WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden’s rescue pet Major is back in Washington after an incident at the White House prompted a round of training to help acclimate him to life as a first dog.
“Champ and Major are here at the White House,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters in a briefing on Wednesday, referring to the president’s two German Shepherds.
Biden earlier this month said Major was still getting used to life at the 18-acre complex in the U.S. capital, surrounded by aides and security officers, but was for the most part a sweet dog beloved by staff.
After a reported incident involving a security staff member, Biden told ABC News that Major was just being protective. Still, the young dog was briefly returned to Biden’s home state of Delaware for training.
Psaki said on Wednesday the dogs joined the Bidens at the Camp David presidential retreat near Thurmont, Maryland, over the weekend and returned to the White House with them on Sunday.
“Dogs will come and go, and it will not be uncommon for them to head back to Delaware on occasion,” she added.
The president adopted Major from the Delaware Humane Society in 2018 after serving as vice president under former President Barack Obama. Champ is an old Washington hand, having joined the family in 2008 when Biden won his vice presidential post.
First lady Jill Biden has said training the dogs for their new life at the White House has been a priority since they moved in after Biden’s Jan. 20 inauguration.
She has also hinted they may get a cat.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
