US President Joe Biden’s German shepherd Major has reportedly “nipped” someone who needed medical attention for the injury.
CNN is reporting that the incident took place on the White House South Lawn on Monday afternoon and involved a National Park Service employee.
Jill Biden’s press secretary Michael LaRosa confirmed the incident to HuffPost. “Yes, Major nipped someone on a walk,” LaRosa said. “Out of an abundance of caution, the individual was seen by WHMU and then returned to work.”
Reporters later spotted Major being walked on a leash by White House personnel, something CNN said isn’t always the case.
Monday’s incident came less than a week after Major and fellow presidential canine Champ came back to the White House after a three-week stay at the president’s home in Delaware following another reported biting incident.
The two presidential pooches were sent to Wilmington earlier this month after Major, a 3-year-old former shelter dog, caused a minor injury to an unnamed security staffer.
During the dogs’ time in Delaware, a trainer worked with Major to avoid future incidents.
Although Major reportedly has displayed “agitated” behaviour since moving to the White House in January, including jumping, barking and charging at staff, the president told George Stephanopoulos that Major is “a sweet dog” and “eighty-five percent of the people there love him. He just — all he does is lick them and wag his tail.”
HuffPost reached out to the White House for comment, but no one immediately responded.