Are dog bites on the rise? After 2nd Biden dog bites people, we look at Delaware numbers

Dogs, even trained ones, can bite.

And no one knows that better these days than President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden.

Commander, the Bidens' German shepherd purebred, is no longer staying at the White House after the 2-year-old bit several staffers and chomped down on U.S. Secret Service officers at least 10 times, according to the Associated Press.

The dog is gone from the White House "while next steps are evaluated," according to the AP article.

Officials did not say where Commander is now living.

Not the Bidens' first dog troubles

The president and the first lady often have been photographed walking the dog near their Rehoboth Beach home. They also are frequent visitors with Commander to their home in Greenville.

Previously, Major, another German shepherd owned by the Bidens that came from what was then the Delaware Humane Association's shelter (now Humane Animal Partners) in 2018, showed signs of aggression and also bit Secret Service personnel and White House staff.

In 2021, Wilmington dog trainer Christos Philippou of Delaware K9 Academy told Delaware Online/The News Journal that aggression can happen when "you go from a house pet in Wilmington to the White House where there are hundreds and hundreds of people coming in and out, there’s definitely potential for issues."

When dogs’ routines change, and they’re experiencing more stimulation than before, it can affect their behavior, Philippou said. The dog trainer said it’s on the human, not the canine, to fix this.

Major was shown the door, at least at the White House, and sent to live with unnamed friends in Delaware.

Biden dogs of the past

President Biden has long owned big dogs. While he was vice president, he had Champ, a German shepherd who lived until age 13. He died in June 2021.

Biden also owned a Great Dane named Governor. In 2020, Jude Baseden told Delaware Online/The News Journal about the time when she found the Bidens' lost Great Dane in 1975 when she was 12 years old. Biden, then Delaware's senator, wrote her a thank-you note.

How often are dog bites reported in Delaware?

All of this got us thinking about dog bites in Delaware. How many are there each year, and are they on the rise?

We reached out to the Delaware Department of Health and Social Service's Division of Public Health. The state's Office of Epidemiology, Health Data, and Informatics provided dog bite data from 2016 to 2022.

According to an infectious disease epidemiologist, the number of dog bites reported to the Delaware department has remained relatively steady over time.

The highest number of reported bites throughout the state was 1,608 in 2019.

In 2022, the number was 1,340. The majority of dog bites over the past few years occur in New Castle County, according to figures provided.

The only drastic change was in 2021, a drop to 837 reported bites throughout the state, which the department suspects had to do with the pandemic and Delaware residents staying indoors or not seeking medical attention for bites they typically would have.

According to public health officials, it is worth noting that these are dog bites that have been reported.

However, many dog bites go unreported.

What if my dog bites?

So, what happens if your dog bites or injures someone in Delaware?

The owner of a dog is liable in damages for any injury, death or loss to a person or property that is caused by the dog, unless the injury, death or loss was caused to the body or property of a person who, at the time, was committing or attempting to commit a trespass or other criminal offense on the property of the owner, or was committing or attempting to commit a criminal offense against any person, or was teasing, tormenting or abusing the dog, according to the Delaware Code.

In Delaware, dog bites should be reported to the Delaware Division of Public Health.

Fines can range from a couple hundred dollars to over $1,000, depending on which rule was violated and how often.

Meredith Newman contributed to this story. Contact Patricia Talorico at ptalorico@delawareonline.com or 302-324-2861 and follow her on X (Twitter) @pattytalorico. Sign up for her Delaware Eats newsletter.

Good boy no more? Why is Bidens' dog Major biting people at the White House? A trainer offers insight

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: A look at Delaware dog bites after Biden dog banished from White House