Argo, a 9-year-old black Labrador retriever, has a serious job at Baltimore-Washington International Airport: detecting explosives. His keen sense of smell is finely tuned to spot potential threats as he patrols the busy terminals. When Argo catches a whiff of something suspicious, he immediately alerts his handler, Jonathan Lilly, a transportation security specialist. The pair has been working together for seven years and is gearing up for a busy holiday season.
Argo’s work is precise. During a recent demonstration, he was presented with a decoy—a person carrying a backpack with a scent resembling explosives. Argo quickly dropped his nose to the ground, wagged his tail, and led Lilly to the target. After successfully identifying the threat, Argo celebrated with a game of tug-of-war and a favorite toy, a tennis ball on a string.
Part of a team of highly trained TSA dogs, Argo was trained at the National TSA Canine Training Center in San Antonio. Dogs like Argo can detect individual scent components, much like how we might smell the cheese, sauce, and crust of a pizza separately. The dogs undergo frequent training to keep their skills sharp.
When not working, Argo is a relaxed companion at home, enjoying naps and a strict, healthy diet. Despite being 9 years old, Argo still loves his job, and Lilly plans to adopt him when he retires. Their bond has only grown stronger over the years, making them a formidable team in airport security.
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