Say hello to the TSA’s Cutest Canine of 2026
Popular Science...
The votes are in, and a German shorthaired pointer named Bolt is officially the winner of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Cutest Canine Contest for 2026. The three-year-old pooch works at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas and is the third German shorthaired pointer to win the contest in the last four years
The nationwide contest takes place on social media, where the traveling public can vote for the agency’s cutest dog. TSA canine handlers from across the country initially nominated 85 dogs before an initial round of employee voting, narrowed the field to the final four canines.
“Canines are an essential part of our team at TSA,” Deputy Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said in a statement. “As cute as Bolt and our other canines are, the work they do is vital for TSA’s national security mission.”
Bolt is the third German shorthaired pointer to win the contest in the last four years. According to the American Kennel Club, German shorthaired pointers are medium-sized dogs who thrive on vigorous exercise, positive training, and a lot of love. While Bolt does not have too many spots on his coat, many German shorthaired pointers have patches on their coats.
Bolt’s handler, Daphne Wang, called her canine partner an intense worker, with quite the personality.
“I am ecstatic for Bolt,” Wang said. “He is such a character and a hard-working little guy. He absolutely loves his job and coming to work. I am so happy he gets to show the world his quirky personality. It’s definitely an adventure working with Bolt every day. There is nothing ordinary about him. He works hard and plays even harder. He is always in working mode, even at home. He is never short on energy and is always 1,000% excited to go to work.”
The three runners ups are:
- Ember: A four-year-old Labrador retriever from Orlando International Airport in Florida. TSA Explosives Detection Canine Handler Oscar Urdininea began working with Ember after retiring his previous working canine, Bona. Urdininea said Ember and Bona love playing fetch or lying on the couch next to each other. Ember enjoys coming to work, searching all areas in and around the airport and loves to eat steak chunks and play with her squeaky bone.
- Epic: Also a four-year-old Labrador retriever, Ember works at Pittsburgh International Airport in Pennsylvania, which is the home of the 2025 TSA Cutest Canine winner, Steeler. Epic has been working for about two years. His explosives detection canine handler, Devon Flaig, says his favorite food is chicken jerky and his favorite reward is playing with a Gappay ball.
- Xaro: A nine-year-old German shepherd from St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri, Xaro is planning on retiring by the end of the year. Handler Raymond Wu said Xaro loves playing tug with a ball on a rope and his new favorite treats are Three Dog Bakery Lick’n Crunch golden & peanut butter sandwich cookies. After a long day of work at the airport, Xaro enjoys napping in the sun with his head on a pillow.
The TSA’s explosives detection canine teams weave through large groups of moving people in the airport to detect the source of an explosive’s odor. The teams train regularly, and the human handlers learn to read subtle changes in dog’s behavior, including when they smell the scent of an explosive. If a canine alerts its handler that an explosive odor is present, the handler follows an established procedure.
As tempting as it is to pet them, the dogs and handlers are hard at work when on duty and must not be touched.
Later this year, the public will be able to download the free 2027 TSA Canine Calendar. The calendar will feature 12 contestants from TSA’s 2026 Cutest Canine Contest, including Bolt. The 2026 Canine Calendar is still available.
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