Whatever Happened To President Biden's Dog, Major? Here's What We Know

There have been many pets in the White House over its history, with several past presidents owning dogs. President Biden is no exception, having welcomed three purebred German Shepherds into the White House during his time as commander-in-chief: Champ, Major, and Commander. But of all the Biden family dogs, none have made headlines quite like Major.

The Biden family adopted Major in 2018 from an animal shelter in Delaware, making him the first ever rescue pup to live in the White House. At the time, the Biden family already had another Shepherd, named Champ, but it didn't take long for the newer presidential pet to become a household name. Following Biden's 2020 election win and January 2021 Inauguration, Major received his own separate virtual ceremony welcoming him into the White House, which some on the internet affectionately nicknamed an "indoguration."

Despite being loved by his new family, Major struggled to settle into the busy life at the White House. In 2021, CNN reported that he had a "biting incident" that resulted in one Secret Service agent becoming injured. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki explained the incident: "Major was surprised by an unfamiliar person and reacted in a way that resulted in a minor injury to the individual, which was handled by the White House Medical Unit with no further treatment needed." As a result, Major was sent temporarily back to Delaware alongside elderly canine companion Chief for additional training with a qualified dog trainer to help prevent future incidents. 

Following the 2021 biting incident with the Secret Service, President Biden addressed the concerns with Major living in the White House: "Eighty-five percent of the people there love him. He just — all he does is lick them and wag his tail. But...I realize some people, understandably, are afraid of dogs to begin with."

In late March 2021, NPR confirmed that both Major and Biden's other German shepherd were back at the White House. Unfortunately, just days after bringing Major back home, another biting incident occurred. Several months later, People reported that the Biden family had officially rehomed him. "After consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviorists, and veterinarians, the First Family has decided to follow the experts' collective recommendation that it would be safest for Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends," Michael LaRosa, a spokesman for First Lady Dr. Jill Biden said.

After rehoming Major, and the passing of their first German Shepherd Chief in 2021, the Bidens welcomed two more pets into the White House. This included Commander, a German Shepherd puppy, in 2021 and Willow the cat in 2022. Commander was also rehomed after a separate nipping incident in 2023.