At least two of the bites occurred while Commander was off a leash: once with President Joe Biden and other family members after leaving the family movie theater in December 2022, and once when first lady Jill Biden was walking Commander in the Kennedy Garden in November 2022.
The White House said in a statement to POLITICO that the Bidens are working to establish better protocols to ensure safety.
“The White House complex is a unique and often stressful environment for family pets, and the First Family is working through ways to make this situation better for everyone,” first lady spokesperson Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement Tuesday. “They have been partnering with the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff on additional leashing protocols and training, as well as establishing designated areas for Commander to run and exercise.”
“According to the Secret Service, each incident referenced was treated similarly to comparable workplace injuries, with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed,” Alexander added. “The President and First Lady are incredibly grateful to the Secret Service and Executive Residence staff for all they do to keep them, their family, and the country safe.”
Commander, a gift to the president from his family, took the place of another dog, Major, who moved homes after also perpetrating several biting incidents on the White House campus. The Bidens also have a cat named Willow.
Earlier in November 2022, Commander bit one agent on the arm and leg, according to the emails, leading to considerable pain and a hospital visit.
“What a joke [redacted] — if it wasn’t their dog he would have already been put down — freaking clown needs a muzzle,” one agent wrote in an email to the victim shortly after that incident.
Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report.
