In Washington, President Joe Biden’s dog, Commander, bit a Secret Service agent, marking the 11th known biting incident involving the 2-year-old purebred German Shepherd, according to confirmation from the agency.
The event took place around 8 p.m. on Monday. A Uniformed Division police officer came into contact with the First Family’s pet and was bitten, as stated by Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.
The injured officer received treatment from medical personnel on the White House grounds and is reported to be in good condition, according to Guglielmi.
In July, records made public by the conservative group Judicial Watch revealed 10 previous biting incidents involving Commander and Secret Service officers. In one instance, a Secret Service agent required hospital treatment.
In December 2021, Commander was given to the Bidens as a gift after their previous dog, Major, was sent to live with family friends due to a series of biting incidents. Another Biden family dog, Champ, passed away in June 2021 at the age of 13.
Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for first lady Jill Biden, stated, “As we’ve noted before, the White House can be a stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family continues to work on ways to help Commander handle the often unpredictable nature of the White House grounds.” She also expressed gratitude to the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for their efforts in keeping the First Family and the country safe.
Following previous biting incidents involving Commander, the first lady’s office announced that additional leashing protocols and training would be implemented, along with designated areas for Commander to run and exercise.