Presidential Dogs Have A Wholesome Social Media Presence
President Joe Biden brought two very special residents to the White House in 2021, and the internet was ready to celebrate them. Champ and Major quickly became part of the story, giving the presidency a softer, more playful side at a time when people were eager for something wholesome.
The First Dogs also came with a little history attached, since Major became the first rescue dog to live in the White House. That detail gave the Bidens' pets an extra layer of charm, and it helped turn their arrival into a feel-good moment people wanted to share.
From old presidential pet trivia to the Bidens' social media-friendly pups, this story has plenty of pawsitive energy. Read on.
Some fantastic history of the presidential pups:
Joe and Jill Biden got Champ as a puppy in 2008 and named him Champ as a tip of the hat to Joe's father, who would encourage Joe as a child by telling him, "Get up, Champ," whenever he was feeling down.
Major was adopted as a rescue dog from a shelter!
Champ hopes that he can inspire other rescue dog adoptions by being the first rescue dog in the White House.
It's practically a presidential standard for the POTUS to have a pet, but contrary to the norm, Donald Trump did not have a pet whatsoever.
The last president to have no pets was James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States. The last president to have no dog was William McKinley (who was assassinated in 1901), but McKinley had other animals as pets.
When pressed as to why Trump didn't have a dog or a pet, he told The Washington Post that it would seem "phony."
“I wouldn’t mind having one, honestly, but I don’t have any time. How would I look walking a dog on the White House lawn?”
- Donald Trump
Shortly before the election, Joe Biden tweeted on November 1st:
"Let's put dogs back in the White House!"
Not having a dog has been surprisingly polarizing, as many regularly associate the modern American dream and family with having a dog.
That tweet landed at exactly the right moment.
The history of presidential pets is still totally fascinating.
President John F. Kennedy kept ponies.
30th US President Calvin Coolidge had a bobcat (wow).
Thomas Jefferson had a pair of grizzly bear cubs at one point, even.
Even Teddy Roosevelt had a pet... a rooster.
Presidential pets have always been a little unexpected.
This is the same kind of instant joy as the lab-tested dog thrilled to get their first toy.
But Trump didn't have a dog or a pet at all, so people are very excited for the Bidens to move in with their pups.
It's also a really cool note that a rescue dog will be represented in the White House come January 2021.
That part made the whole thing feel even more meaningful.
Across the Internet, millions upon millions of people have celebrated the election results. And these dogs are a sign of pawsitivity.
Hopefully, plenty of dogs will find their forever homes when humans are inspired by the Biden family and their dogs.
The White House needs dogs!
Of course, there are plenty of skeptics in the mix, courtesy of Trump's relentless tirades against the election results.
A phrase that's been repeated many times in the last four years:
Still, the new First Dogs gave people something lighter to focus on.
There are many firsts with this presidency; it's very exciting.
For another space-era pup twist, see how Strelka’s Pushinka led to “Pupniks” jokes.
Share this article:
