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6 Comments RSSEmailPrint

Champ Biden may be out of range of the White House photographer's lens, but he is ready for his close-up. | Photo by AP PhotoClose
By KARIN TANABE & AMIE PARNES | 11/9/10 4:26 AM EST Updated: 11/9/10 6:37 AM EST
First dog Bo Obama, the curly-haired Portuguese waterdog, has been in the news quite a lot lately. In early October, Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan, weighed in on his training.

A short time later, Bo’s trainer Dawn Sylvia-Stasiewicz released a book on her obedience techniques , bringing the number of books where Bo makes a cameo to at least five. With book deals, a Wikipedia entry, not to mention his own page on the White House website, it increasingly seems that Bo may turn out to be the most famous dog in political history.

But there’s another prize pup high in the power ranks: Champ Biden. A purebred pup from Jolindy's German Shepherd kennel in Spring City, PA, Champ was named by Vice President Joe Biden’s granddaughters and is reputed to be even-tempered, affectionate and obedient. He may be out of range of White House photographer Pete Souza’s lens, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t ready for his close-up.

Naren Aryal, author of “Bo, America's Commander in Leash,” says Champ’s time is now. “The time might be right for Champ as Obama’s approval ratings are sagging and, I bet by extension, Bo’s approval ratings have dipped,” Aryal told POLITICO. “He needs to get himself out there, start making deals. If he’s interested in a book deal, he should call us,” said Aryal, who suggested “Second Dog, First in Hearts” as a working title for a book about Champ.

Champ came close to stealing the spotlight last year at a Teacher of the Year event at the Naval Observatory. He made his way into a White House pool report after posing for reporters at the top of the residence staircase, inspiring oohs and ahhs from the crowd. Dr. Jill Biden joked that Champ wanted “to be introduced.”

But mostly, Champ’s a loyal family dog who keeps close to home. According to a White House aide, Champ is, like his masters, “an early riser. He often encourages the vice president to take a walk before the sun even comes up” and “will occasionally join Dr. B for a run.”

Champ also “is very protective of his home,” the aide said. Like a member of the Secret Service, Champ “can be found taking walks around the house and checking in with staff and visitors.” By the end of the day, the aide said, “he has usually exhausted himself, and can be found curled up on the couch helping Dr. Biden grade her papers or at the front door casually greeting and sniffing anyone who enters.”

If Champ is ready for primetime, Vice President Joe Biden may be the man to get him there. He started Champ’s grassroots campaign effort in May 2009, just after Bo settled into 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The VP was asked at an elementary school in Syracuse if he had ever petted a dog. He confirmed that he had and added, “guess what, I got one that lives with me...The smartest, coolest dog in the world. His name is Champ." He added, "I wish you could see my doggie," and then did a major PR push by saying "And by the way, I kid the president, my dog's smarter than Bo, his dog. Yeah I do. I think he is.”

With all his activities, you’d think Champ would have made the cover of Modern Dog magazine and scored a Kibbles commercial or two. But even with the vice president’s help, fame has not found Champ Biden. After Biden’s verdict on Champ vs. Bo, author Aryal told “Inside Edition" that he didn’t agree with the vice president. “Champ, Biden's dog versus Bo, Obama's dog? I don't think there's any contest. It's Bo,” Aryal said. When asked by POLITICO if he still stands by his decision, Aryal took a day to think it over, but stayed the course, saying Bo is still smarter.

Others disagree, however. Linda Brown, head honcho at Jolindy’s, where Champ was born and where his dog family still lives, told POLITICO that “he is smarter than any Portuguese waterdog.”

“They are all German, they are bred smart, they are extremely smart. They are ready to get up in the morning and make your coffee for you,” said Brown. While Champ is trying to make it big in Washington, his mother, father, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandfather Hans (age 14) still live with the breeder.

“His great great grandfather Hans has won all kinds of obedience titles. His father is extremely intelligent. His mother is a fabulous swimmer,” Brown explained. “She dives for toys in the pool like a fish. I have two indoor heated pools for the dogs.”

Time will tell whether Champ can pull ahead of Bo Obama in the nation’s heart. In the meantime, can we expect the two pooches to go paw to paw in the struggle to be top dog? Probably not. A White House aide says the dogs have no play dates on the books.

6 Comments RSSEmailPrint
Read more about: Joe Biden, Bo Obama, Champ Biden
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Karin Tanabe
Amie Parnes


Vice President Joe Biden's dog, Champ, is ready for his close-up.

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Reference story
Bo – There's a reason he's called “first dog.”
Champ – German Shepherds are very intelligent.
Neither – I prefer Republican dogs.
I don’t really care.

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