“We screen passengers, baggage, we do terminal searches, we even screen cargo,” said TSA canine handler Caitlyn Winn, who’s been working with her dog, Puk (featured in this year’s calendar for October), at the Boston Logan International Airport since 2019. Like all the dazzlers in the calendar, Puk lives at home with her handler and leads a pretty normal life. But at the office (or, airport) she goes from pet to professional.
“Unfortunately I know they’re really cute, but you’re not allowed to pet them,” Winn said.
You’ll notice a theme among the stars of the calendar; certain breeds make great airport workers. “We use a lot of German shorthaired pointers,” Winn said. “They have really good noses.”
Our big takeaways from reading the calendar cover to cover: The majority of these dynamic dogs love treats, belly rubs and a toy called Kong with Rope. In addition to the primo pet content, the calendar is filled with fun facts, such as: “Canines possess a sense of smell more sensitive than even the most advanced man-made instrument. Their sniffers are powerful enough to detect substances at concentrations of one part per trillion — about the same as a single drop of liquid in 20 Olympic-size swimming pools.”
It also marks the birthdays of the featured dogs on the appropriate dates, plus some nudges to get TSA PreCheck if you haven’t already and reminders on what’s allowed in carry-on bags.
Without further ado, let’s meet this year’s calendar cuties.
January: Gina-Gina, LaGuardia
At 6½ years old (that’s about 45 in dog years!), Gina-Gina is a seasoned professional and the calendar opener. She’s also a bona fide New Yorker, with experience protecting two of the state’s most prominent airports: LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International. When she’s not on the job, she enjoys spending time outdoors chasing birds, frolicking in the snow and playing fetch.
February: Kari, Bangor International
With a name like Kari (Kah-re), as in the Nordic God of wind and winter, it’s no wonder this Belgian Malinois thrives in frigid Maine. At nearly 8 years old, he works at both the Bangor International Airport and the Bangor Police Department. Kari is rewarded handsomely with walks along the Penobscot River and Ritz crackers filled with bits of peanut butter.
March: Archy-Arce, San Francisco International
Forget Rice-A-Roni; Archy-Arce is the real San Francisco treat. The cocoa-colored German shorthaired pointer is described as a gentle giant and connoisseur of rawhide chews and chicken jerky. At 6½ years old, he’s sharpened his on-the-job skills and has become a “methodical search-style dog,” according to his bio.
April: Erika, George Bush Intercontinental
Don’t mess with Texas, or Erika, Houston’s very own calendar queen. Born in 2018, the German shepherd is described as a quiet dog who loves being around people. She’s in luck: The Houston airport gets tens of millions of passengers annually.
May: Ben, Luis Muñoz Marin International
A Puerto Rican stunner, Ben is a 2½-year-old German wirehaired pointer who also goes by Benito. With a salt and pepper coat and distinguished beard, Ben commands an air of respect working his home base, the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, but don’t let his looks fool you. According to his bio, he’s also goofy. During his downtime, you’ll find Benny boy exploring the streets of Old San Juan with his handler, Stephanie.
June: Lubo-Lugo, Los Angeles International
Of course Lubo-Lugo works at L.A.’s airport. Look at him! The striking blond is straight out of “Barbie” with his gleaming, toothy grin and pilates-perfect posture. He’s a golden retriever and Labrador mix, about 6 years old and like other health-focused Angelenos, he prefers his treats green. “Lugo is quite fond of Greenies as his reward,” his bio reads.
July: Zita, Minneapolis—St. Paul International
On the clock, Zita sniffs for danger at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. On the weekends, she’s chasing squirrels and catching up on her beauty sleep. Born in July 2020, this German shorthaired pointer has earned a reputation as a hard worker who loves toys more than anything.
August: Dina, Harry Reid International
Cue the sirens: Dina is not your ordinary calendar star. She’s an award-winning celeb. The 3-year-old German shorthaired pointer won TSA’s 2023 Cutest Canine Contest. We can see why: Her black coat looks as silky as a seal pup and has twinkling amber eyes. Her job isn’t easy: She trawls the slot machine-filled halls of Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and even branched out to work at Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix.
September: Zeta, Tampa International
Zeta has a coat like a Girl Scouts Samoas cookie, but don’t pet her, she’s working! In her four short years, this German shepherd has racked up experience working at some of the busiest airports in the country. Her reward? Milk-Bones and belly rubs.
October: Puk, Boston Logan International
At Boston Logan International Airport, Puk is all business. But in the Canine Calendar, she’s all charisma. A chocolate-coated German shorthaired pointer, the 6-year-old is a beauty who loves lounging in the sun, chasing tennis balls and apparently posing for photos like a Hadid sister.
November: Csimbok, Jacksonville International
November’s tongue wagging gentleman is Csimbok, a 3½-year-old, black and white German shorthaired pointer. In the Hungarian language, the name Csimbok means twigs and buds. At Florida’s Jacksonville International Airport, it means very “very good boy.” He’s described as having a strong work ethic, a passion for working with his handler and boundless energy for games like hide-and-seek.
December: Joker-Jordan, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Alert. Noble. Spunky. The 6½-year-old male Belgian Malinois patrols the world’s busiest airport and looks good doing it. In his bio, we learned that Joker-Jordan is a fan of snacks like watermelon, carrots or sweet potatoes. This lad is such a legend; he even has an official TSA Canine Trading Card.
There are many, many incredible candidates to choose from, but there are only 12 slots per calendar. The TSA threw us a bone and included a few bonus boys anyway.
This year’s honorable mentions included: Duke-LeDuc of Los Angeles International Airport, named after Alexis LeDuc, who died in the terrorist attacks of 9/11; Rocky, a regal German shepherd at the San Antonio International Airport; and Eci of Buffalo Niagara International Airport/Niagara Falls International Airport, who has also worked such illustrious events as the 2019 MLB All-Star Game in Cleveland, 2020 Super Bowl LIV in Miami and the 2023 Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix.
Credt: Source link