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It was meant to convey relatability, warmth and an all-American quality many felt the previous president — avowedly anti-pet — sorely lacked.
But that picture-perfect tableau was dented this week by news that Major had a run-in with someone at the White House. The incident caused an immediate public-relations problem for the White House, which had spent weeks publicizing the arrival and presence of the two first dogs.
Late Tuesday, a Secret Service official told The Washington Post that Major nipped at an agent’s hand at the White House, causing a minor injury and leaving a small mark. The skin was not punctured, and there was no bleeding, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a sensitive subject. The agent resumed normal duties after the incident, the official said.
Initially, details were sparse. CNN reported a “biting incident” late Monday, followed by a return of the dogs to their home in Wilmington, Del. The White House — normally not shy about discussing the dogs — said nothing.
Tuesday morning, first lady Jill Biden’s spokesman offered a partial explanation. “With the first lady traveling for three days, Champ and Major went to Delaware to stay with family friends,” said her press secretary, Michael LaRosa.
But what of the reported bite? And would the dogs return? He wouldn’t say.
On the White House grounds, there was an air of mystery. A reporter tweeted a photo of an empty dog bed leaning against a wall. A few hours later, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about it at her daily press briefing. She came prepared to share a bit more.
“Champ and Major, the president and first lady’s dogs, are members of the family and still getting acclimated and accustomed to their new surroundings and new people,” she said, reading from her notes. “And on Monday, the first family’s younger dog, Major, was surprised by an unfamiliar person and reacted in a way that resulted in a minor injury to the individual, which was handled by the White House medical unit with no further treatment needed.”
Psaki was asked by a reporter later Tuesday whether she could confirm it was a Secret Service officer who was bitten. She declined to say and encouraged the reporter to ask the Secret Service. An agency spokeswoman referred questions back to the White House.
