Sept. 26 (UPI) — President Joe Biden’s 2-year-old German shepherd, Commander, has bitten another Secret Service agent in what is the dog’s 11th known attack.
Commander bit the officer Monday evening at the White House, according to a statement from the Secret Service.
“Yesterday around 8 p.m., a Secret Service Uniformed Division police officer came in contact with a First Family pet and was bitten,” USSS chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi said. “The officer was treated by medical personnel on complex.”
Guglielmi added that Secret Service spoke Tuesday with the injured agent, who said she was doing fine.
The Bidens’ other German Shepherd, Major, also bit Secret Service, White House staff and a National Park Service employee shortly after the president took office. Despite training and time for “Major to adjust to his new surroundings,” according to the White House, he was sent back to Delaware to live with friends.
Commander arrived at the White House as a gift from family in December 2021, after Major moved out.
The Bidens’ other German Shepherd Champ — who passed away six months earlier at the age of 13 — was not involved in any biting incidents.
According to Judicial Watch, Secret service records reveal 10 attacks — before Monday’s incident — by Commander over a four-month period between October 2022 and January. Judicial Watch forced the release of the records through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, regarding “incidents of aggression and bites involving the Biden family dog, Commander.”
In October, a Secret Service agent warned colleagues about Commander in an email.
“Commander has been exhibiting extremely aggressive behavior. Today, while posted, he came charging at me. The first lady couldn’t regain control of Commander and he continued to circle me. I believe it’s only a matter of time before an agent/officer is attacked or bit,” the agent wrote on Oct. 26.
One week later, an agent was transported to the hospital after Commander bit him in the upper right arm and on the thigh. The officer was placed on “restricted duty status” for three days on doctors’ advice.
In December, a Secret Service agent said he was attacked on the South Lawn of the White House after President Biden let Commander off his leash.
“The injuries included a bite to the left forearm, resulting in bruising, and approximately a 1.5 cm cut and a bite to the right hand on the thumb resulting in a 1 cm cut. I received treatment from White House Medical,” the agent said before returning to work the rest of his shift.
While the White House has not commented on this latest biting incident, it said in July that the Bidens were working on new training with Commander.
“The White House complex is a unique and often stressful environment for family pets,” said Elizabeth Alexander, communications director for the first lady, “and the First Family is working through ways to make this situation better for everyone.”
