Five months after Commander was kicked out of the White House, Joe Biden's former dog is back in the news. This time it’s for being involved in at least 24 attacks on Secret Service agents. These attacks are in addition to those already reported and that led to the German shepherd getting from the presidential residence in October 2023.
The report carried out by the USSS, and obtained by CNN, reveals that the animal's stay forced White House workers to change their habits to avoid getting bit. However, his favorite target seemed to be any Secret Service agent protecting President Joe Biden.
The situation got so bad that the assistant special agent of the USSS Presidential Protection Division, who preferred to remain anonymous, had to send an email in June of last year warning his subordinates that they "must be creative to ensure our own personal safety." "The recent dog bites have challenged us to adjust our operational tactics when Commander is present – please give lots of room," he wrote.
However, this wasn’t the first warning. After reviewing the chain's nearly 300 pages of the report, it was discovered that the first alert about the German shepherd’s behavior dates back to October 2022. At the time, an anonymous Secret Service technician reported an incident in which they claimed they were "worried about the family pets behavior escalating and that … something worse was going to happen to others."
Commander's behavior, from bad to worse
The situation got worse and the White House tried to find a solution. A source close to the Biden’s said the family felt "heartbroken" by their dog’s behavior:
They’ve been heartbroken over this. They’ve apologized to those who have been bitten, taken flowers to some. They feel awful. Commander was over-protective, and even though they tried and tried to work on it, they had to let him go live with other members of their family.
However, the numerous training sessions were of no use and, according to a statement from the first lady's communications director, Elizabeth Alexander, in the end the only solution was to move the dog:
The president and first lady care deeply about the safety of those who work at the White House and those who protect them every day. Despite additional dog training, leashing, working with veterinarians, and consulting with animal behaviorists, the White House environment simply proved too much for Commander. Since the fall, he has lived with other family members.
There is no word on where Commander is currently located or which family members are taking care of the animal. A similar situation occurred with another one of Joe Biden's pets, Major, the dog that replaced the German shepherd in the presidential residence in December 2021. He was also relocated. However, his whereabouts have been disclosed. He currently lives with some friends of the Biden’s in Delaware.
