PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — President Biden's German shepherds are at the family's home in Wilmington, Delaware following what's being described as an "incident" with a Secret Service agent. The White House denied they were banished because of it and said this return was planned.
Certified trainer Larry Stevenson of Gentle Dog Training said the White House environment is likely very stressful for a rescue dog, with so many people moving around.
"For a rescue dog, to get moved from one place to another, it requires a decompression period," he said.
Stevenson says there are several different breeds of shepherds, and all need training regardless.
"You have Malinois and Shenandoahs. I mean, there is a great variety," he said. "Depending on the breed line, there is a working line, like your police dogs, and then there's a companion line."
So if someone wants a companion breed shepherd and they adopt a working breed dog, then more training will be required to make the dog more amenable to that lifestyle.
Bernie Wilkinson of Abington grew up with shepherds, and has owned three herself, while raising five children. She said there are few breeds more loyal, loving and protective.
"My dogs have been around my children when they were babies, toddlers, teenagers. If you come to my house, he will be at that door, and he will be barking to let you know, do not walk in unless Mommy says it's okay. If I go to the door, I tell him to sit. When I let you in, then he goes from that protective mode to, 'Give me attention and play with me,'" she said.
However, Wilkinson acknowledged dogs can confuse innocent gestures with threats.
"If someone reached out to touch or grab Mrs. Biden, President Biden, that dog could take that as you are going to hurt," she said. "So if you know a lot of people are going to be around, that dog should have even more training. When I take Thor for a walk, he is by my side. When we stop at a red light, he sits. When we go near people, I say 'By my side' and he stays."
Wilkinson said sometimes people get so excited when they see a dog, they put their hand out to pet the dog, which can startle them. Instead, she advised you get permission from the owner to pet it and then allow the dog to smell your hand first.
Stevenson and Wilkinson both suggest it all comes down to training, which needs to be consistent over time. Stevenson said like children, dogs have a period where they grow and reach social maturity.
"A lot of calls I get," Stevenson said, "they start telling me their dog started changing their behaviors, and I say, 'Was your dog about 15 months to two years old?' and they say, 'Oh yeah, that's when it started.'"
Both experts said when you bring a dog home, be prepared to invest the time to help him or her be a well behaved pet.
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