"There was no apparent intervention that seemed to be working in any way to prevent that behavior from occurring again because the dog had these multiple incidents," said Brandau, who reviewed the Secret Service emails. "Just being in that facility in itself is a stressor, all by itself, because of the level of activity, the level of people moving in and out, the level of security protocols, and then all of those areas of the building that are restricted," Brandau told NPR in an interview.īrandau, who trains dogs and has served as an expert witness in court cases about aggressive dogs, said dogs like Commander can become more comfortable attacking and biting over time. APīob Brandau, a canine behavior expert based in Florida, said animals are very sensitive to their environments. "While special agents and officers neither care for nor handle the first family's pets, we continuously work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets," he said.Ĭommander watches from the doorway of the White House as the Bidens board the Marine One helicopter on June 25, 2022. Past incidents involving first family pets were also treated as workplace injuries, he said. "For the past several presidential administrations, the Secret Service has navigated how to best operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception," spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. The Secret Service said in a statement that it takes the safety and security of their employees "extremely seriously." (Judicial Watch had obtained hundreds of pages of records concerning Major's behavior, as well.)Ĭommander came to the White House as a puppy in December 2021, a birthday gift from Biden's brother James.īut by the end of the year, Commander's behavior had been brought to the attention of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, the emails show. The Bidens brought two German shepherds with them when they moved into the White House in 2021: Champ, who died at age 13 that year, and Major, a younger dog adopted from a shelter.īut after a couple of biting incidents - and consultations with experts - Major was sent to a live with family friends of the Bidens, for safety reasons. AP The Bidens had another dog that bit agents, too Champ died a few months later at age 13, and Major went to a new home after biting incidents. The officer said they had to use a steel cart as a shield from another attack, and they were in pain after the incident.Ĭhamp, reclining, and Major, standing, on the White House South Lawn on March 31, 2021. 3, Commander bit an officer twice, once on the arm and then when the officer stood up, on the leg. The names of most agents and officials were redacted.ĭays later, on Nov. I believe it's only a matter of time before an agent/officer is attacked or bit," an email about a Secret Service official said. "The First Lady couldn't regain control of Commander and he continued to circle me. 26, Commander charged at an agent while on a walk with first lady Jill Biden. Tipped to the incidents, the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit to get access to 194 pages of emails and texts where Secret Service agents and officials described aggressive encounters with Commander.įor example, on Oct. One incident resulted in an agent getting sent to the hospital for treatment. The German shepherd bit several Secret Service agents a total of 10 times during the four-month period between October 2022 and January 2023, records show. President Biden's dog Commander has found himself in the doghouse after a series of incidents where he bit Secret Service officers on duty at the White House. Secret Service records show the dog has bitten a number of agents, raising concerns. President Biden's dog Commander looks out from the balcony during the 2022 Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony.
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