Joe Biden's Dog Commander Bites Secret Service Agent in 11th Known Incident

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

The president's youngest German shepherd bit another U.S. Secret Service agent, making this the 11th known incident

<p>MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty</p> President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden's younger dog Commander bit another U.S. Secret Service officer earlier this week.

Commander, a 2-year-old purebred German shepherd, bit a Secret Service officer around 8 p.m. Monday. The injured officer was treated by medical personnel and is doing okay following the incident, USSS Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement to CNN.

This recent incident would be the 11th known instance of the dog biting a Secret Service officer at the White House and in Delaware. This follows the July reports that Secret Service members raised concerns about Commander in email correspondence that surfaced in emails obtained by the conservative group Judicial Watch through Freedom of Information requests.

<p>Adam Schultz/The White House via AP</p> President Joe Biden with Commander

Adam Schultz/The White House via AP

President Joe Biden with Commander

In the email correspondence, the staffers alleged that Commander was involved in at least 10 incidents, reported CNN. "I believe it’s only a matter of time before an agent/officer is attacked or bit," one staff member claimed.

One email showed that a Secret Service officer went to a hospital to be treated for injuries after the German shepherd reportedly bit the officer's arm and thighs in November 2022.

In an October 2022 incident, Commander charged a Secret Service staffer and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden reportedly "couldn't regain control.”

Related: Dr. Jill Biden and First Dog Commander Share Special Message of Love for Puppy Bowl 2022 — Watch

“For the past several presidential administrations, the Secret Service has navigated how to best operate around family pets and these incidents are no exception," Guglielmi said in a July statement to CNN. "We take the safety and well-being of our employees extremely seriously."

“As such, we are aware of past incidents involving first-family pets, and these instances were treated similarly to comparable workplace injuries, to include with relevant notifications and reporting procedures followed," the statement continued.

Guglielmi explained that the Secret Service does "work with all applicable entities to minimize adverse impacts in an environment that includes pets," but they do not care for or handle the pets.

Related: First Lady Jill Biden Has Been 'Obsessed' with Getting Dogs Champ and Major 'Settled' at the White House

The Biden family welcomed Commander to the White House in December 2021. His White House arrival followed the death of Biden’s previous German shepherd, Champ, who died in June 2021.

Biden, 80, tweeted, "Welcome to the White House, Commander," along with a photo of the puppy running with a tennis ball in his mouth.

Commander is the third dog to move into the White House during Biden's presidency. The 2-year-old puppy was previously joined by Major.

The Bidens adopted Major from the Delaware Humane Association in 2018, but after residing in the White House for a short period he was removed from the residence due to several "biting incidents." In early 2021, Major was then rehomed and now resides with family friends of the Bidens.

"After consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviorists, and veterinarians, the First Family has decided to follow the experts' collective recommendation that it would be safest for Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends," Michael LaRosa, a spokesman for Dr. Jill Biden at the time, told PEOPLE. "This is not in reaction to any new or specific incident, but rather a decision reached after several months of deliberation as a family and discussions with experts."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.