Patterns Vs. Incidents - a Presidential Concern

Maybe the Bidens ought to give up on having German shepherds in the White House.

No matter where you fall on the political scale, or what you think of the current President or state of affairs, having to banish 2 dogs in the span of less than two years is a sign of a serious problem ('Major' was sent off to live with friends - also for biting - in December 2021; now off goes 'Commander' in November 2023).

The latest report on Commander is that in his two years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, he's had at least 11 bites to staff - some serious enough to require medical attention.  Additionally, some sources say there have been many more, unreported/untreated bites from the 2 year old German shepherd.

As a professional dog trainer of over 33 years, I am appalled.

Why was this dog allowed to practice this behavior for so long and so many times?  

I'll tell you why:

When it comes to their dogs, Joe & Jill Biden are no different than many of the pet owners we see at Front Range K9 Academy every week.

They love their dog.  

They are exceptionally busy, and dog training doesn't always come first.  

And most importantly, they are in denial (or those advising them about the dog are).

Look folks, it's not rocket science - sometimes dogs bite.  But when this happens, we have to determine whether we're looking at an isolated incident or at a pattern that reveals the nature of the dog itself.

Sometimes, a dog biting is a one-time thing which can be explained - or maybe even excused - by circumstances.  This is an incident of biting.

It might happen when the dog is injured, startled, feeling threatened, or otherwise not acting in character; and, if it truly is incidental, it's not likely to happen again.

What 'Commander' is doing is not incidental biting.  It has crossed a line.  In fact, it has so far surpassed that line, the line has become a dot in the far, far distance!

I've assessed and worked with hundreds (maybe thousands) of aggressive dogs of all breeds.  Any bite is cause for concern.  Anything beyond 2 bites is cause for major concern.

Now we're getting reports of 11 or more bites from this dog.

This, my friends, is a very clear pattern.  And patterns of behavior are notoriously difficult to extinguish.

And this is where understanding the nature of the dog - its breed, temperament, and history are so important when making the right decisions regarding what comes next.  

And that applies whether we're talking about the President's dog, or your dog.

When owners come in with a dog with bites under its belt - whether it's one bite, or many - we are always cautious.

We'd love to tell you "Yes!  Your dog can be 'fixed' and will never bite again!"  But that would be a lie.  A dog who is willing to bite even once, may be willing to do it again.

And the dog who has gotten well-practiced in the habit or pattern of biting is a truly dangerous animal.

This doesn't mean things are hopeless and you have to send your dog away.  

But it DOES mean you have to become fully accountable and responsible for the actions of your dog - for the rest of its life.

And for the love of Mike, you have to step out of denial, and into reality.  Wishing things would be different does you and your dog NO GOOD.

Life with an aggressive dog is hard.  As humans, we're always hoping to explain away bites - "The child scared him."  "He doesn't like to go to the veterinarian."  "She doesn't like men in hats."  "It was windy that day, and she was upset."

But if your explanations are adding up, as your dog wracks up bite after bite, it's time to step back and take a long hard look at what's going on, and what has to change.

Because, as one of our favorite signs at the training facility says, "If you change nothing, nothing will change."

Jennifer Hime is the Owner & Training Director at Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge, CO.