Commander’s White House adventure ends. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill’s two-year-old German Shepherd was taken away after a series of attacks on Secret Service employees and employees responsible for the president’s security. The decision came when the dog bit a Secret Service agent: the presidential animal’s eleventh episode of aggression. including one that also required hospital treatment for a White House staffer.
“The commander is no longer at the presidential residence while next steps are evaluated,” said Elizabeth Alexander, Biden’s communications director. “The President and First Lady Jill care deeply about the safety of those who work in the White House and those who protect them every day.” It is not yet known where he was taken. The dog arrived at the Biden home in December 2021 as a “gift” from his brother James. Alexander believes the animal’s behavior is due to the “stressful environment of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, home of the White House.” In short, a hard life even for the “first dog”. But there was even more to the Secret Service agents: They had been advised to move around the property to avoid an encounter with Commander. They were even notified when he was gone so they could move more calmly. This is despite the Bidens trying to teach the dog to deal with his overly aggressive nature. They had taken the situation seriously and worked with trainers, veterinarians and home staff.
It’s not the first time a Biden dog has been kicked out: Shortly after he took office, his pup Major was removed due to an “accidental bite” from a staffer. Major was taken from a shelter and adopted in November 2018, but was then sent to Delaware. This incident apparently undermined the relationship of trust between the Bidens and the US intelligence services and exposed tensions between the two parties. However, the previous dog was Champ, also a German Shepherd whom the president loved dearly and who died in June 2021 at the family home in Wilmington.
Local laws in Washington DC, which apply to all dogs in the city, require that bites be reported to initiate a quarantine process for the animal and ensure there is no risk of rabies. However, the local law does not apply on federal property, including the White House grounds. For this reason, it is not known exactly whether there were actually eleven or more of the aggressive incidents.