Commander Biden: all about the president's controversial dog

Commander Biden, a pure-bred German Shepherd puppy adopted by Joe and Jill Biden, is without a doubt one of the more powerful... and controversial pooches in the US. With some political rivals saying that he doesn't even deserve to be alive. Here's his story.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were gifted a pure-bred German Shepherd puppy in 2021.

Photo: Instagram/potus

The first lady's press secretary Michael LaRosa has confirmed the news of a puppy after it was spotted on the White House lawn: "Yes. There is (a puppy). The puppy is named "Commander" and was a birthday gift to the President from his brother James Biden and sister-in-law Sara Biden."

Photo: Twitter/potus

A new puppy was most likely just what the President needed for his 79th birthday, particularly since Biden's favorite dog, his German Shepherd Champ, died in June 2021 at age thirteen.

Photos: White House/Adam Schultz via Javi Morgado / Twitter

According to CNN, the newest addition, Commander, was born on September 1st and arrived at his new home at the White House on December 20th.

Photo: potus / Twitter

Sadly, the Bidens have been having a bought of bad luck with their beloved pets. Their other German Shepherd, a rescue dog they adopted named Major, has been forced to leave their company at the White House. Major had several incidents of aggression with the White House staff, which resulted in him being moved to Wilmington, Delaware, to stay out of trouble.

Photo: Cheryl Cox/Unsplash

According to BBC in 2024, Commander didn't turn out to be much easier to deal with. Secret Service records shows he "caused chaos for the presedential bodyguards" and there were at least 24 biting incidents between Oct. 2022 and July 2023.

The same report reveals that a deep bite in the arm of an agent caused blood in the White House, forcing tours of part of the building to be suspended for 20 minutes. Another agent needed six stiches after being bit in the hand. "The recent dog bites have challenged us to adjust our operational tactics when Commander is present," read one report.

Eventually, Commander followed his brother Major and went to live with relatives down south due to his behavior. "Despite additional dog training, leashing, working with veterinarians, and consulting with animal behaviourists, the White House environment simply proved too much for Commander," a statement from Jill Biden said.

Indeed, the figure of Commander has become so polarized in the US, that Govenor Kristi Noem of South Dakota said the Bidens should kill Commander. "How many people is enough people to be attacked and dangerously hurt before you make a decision on a dog?” she asked on 'Face the Nation' in May 2024.

Noem, who could be Trump's running mate this year, talked about the dog since in her memoir she described shooting an "untrainable" and "less than worthless" dog in the gravel pit when she was younger. "I hated that dog," Ms. Noem wrote.

Follow Showbizz Daily to stay informed and enjoy more content!