his name by Biden’s grandchildren on Christmas that year.

"I've had German shepherds my -- from the time I was a kid. And I've actually trained them and shown them in the past, my past life. So I wanted a German shepherd," Biden said on ABC's "This Week" in December 2008.

While in the White House, 13-year-old Champ showed signs of his age. After a visit to the North Lawn on Valentine's day, he could be seen limping back inside.

"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 family recalled.

Champ also helped to bring Major Biden, the family’s younger German shepherd, into the mix.

"I have two German shepherds. One thinks he's Secret Service and he is," Biden said of Champ while campaigning in Iowa during the 2020 election.

"And the other one is a puppy. My vet said, 'your shepherd's 12 -years-old. He's getting slow. The best thing to keep him going is get another little puppy.'"

While Major has gottenmuch of the attentionduring the Bidens' time at the White House, Champ also got his share of the limelight when the then-vice president showed him off in an interview with CBS in 2015.

When Biden asked Champ if he wanted to go play golf, the dog eagerly began yelping with excitement, stealing some hearts as he did.