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Records from the Secret Service reveal that President Joe Biden’s pet dog, Commander, has bitten the agency’s staff at least 24 times, sparking yet another round of discussions around presidential pets that have either courted controversy or become hugely popular not just in the United States but worldwide.
The President’s pet Commander parted ways with the White House in 2021, following an incident in which a Secret Service agent needed medical attention after being bitten severely by the German Shepherd. Documents posted online confirm that there were at least two dozen such biting incidents involving Commander between October 2022 and July 2023.
The situation prompted the Secret Service to amend their operational tactics with the Special Agent advising his team to maintain a safe distance and employ creativity to ensure their personal safety. While the agency has officially confirmed that 11 of its agents were victim to Commander’s biting episodes, the emails indicate a greater number of incidents causing worry among the security personnel. Various Secret Service members reported being bitten on the wrist, forearm, elbow, waist, chest, thigh, and shoulder.
Commander isn’t the first presidential dog to display aggressive behavior; another Biden German Shepherd, Major, was relocated due to similar behavior.
Finland’s first dog, Lennu, a Boston terrier, was among those who gained immense popularity. Regularly included in public appearances by President Saulo Niinisto, Lennu became a celebrity, receiving global recognition and endearment.
Another chapter in the saga of presidential pets features Russia’s Vladimir Putin enlisting his Labrador Koni to a news conference with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Despite Merkel’s well-known fear of dogs, Putin introduced Koni to the conference, causing discomfort for Merkel, while appearing amused himself; he later apologized for the incident.
A narrative from history reminds us of the US president Franklin Delano Roosevelt accusing his opponents of spreading “fake news” about his Scottish terrier, Fala. Opponents claimed that Roosevelt had abandoned Fala in Alaska during a visit, and had to return to retrieve the dog, costing the national treasury millions of dollars. Roosevelt vehemently denied these claims and managed to gain public sympathy, employing the situation tactfully in a national broadcast speech.
Touching upon a Cold War narrative, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gifted US President John Kennedy a dog called Pushinka, whose mother was among the first dogs in space. Suspicions about Pushinka being a “spy” were rife, leading to rigorous tests for potential hidden listening devices. Despite these unusual circumstances, Pushinka, much like many of her presidential pet predecessors, managed to make history in her own unique, endearing way.
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