Dog lovers, fetch this: The Transportation Security Administration has rolled out its 2026 Canine Calendar, spotlighting some of the nation’s hardest-working pups who sniff out trouble at airports.
The free downloadable calendar showcases 13 standout explosives-detection dogs selected from 97 teams submitted across the U.S.
Each month brings photos and quirky details about these four-legged guardians among TSA’s force of more than 1,000 canines.
This year’s stars hail from Denver, San Jose, Indianapolis, Orlando, Burlington, Fort Lauderdale, New York, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Anchorage, Washington, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.
Steeler, the 2025 TSA Cutest Canine Contest champ, gets a special nod. The almost-3-year-old Labrador retriever teams up with handler Mark Smith at Pittsburgh International Airport, using his doggone sniffing abilities to protect travelers. Born on Super Bowl Sunday 2023, Steeler and his siblings drew names from NFL teams. Off duty, he chases balls, tugs ropes, and chows down on jumbo hot dogs.
About 300 dogs graduate each year from a rigorous 16-week course at the TSA Canine Training Center on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. Five breeds of canines participate in the program: German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, German shorthaired pointers, German wirehaired pointers, and Belgian Malinois. The average cost to train a passenger screening canine and handler is about $65,000, while the average cost to train a traditional explosives detection canine and handler is about $26,000.
Head to TSA.gov to grab the calendar or learn more about the program.
