President Joe Biden watched his German Shepherd attack Secret Service officers several times, sometimes as he was taking the dog for a walk, according to documents obtained by Judicial Watch.
Commander Biden, a two-year-old German Shepherd, was removed from the White House in October after the dog reportedly committed 11 biting incidents. On top of previous reporting, it was later revealed that the dog had bitten Secret Service officers at least 24 times, even drawing blood in some instances. In at least three Commander attacks on agents, the president was present and looked on as the dog even tore through individuals’ clothes, the documents, first reported by the New York Post, show. (RELATED: Biden Too Beta? Dog Trainers Say Biting Indicates Lack Of Leadership)
“POTUS took Commander (on a leash) to the Kennedy Garden this evening for a walk. While POTUS and Commander were in the Kennedy Garden I was standing halfway from the Book-Sellers and the Family Theater. POTUS opened the Book-Seller door and said [redacted]. As I started to walk toward him to see if he needed help, Commander ran through his legs and bit my left arm through the front of my jacket. I pulled my arm away and yelled no,” a September 2023 email between Secret Service and White House officials said, according to Judicial Watch.
“POTUS also yelled [redacted] to Commander. POTUS then [redacted]. I obliged and Commander let me pet him. When turning to close the door, Commander jumped again and bit my left arm for the second time. POTUS again yelled at Commander and attached the leash to him. My suit coat has 3 holes,1 being all the way through. No skin was broken,” the email continued.
Is Biden too beta?
Commander, a two-year-old German Shepherd, has been removed from the White House after 11 reported biting incidents.
The behavioral issues indicate a lack of leadership, dog trainers told @DailyCaller.
More here:https://t.co/3SGuy1xIaS
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) October 6, 2023
Later in September 2023, another email went out to officers, according to Judicial Watch.
“FYI – there was a dog bite and the Officer may need to go the hospital,” part of the email wrote. “[Redacted] is covering for [redacted] who was at [redacted].”
“Have a safe shift!” the email concluded.
Another email followed the September emails from the Secret Service’s Safety, Health & Environmental Division, according to the documents.
“Heads up and FYI. TMZ just reported a dog bite at the White House! Can we please find a way to get this dog muzzled,” an official wrote, the documents show.
“How does TMZ know before we do???” one official responded.
“Not sure. We must get this dog muzzled,” another responded, followed by replies of “Geezzzz …” and “Unbelievable!”
Earlier documents made public in 2024 show that the president was present for other incidents, the New York Post reported.
“I was bit/grabbed on the left forearm,” an agent wrote on Oct. 2, 2022, about an incident where he was holding the door for the president and the dog, the outlet reported.
“Commander came in first circled back and grabbed my left arm. He then stood up and back down. He is literally my height standing. [President Biden] entered shortly after since he was trailin’ [sic] behind him. [Biden] entered the Palm Room and said, ‘[redacted quote]’,” the documents said.
Biden was also present for another incident in December of 2022 when the president took Commander without a leash to the Kennedy Garden. Commander’s presence made the White House work environment “hostile” and “dangerous,” a source familiar with the president’s Secret Service detail told CNN.
US President Joe Biden walks his dog Commander on the beach in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, December 28, 2021. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Following Commander’s removal from the White House, dog trainers told the Daily Caller that the German Shepherd was having behavioral problems because he lacked leadership and direction from his owners.
“I think that’s probably a lot of it, I’d say [the dog] is probably lacking some direction and lacking some good leadership, but I don’t know how conducive that would be, given the environment that he’s in, for it to be successful with this individual dog,” David Tirpak of Miracle K9 Training told the Caller. Tirpak added that German shepherds come under additional stress when they are controlled by an individual who is not the first person they initially made a bond with.
