Lulu the dog flunked out of CIA bomb-sniffer school because she just didn’t care.
Don’t feel too badly for Lulu, the would-be bomb-sniffing CIA dog. Yes, she got a pink slip from the agency after what seemed to be a promising career ahead sniffing out explosives, but it seemed like a very dangerous gig, so who can really blame her?
It sometimes happens that dogs in training have good days and bad days, or they may just be feeling lazy. The lethargy or disinterest can sometimes go on for a few days and trainers “become doggy psychologists trying to figure out what will help the dog come out of its funk,” the CIA said in a post on its website.
Sometimes pups are bored and just need a little extra playtime or a break — or, like the genius kid in school who should be on a talented and gifted track, more difficult challenges. Or it could be the dog has a minor medical condition, such as a food allergy that can be treated by switching to a different kibble.
Usually, trainers will work the pup through whatever issue has arisen, and the dog is “back eagerly and happily ready to continue training,” the CIA said. (For more news like this, subscribe to Across America Patch for real-time breaking news alerts and free morning newsletters, or find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)
But not Lulu. She flat-out didn’t care about bomb-sniffing. Even food and playtime rewards didn’t motivate her. The job wasn’t for her, and she wasn’t having any fun.
“Our trainers’ top concern is the physical and mental well-being of our dogs, so they made the extremely difficult decision to do what’s best for Lulu and drop her from the program,” the agency said.
Lulu doesn’t seem to mind that she was canned and, in fact, seems to be thriving in her new-found freedom after she was adopted by her family. Instead of bombs, she is sniffing out rabbits and squirrels in the back yard and romping with the kids.
“We’ll miss Lulu,” the agency said, “but this was the right decision for her. We wish her all he best in her new life.”
