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Saturday, 2:15 PM
From the Metro staff at The Boston Globe

Bad dog: Barney isn't going quietly

November 14, 2008 11:48 AM Email| Comments (46)| Text size +

barney.jpg
(AP photo)
President Bush and Barney, in happier times.

By Globe Staff

His White House gravy train is coming to an end soon. So could Barney, the first pooch, be in a bad state over his imminent departure from his cozy Pennsylvania Avenue crib?

Last Friday, he took a took a bite out of a Reuters reporter who had stooped to pet the Scottish terrier (see video). And now, more details are emerging about how Barney turned on Celtics public relations director Heather Walker in September.

Walker was visiting the White House with the NBA champions when she reached down to pet Barney, who promptly bit her on the wrist, drawing blood.

"Oh, my God, you've got to be kidding," Walker, a Salem resident, said in a story in today's Salem News. "I couldn't believe the president's dog bit me."

But Walker, a dog lover and yellow Lab owner, took the incident in stride. The Boston Herald reported that the Celtics doctor was on hand to tend to Heather, and the visit with President Bush continued.

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46 comments so far...
  1. He must have been trained by Cheney.

    Posted by DKY November 14, 08 01:37 PM
  1. What do you expect from a dog owned by a complete idiot, who thinks war is always the answer??

    Posted by n November 14, 08 01:38 PM
  1. Barney is an irratic bully - just like his master.

    Posted by Chazman November 14, 08 01:41 PM
  1. I hope barney's victims were all liberal democrats!

    Posted by jw November 14, 08 01:54 PM
  1. Did anyone really think that this dog would be more presidential than its owner? Dogs are an accessory, and a reflection of their owner.

    Posted by hippydippy November 14, 08 01:55 PM
  1. The dog's an a-hole, just like his master. :-D

    Posted by Toodles November 14, 08 01:56 PM
  1. I can't belive that people actually think they can just bend down and make nice with a strange dog. I means nothing that it's the prez's dog....when you invade the space of an animal without warning....they will react.....PS: The President's dog biting a reporter? Now that's just plan classic!

    Posted by Fidelity November 14, 08 02:02 PM
  1. Sounds like an agressive dog. Maybe little Barney should be put to sleep just like the Bush presidency!!

    Posted by thesmartone November 14, 08 02:05 PM
  1. Where is the outcry to put this Vicious dog to sleep? It has attacked, we must do something. How about mind your business and let people live their lives, if you don't want to get bit don't go near animals.

    Posted by steve November 14, 08 02:08 PM
  1. Any other dog would be put to death for biting 2 ppl!

    Posted by eve November 14, 08 02:11 PM
  1. If he was a pitbull.....where's the outcry here?

    Posted by Waide November 14, 08 02:13 PM
  1. wonder if they would have took it in stride if it was a pitbull? because if my dog bit someone id probably be going to court over it

    Posted by mike c November 14, 08 02:18 PM
  1. No wonder Barney bit him. That idiot reporter came right at him and stuck his hand in the dog's face. I don't know the details of the Walker incident, but in this case anyway, Barney was justified.

    Posted by RozGrl November 14, 08 02:29 PM
  1. From a dog's point of view, the Reuters reporter wasn't stooping to pet him - it was more like a lunge. People need to learn how to approach dogs. That certainly is not the way to do it!

    Posted by Sean-O November 14, 08 02:39 PM
  1. Contrary to most people's belief, most dogs do not like to be petted by strangers. And a dog that doesn't want to be petted will in many cases nip at or bite that stranger. It's time for people in general to be educated in what not to do around a dog they do not know well. Check out Cesar Milan on the internet and his helpful tips on being around dogs.

    Posted by bert f. November 14, 08 02:43 PM
  1. Contrary to most people's belief, most dogs do not like to be petted by strangers. And a dog that doesn't want to be petted will in many cases nip at or bite that stranger. It's time for people in general to be educated in what not to do around a dog they do not know well. Check out Cesar Milan on the internet and his helpful tips on being around dogs.

    Posted by bert f. November 14, 08 02:44 PM
  1. Barney has bitten 2 people. He needs to go on Death Row.

    Posted by TreeRollins November 14, 08 02:44 PM
  1. Not all dogs want to be pet. You shouldn't always assume they friendly. If the dog was attacking unprovoked that is one thing. These "strangers" stuck their hands in the dog's face. You should always ask the owner before you pet their dog.

    Posted by shadygln November 14, 08 02:47 PM
  1. Put that thing down...

    Posted by iheartboston November 14, 08 02:48 PM
  1. Who could have expected that Bush's dog would run around the WH biting people?

    That's not the kind of thing we've come to expect from Bush/Cheney. Taking responsibility and all that. I'm shocked.

    I would be more surprised if the Bush's post college aged daughters had been photographed falling down drunk in the streets. Hey wait a minute........

    Posted by Mitt November 14, 08 02:53 PM
  1. Hey I got one for you all!! I think Barney outght to bite Frank!!

    Posted by Jim November 14, 08 02:53 PM
  1. I was with a bunch of interns and he was very nice. Although it might have been Ms Beasly.

    Posted by Jimmy5 November 14, 08 03:10 PM
  1. Why didn't the people who got bit do the customary dog-butt-sniff greeting instead? Silly people. Dogs think hands are just bony treats.

    Posted by jimmy November 14, 08 03:29 PM
  1. I was hoping this article was about Barney Frank.

    Posted by Tim D November 14, 08 03:42 PM
  1. Put lipstick on that dog...

    Posted by Rob November 14, 08 03:53 PM
  1. My dogs breath smells like catfood

    Posted by Danny November 14, 08 03:57 PM
  1. Dogs are a reflection of their masters.

    Posted by BDM November 14, 08 04:02 PM
  1. Ban the breed!

    Posted by J November 14, 08 04:18 PM
  1. The owner is always responsible for the dog. So why is this vicious dog being allowed to roam around free in OUR White House? What if he bites a visitor from an other country? War?
    It is true that a lot of dogs would prefer not to be touched by strangers (like a lot of people) but those kind of dogs should be kept out of the way of invited guests.

    Posted by Anne November 14, 08 05:27 PM
  1. "Any other dog would be put to death for biting 2 ppl!"
    Posted by eve
    "Put that thing down..."
    Posted by iheartboston

    You 2 are just being mean and nasty...

    Posted by notfromboston November 14, 08 05:28 PM
  1. The dog's just angry because he knows he could have done a far better job running the country than his master. So now Bush joins Barney in the dog house...where he belongs.

    Posted by Rudderman November 14, 08 07:13 PM
  1. I remember this story - A bunch of us had brunch in Manchester (heather was there) I remember her telling us the story of her being bitten by Barney!! She showed us the scars!!!! that were still there! it was a riot. SHe didnt want to tell the press at that time, she said, because she didnt want to get the team in trouble but we were all laughing at how it happened and how shocked she was. THEN, to hear the story about the Reuters reporter, I immediately thought of her!!! and now see this story. HOW FUNNY!!! Yes, Barney is sick of the BS. Another Paparazzi hater and can you blame him? ha!!!

    Posted by Heidi b November 14, 08 09:22 PM
  1. I remember this story - A bunch of us had brunch in Manchester (heather was there) I remember her telling us the story of her being bitten by Barney!! She showed us the scars!!!! that were still there! it was a riot. SHe didnt want to tell the press at that time, she said, because she didnt want to get the team in trouble but we were all laughing at how it happened and how shocked she was. THEN, to hear the story about the Reuters reporter, I immediately thought of her!!! and now see this story. HOW FUNNY!!! Yes, Barney is sick of the BS. Another Paparazzi hater and can you blame him? ha!!!

    Posted by Heidi b November 14, 08 09:29 PM
  1. I remember this story - A bunch of us had brunch in Manchester (heather was there) I remember her telling us the story of her being bitten by Barney!! She showed us the scars!!!! that were still there! it was a riot. SHe didnt want to tell the press at that time, she said, because she didnt want to get the team in trouble but we were all laughing at how it happened and how shocked she was. THEN, to hear the story about the Reuters reporter, I immediately thought of her!!! and now see this story. HOW FUNNY!!! Yes, Barney is sick of the BS. Another Paparazzi hater and can you blame him? ha!!!

    Posted by Heidi b November 14, 08 09:29 PM
  1. If you cant train a dog, can you run a nation?

    Posted by Kennebunk Animal Control November 14, 08 09:32 PM

  1. That's nothing compaired to what the dog's owner has done to the rest of us.

    Posted by heyduke November 14, 08 10:05 PM
  1. This story ran in the Inside Track a few days ago. I guess this Celtics PR person is particularly good at getting her own PR out there.

    Posted by mumbles November 14, 08 11:15 PM
  1. i hope barney doesn't get sick, you can never tell who a reuters employee has been fisting

    Posted by emoorek November 14, 08 11:47 PM

  1. "If you cant train a dog, can you run a nation?"

    "You betcha!" And if you can run a horse show, you can run FEMA. "You're doin' a heck of a job, Brownie!"

    Posted by heyduke November 14, 08 11:53 PM
  1. After listening to all these morons for seven years call his master every name in the book right or wrong. I would bit too. The dog is not stupid. Vibes go a long way.

    Posted by kevin November 15, 08 01:34 AM
  1. We are 2 Matlese dogs. LoLLy is a rescue and we are very hopeful that the new Prez will get one of the many outstanding rescue dogs who would be an egsellent addition to the Obama pack. Since the new Prez gets his own Cabinet, we hope the new doggy gets her own Cabinet too, so that she can fill it with truly delicious treats. In terms of Barney, we suspect he is very grouchy because he is having to move out of the big white house where apparently you pretty much get to do anything you want to. if you know what we mean. Love, Your PaLs, LuLu and LoLLy

    Posted by LuLu and LoLLy November 15, 08 07:28 AM
  1. Go Barney!!!
    I know exactly how you feel.

    Posted by run12run November 15, 08 09:30 AM
  1. Any nit wit knows better than to approach a dog that doesn't know them. No one should just shove their hand in a dogs face. If you get bitten you are asking for it.

    Posted by Gail November 15, 08 02:55 PM
  1. Anyone with any sense knows you don't pet a dog that doesn't know you. Barney was just protected himself. Stupid people!!!

    Posted by l mccu November 17, 08 11:48 AM
  1. Too bad Bush didn't have any good policies we could sink our teeth into !!!!

    Posted by Jerry D. November 18, 08 12:49 PM
  1. I think Barney is cute and is famous where I work! We have a big pic of Barney in the hallway at VCA Becker Animal Hospital in Homewood Al.

    Posted by MIsty November 19, 08 10:00 PM
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