Pittsburgh Pooch Wins National Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Here we go, Steeler!

The Transportation Security Administration announced Tuesday that explosives detection canine Steeler, a 2½-year-old Labrador retriever from Pittsburgh International Airport won its title of canine of the year for 2025.

TSA held a nationwide contest on social media where the public voted for the agency’s “cutest canine” from among four agency finalists, each representing a different region of the nation. TSA canine handlers from airports across the country initially nominated 97 dogs before employeesvoted online and narrowed the field to the final four canines, all of whom deserve a round of a-paws.

“Our explosives detection canines and their handlers play a critical role in protecting the nation’s transportation systems,” said TSA acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl. “TSA’s annual Cutest Canine Contest gives us the opportunity to recognize their hard work and dedication.Congratulations to Steeler and thank you to the approximately 1,000 TSA canine teams who keep America and the traveling public safe.”

Steeler works with handler Mark Smith at the airport. He and the rest of the litter were born on Super Bowl Sunday 2023 and they all were named after NFL teams.

TSA employs canines like Steeler in its security operations nationwide. These explosives detection canine teams work through large groups of moving people to detect the source of an explosive’s odor. Canine teams train regularly, and handlers learn to read subtle changes in their canine’s behavior including when they detect the scent of an explosive.

If a canine alerts its handler to the presence of an explosive’s odor, the handler follows an established procedure to resolve the alarm with minimal impact to the screening lane.

TSA trains its canine teams at the agency’s national Canine Training Center in San Antonio. The National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program began in 1972 under the Federal Aviation Administration as a partnership with state and local law enforcement.