Commander, the German Shepherd of United States President Joe Biden, was involved in at least 24 biting incidents with Secret Service agents, newly released documents reveal.
The records, obtained through Freedom of Information requests and posted online, show how the dog disrupted the security operations of the presidential bodyguards.
The bites ranged from the wrist to the shoulder, and some agents needed stitches and medical treatment. One bite in June caused blood to spill on the floor of the White House, halting tours of the East Wing for 20 minutes.
A senior agent warned in an email that agents had to “give lots of room” and be “creative to ensure our own personal safety” when Commander was around.
The dog was eventually removed from the White House in October last year, after a series of attempts to train and leash him failed.
The office of First Lady Jill Biden said in a statement to CNN that Commander was sent to live with relatives because the White House environment was too much for him.
Another Biden dog, Major, also bit a Secret Service agent in 2021 and was relocated to Delaware.
