President Joe Biden's family dog is said to have bitten members of the Secret Service in at least 24 incidents, new records show.
The German shepherd, named Commander, appeared to become a serious workplace issue for White House staff in the months before he was removed, the internal documents claim.
According to the records, Secret Service personnel changed their habits to avoid being injured by the dog.
"The recent dog bites have challenged us to adjust our operational tactics when Commander is present – please give lots of room," an unnamed assistant special agent in charge of the United States Secret Services’ (USSS) Presidential Protective Division wrote.
Joe Biden's dog was removed from the White House in October last year after a series of biting incidents
GettyIn June 2023, an email warned agents they "must be creative to ensure our own personal safety".
Incidents were said to have taken place inside and outside of the White House residence, but also at Biden family homes in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, at Camp David, and in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
A source has said the Biden family feels "awful" and left "heartbroken" over the spate of attacks.
"They’ve been heartbroken over this. They’ve apologized to those who have been bitten, taken flowers to some," the source told CNN.
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"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."
Commander was introduced to the family as a puppy in December 2021.
However, incidents began in October 2022 and spanned a whole year before he was removed in October last year.
Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for USSS called on his media team to begin "crafting potential public responses" for questions about the incidents starting in July 2023.
According to the records, Secret Service personnel changed their habits to avoid being injured by the dog
Getty SAUL LOEB/AFPOne of the more severe incidents occurred on July 29, 2023, where Commander caused "a severe deep open wound" after a special agent from the presidential protective division’s counter surveillance unit was bitten.
Another documented incident also involved President Biden on October 2, 2022, when an agent was bitten on the forearm.
Elizabeth Alexander, First Lady Jill Biden’s communications director said: "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."
