Ruh roh: Major Biden 'nips' National Parks Service staffer

[soothsayer]

Link to tweet

?s=21

Major Biden 'nips' National Parks Service staffer

Major Biden 'nips' National Parks Service staffer
rawstory.com
https://t.co/ZOXmRPMXHt?amp=1

[CurtEastPoint]

1. omg cue the RW poutrage and Qanon and shit

[TheBlackAdder]

2. Quick give that dog a COVID-19 vaccine shot and let the nanobots reprogram him. 😂

[CrackityJones75]

3. I am an avid rescue dog owner.

This dog needs to find a different home. Period. I am sorry but this is not a good situation for the dog. At all. It sucks but that is the ling and short of it. Everything this dog does is going to be under scrutiny. Not fair to the dog and should be in a more stable and intimate situation.

[Botany]

9. R you kidding me?

This is an easily solvable "problem."

[CrackityJones75]

15. No I am not kidding you.

It isn’t necessarily an easily correctable thing. The dog is not responding well to the situation and is likely NOT enjoying the situation at all. Why keep trying to correct this situation instead of putting him in a stable loving situation? I do not understand your response at all. I am not kidding you. I have owned many rescue animals, was married to a vet specializing in animal behavior and psychology (and remain friends with her to this day) and she would say the same thing. Shoe horning animals i to a situation and the expecting them to “be corrected” is not fair to the animal at all.

[Cattledog]

18. Give me a break.

[CrackityJones75]

25. What do you take issue with?

[Botany]

23. как погода в Санкт-Петербурге?

I have owned many rescue animals, was married to a vet specializing in animal behavior and psychology (and remain friends with her to this day) and she would say the same thing.

[CrackityJones75]

24. Excuse me?

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

50. 🤓

[Treefrog]

84. Are you actually calling someone a Russian because they have a different point of view?

I can’t figure out what else to make out of your post to that poster.

[PatSeg]

91. I don't think that applies in this case

People are just disagreeing about how to handle a situation involving a beloved dog in the White House. No need to read between the lines.

[Deminpenn]

43. Major was adopted as a puppy

He was not an adult dog rescued from an abusive home or one with behavior issues, then adopted.

[CrackityJones75]

54. Oh is the other one a rescue?

I thought he was the one that was a rescue. In either event it may be that the dog just isn’t comfortable in the white house. Two biting situations already. I would say that the dog isn’t well adjusted to the scenario. I just want to see the dog succeed and be happy.

[LanternWaste]

56. You move from absolutes to editorials rather quickly.

[CrackityJones75]

57. Huh?

Am I on the stand here? What is your deal?

Let me make this simple for you. I want the dog to be happy and in the best situation possible. I am not sure why that is worthy of your examination? I do a lot of work with animals and volunteer.
What prompted you to come after me? So strange.

[CrackityJones75]

60. And what absolutes?

Was it the use of the word “likely” that was an absolute?

The dog has bit someone twice. I’d say its safe to say it isn’t well adjusted to its current arrangement.

[Deminpenn]

80. Major is a rescue, but he was adopted as a puppy

Doesn't seem to be any different than adopting a rescue kitten or one from a rescued pregnant momma cat or momma cat with newborns.

Biden has said they got Major after asking their vet how they could help Champ (13) live longer. Their vet apparently said having a younger dog around would be beneficial. AFAIK, Champ is not a rescue.

[PatSeg]

90. I don't think any of us know enough about

the situation to make judgments, but it would seem rather cruel to remove a loved pet to another home at this point in his life. It is hard for animals to adjust to a new lifestyle, but that doesn't mean finding them a new home would necessarily be the right answer. Surely there must be other alternatives to consider first. Dogs are part of our family. We don't give family members away because we've moved or changed our lifestyles. Beloved pets surely would take that as abandonment.

Being the Bidens cannot spend as much one-on-one time with their dogs as they're used to, they probably need a full-time caretaker/trainer if they don't have one already. Being in the White House is a unique experience for any pet.

[Blue_true]

67. Make sense to me.

The environment at the Biden home was much calmer than the one that he is in now. To me, dogs seem to be very territorial, the young dog may have staked out territory that he sees regularly at the White House, and when a strange face comes into that territory, watch out.

I see two options of Major stays at the White House, muzzle him at all times, except when he is with family only. Or bring a trainer to the White House and have that person work with Major to help the dog acclimate to it’s new surroundings.

[USALiberal]

64. Lol, ok! Nt

[Throck]

13. Long time shepherd rescue person here.

In a heartbeat I'll move to the Whitehouse to manage this shepherd. We've rescued 3 and raised 2 more. Shepherds are special and need lots of work and attention. I'll have this pup playing cards, working with the Secret Service and stealing their lunches in a week. The dog misses the boss and is lonely.

[CrackityJones75]

16. Yep working dogs need to "work"

But it is a rescue and sometimes - not all the time, not every situation is going to work. I would assume that a situation with lots of different people faces and scenarios may not be a good fit for Major. I don’t know that this is the case but it is a possibility. I am on the side if the dog here.

[jeffreyi]

51. me too.

Do what's good for the dog. And that's to get him into a less stressful environment.

[CrackityJones75]

55. Like!

Yes!

[Mariana]

63. "In a heartbeat I'll move to the Whitehouse to manage this shepherd."

Obviously, someone needs to do that.

[PatSeg]

92. Excellent point

Be sure the dog feels useful, as well as loved.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

34. I agree that this dog is not necessarily being set up to succeed.

[Ilsa]

76. There you go. Best statement yet.

He needs stability, lots of time with the master, and probably needs a "job" since shepherds are working dogs.

[ripcord]

88. This even could human resources into the picture

A boss's dog biting employees won't go over well.

[DenaliDemocrat]

41. Dog likely has issues that are genetic in nature

Fluoxetine and training COULD be a potential work around. I’m a dog sport enthusiast and firmly believe you can train around genetics, but cannot fix them. However for stress, anxiety, and aggression fluoxetine can work wonders

[Treefrog]

79. What is fluoxetine? I have a rescue who's suffers great anxiety in storms and when she hears loud

noises. Would that help her?

[DenaliDemocrat]

81. Prozac

And yes, it works well for issues like that.

If you try it (ask your vet for it), you need to train a little too. DO NOT baby talk, try to soothe, etc during the storm. All you are doing is reinforcing their fears. Ignore it and their behavior. You are their leader. If you act like it’s a big deal they will believe you. Act like it’s both and they will believe that too

[Treefrog]

83. Yes, I've learned about the soothing having a reverse effect. Xanax has no effect on her at all.

Nor Benadryl, maybe the Prozac is worth giving a try. Poor baby.

[Blue_true]

66. Maybe putting a muzzle on him for a while may help.

He was likely used to the pastoral and quiet environment that he had at the Biden home. Now he sees people regularly “invading” his territory, he needs to get used to all the people and better discern between what is a threat and what is not.

[CrackityJones75]

82. Right!

[MontanaMama]

4. Jeez louise.

Major is an old dog...they can be grumpy and want to be left alone. Poor doggo got moved out of his house to the WH. People that don't have a relationship with him need to steer clear of him for his sake.

[Nevilledog]

5. Major is the young one. Champ is the senior.

[soothsayer]

6. Yeah, he's just nippy and young

I think

[TheBlackAdder]

8. Gotta stop feeding him sauerkraut and start giving him Berliners for doggy treats! 🤣

.

Mmm. Berliners.



.

[Jerry2144]

14. JFK

Ich bin ein Berliner. Much funnier with the definite article, ein, than without which makes it standard German

[jmowreader]

19. Das is eine Pfannkuchen

The legend of the jelly donut stretches to one of the hundreds of wars the Germans were in. The commander of an artillery unit based in Berlin ordered his cook to invent a breakfast food his crews could eat while firing missions, so the cook came up with a cannonball-shaped lump of pastry filled with plum jelly. He named it the Berlin pancake, or Berliner Pfannkuchen. After the war the cook made them in his bakery and their fame spread across the land.

In Berlin these are called Pfannkuchen, and outside Berlin they’re Berliners.

[GoCubsGo]

28. Major is two years old.

Champ is the old dog. Other than that, yes. Steer clear of him if he doesn't know you.

[tblue37]

39. Major is three.

[former9thward]

46. Then he should not be in the WH

The WH has thousands of people working there on a daily basis. It is not a country estate.

[Ritabert]

7. Paging Cesar Millan

We need the Dog Whisperer or else let the two dogs go to a less stressful environment. Too many strangers.

[CrackityJones75]

17. Yeah just keep him off the treadmill...

[Prince99]

26. WH needs to bring this guy in

He specializes in larger canine.

[Budi]

10. Yet Trump killed 500,000 ppl & he was allowed to stay

[Scrivener7]

27. Best answer.

[doc03]

11. Some Repub may try to impeach Biden for

that.

[MacKasey]

12. Dr Biden was away again

It seems when Jill is away there is a problem

Dog needs more training and someone needs to run / play fetch with him

[woodsprite]

21. I saw a video of someone walking him on the front lawn the other day.

The guy wasn't watching/interacting with the dog. He was on the telephone. I was talking back to the screen. We had our 2nd shepherd almost 14 yrs, our first one 7 years. I believe I can honestly say that I was never on the phone when I was walking them or outside with them unless we were just chilling on the porch or deck. Even then, I was watchful to what was going on around us (lots of wildlife around here). Too much can happen in an instant and the puppers want/need their human's attention.

[Deminpenn]

45. I read somewhere that there is someone at the WH

whose job it is to take care of the pets, like walking the dog, etc.

[jmowreader]

20. Fox News headline: Trump's dog never bit a government employee

Which is true: if Trump had a dog, it would have just bit Trump.

[CentralMass]

32. I have some potential jokes for that one but I'll resist posting them

[machoneman]

22. Get the effin' dog to bite McTurtle in the nuts! Hannity too! Oh, hell. All them MAGATS!

[CentralMass]

33. Hmm.

[Sogo]

29. As I said on another thread, I frankly couldn't believe they brought him back to the WH....

so soon, anyway.

Major was a shelter dog, and no one knows what from his background may trigger him. The WH is a very active place, and German Shepherds are territorial and protective of their people. With new people coming around all the time, he doesn't have the temperament (nor probably enough training) to cope. Better to get him to a calmer environment and get him a lot of training.....

[XanaDUer2]

30. oh no

[honest.abe]

31. I think Joe needs to dump the dog.

Send him back to Delaware. The dog is clearly not comfortable at the WH.

[Tarheel_Dem]

36. I agree. I'm sure that Joe has children/grandchildren who would be more than happy to look after...

Major until he is much better trained and adaptable to situations with strangers. Otherwise, it's a lawsuit just waiting to happen.

[Wanderlust988]

48. Yes, Joe need to be careful or he could get sued or the govt get sued

The dog needs to go back to Delaware. I know personally, I'm scared to death of German Shepherds. I'd hate to be an employee having to be around that dog everyday.

[Steelrolled]

35. He might be stressed out

WH might not be best place for him. Hopefully there is not pressure to keep him there.

[BlueNProud]

37. We need a Special Counsel appointed immediately.

[Arazi]

38. Major is obviously not coping well in this environment

It's been 8 weeks since the dogs were brought over and Major isn't adapting well. Two nipping episodes would have me very very concerned.

Joe and Jill have some decisions to make. The hectic busy WH may not be a suitable place for Major. If there's a third episode, his very life may be on the line depending on the seriousness.

Right now he can go live with one of their kids during the week, come visit every day, and then live with Joe and Jill in Wilmington during the weekends. Or he needs to stay in the family quarters without being exposed to a lot of strangers.

He's a good dog. His behavior is absolutely consistent with any GSD who loves and protects their family. Just may not work here

[FelineOverlord]

40. Ruh roh: Major Biden 'nips' National Parks Service staffer

Link to tweet

[dsc]

42. I admit to be very worried for this dog

While I don't think the Biden's were recluses before he won the election, the house had to be considerably less crowded than the White House is. Major is clearly very attached at least to Dr. Biden if not the President, and doesn't like strangers around them or him. I have a dog I very much love. He is not good around bigger dogs. If I were forced to live around big dogs for some reason, I would have to figure out something to do with Scooter as he would be miserable. If Major does more than nip, he could be put down. I hope they find something that will solve this problem. Have him live with one of the children or even grandchildren, put him up in the residence part of the White House and send trusted aides who trust Major to play with and take care of him, I am not sure what, but something needs to be done for his sake.

[Treefrog]

87. I wonder if any of the 'nippees' wore uniforms. I had a rescue years ago who hated a uniform.

A friend of mine in the military would be barked at immediately when he was in uniform. He was never barked at when out of uniform. Obviously, the dog had to know he was the same person, but she hated that uniform.

[dsc]

93. That could be, I hope they can solve this

my guess is that only keeping Major out of areas with crowds and controlled when they can't will work.

[Stinky The Clown]

44. Our last two GSDs, Heidi and Schatz, did not do well.

Heidi had issues with any human that came near me including Sparkly, at whom she would growl a serious, big dog growl. With zero provocation (we happened to see the whole thing) Schatz attacked our Shih-Tsu with intent to kill; little dog in mouth, big dog shaking her with intent to kill.

Both were rescues. We are experienced GSD owners but these were our first rescues of absolutely unknown backgrounds. Both had to be returned. We worked with a dog behaviorist who said Heidi was badly damaged and would be best if put down. The rescue took her back and she lives in a kennel now. Very sad.

We don't know what happened to Schatz. The rescue took her back but she was never advertised again.

GSDs are great dogs. I find rescues too eager to adopt out their dogs, some of which are severely damaged. We are also to blame, I suppose, for not considering what we saw when adopting, instead choosing to overlook what we suspected.

With now (at least) a second bite incident, I fear Major will not be staying at the White House.

Our Schatz looks a lot like Major, only bigger.

[Deminpenn]

47. Again, the dog was adopted as a puppy

This is not a dog with behavorial issues that you often find at shelters. No one should be thinking Major is going to be designated a "dangerous dog". That's not happening. The easiest solution is for Major to be on a leash when he's going to be in contact with people he doesn't know or who don't know how to behave around dogs. Staffers who are in the WH and have occassion to see Major need to learn his quirks as much as Major needs to obey commands.

[maxsolomon]

49. My brother has a shelter dog adopted as an older puppy.

And it's seriously anxiety-ridden; the problem behaviors developed after it was no longer a puppy, and they've persisted for a decade. Half Shepherd/Half Border Collie. Some dogs are just prone to it, like people.

Major isn't "dangerous", necessarily; he's dislocated from what he knows and not around anyone in his pack (other than Champ, who is, let's face it, pretty old). Not saying it can't be in the WH eventually, but it's Alphas (the Bidens) are busy AF and often not there. Not a recipe for success.

There's no way to take the stress out of the White House, so take the dog out of the stress. Sad to say.

[LisaL]

62. Major was a very young puppy when brought into the shelter.

The woman brought the whole litter into the shelter, including Major.
Maybe Bidens need to hire a good dog walker for Major, who would make sure Major is on the leash when walked.

[yellowdogintexas]

52. The trainer who helped our daughter's pit bull get over his fear agression recommended two things:

a prong collar (which if used properly does NOT harm the dog) and a very high quality muzzle.

This poor dog (he was 2 and raised from babyhood by my daughter) developed fear aggression to strange men and other dogs. He got all worked up by a stranger and then unintentionally nipped one of our neighbors who just happened to come along at the exact wrong time. He knew and loved this lady too. So we had to deal with animal control, he had to be in quarantine for 10 days at animal control, then we had to sign papers that he would get training and which stated if he had a second incident he would be put down. So she researched and found this trainer who just really turned this dog's life completely around.
Cobain's muzzle was very durable acrylic with ventilation holes and an opening to allow him to drink water or give kisses. To get him interested in the whole idea, she painted the inside of the muzzle with peanut butter. So the dog had the muzzle to keep people from worrying and to prevent incidents ,and the peanut butter to keep him preoccupied. He would lick on that thing forever!!! (any time he was in a new situation she put the muzzle on to reassure the new people)

Her trainer recommends the prong collar because you do not have to tug hard or jerk the dog to get its attention. Cobain decided it was just fine because she only put it on him when they were going outside, which he loved. When he saw that collar come out he was ready to go.

Another thing which could be very helpful (and which helped Cobain a LOT ) was a doggy back pack. It had zip pouches in the side which held a couple of bottles of water. For some reason this put him into 'work' mode and he became Serious Dog. He would clown around with it on until that water went in the pouch and then he was a whole different dog, focused and ready to work

GSD are work dogs and they need a job. (maybe Major needs something to herd)

One more thing and then I will go away: whatever type of doggy school or trainer they get, his caretaker (s) at the WH need to be at the training along with Major. Our daughter went through every second of his training right by his side and learned how to manage him right on the spot. This trainer specialized in bully breeds, protective dogs and can train the fear aggression out of the dog. Cobain was terrified of large dogs especially if they were black ( he was attacked as a young dog by a large black Dobie); Butch had us bring him down when he was hosting a sort of homecoming for the dogs he had worked with. Poor Cobain had to walk down a walkway with barking dogs behind fences on either side of him. He was not happy but he stayed focused and kept his nose straight ahead.

After graduation from K-9 Kollege he never had any problems and he lived another 10 years.

[renate]

89. That was really interesting--thank you!

I have a non-work dog but I wonder whether the water bottle idea would help her... I’ll try! Maybe the weight would be soothing, like a weighted blanket. Thank you!

[ecstatic]

53. His second nipping?

And by nip, I assume that means BITE, correct? lol

[LanternWaste]

58. If this then is the greatest Biden White House scandal to date, the admin is doing rather well.

Rises to the level of Dijon mustard and tan suits. I'm certain however, it will be sanctimoniously Foxed and Drudged by the for-profit media and right wing hacks.

[Raine]

59. Poor Biden he really loves those dogs ♥️ I hope

Last edited Wed Mar 31, 2021, 01:09 AM - Edit history (1)

they don't have to be sent to stay in Delaware. I know he'd really miss them in DC.

[wildheart]

61. I'm not here often

But I respond to issues that touch me. Why is this dog not on a leash and excersised regularly/vigorously, and then calmly walked back to presidential quarters? Why is he ever off leash to be able to bite/ nip at people???

[CentralMass]

65. Is it known if he was off leash?

[wildheart]

78. I do not know

I just assumed he was off leash. If he was leashed, I would blame the walker for not containing him, knowing his excitability and history.

[hamsterjill]

68. When someone adopts a dog, then the dog is family.

Major is a part of the Biden family and that family has dealt with a lot. I have utmost confidence that Joe and Jill will do what’s best. They certainly have the means to hire someone expert enough to handle the situation, or they may choose to have Major live with other family members.

Major is, in some ways, representative of all shelter dogs and I want him to succeed in his role at the White House. You don’t just give up on a family member. You help them.

Seriously, some of the comments here on this subject are incredible.

[WarGamer]

69. again??

[soothsayer]

70. He's just a big pup

Doesn’t seem to break the skin

[WarGamer]

71. The first guy he bit was bleeding...

[soothsayer]

72. Hmm, I read a different account

[WarGamer]

73. I've seen mixed accounts

What we do know is that the person was treated by the White House medical crew onsite and didn't require additional treatment.

Who'd go to the doctor if there wasn't a scratch?

[soothsayer]

74. Exactly, the WH did the right thing by getting it looked at

In both cases.

[soothsayer]

75. Joe said the first one didn't break the skin

President Biden also clarified another important detail ... Major's bite didn't break the skin.

https://www.tmz.com/2021/03/17/president-joe-biden-dog-major-bite-white-house-trained/

[budkin]

77. BIGGEST STORY OF THE YEAR!!!

WHEN DID BIDEN KNOW!?

[CTyankee]

86. I DEMAND to know the answer! This is a disaster for America!

The ship of state must be put aright!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

85. Poor doggo