Dog Fired From the CIA After It Loses Interest in Detecting Explosives

Lulu the Labrador was dropped from the CIA's dog-sniffer training program, the CIA announced on Wednesday, Oct. 18. (CIA)

A bomb-sniffing dog has been dropped from the CIA’s sniffer-dog program after she lost interest in detecting explosives.

Lulu the Labrador’s trainers tried to work out the reasons why she was no longer interested in her job, as sometimes new recruits can temporarily lose their focus.

In a blog post, the CIA said, “There can be a million reasons why a particular dog has a bad day, and the trainers become doggy psychologists trying to figure out what will help the dog come out of its funk. Sometimes the pup is bored and just needs extra playtime or more challenges, sometimes the dog needs a little break, and sometimes it’s a minor medical condition like a food allergy requiring switching to a different kibble.”

Lulu the labrador was dropped from the CIA's 2017 puppy class. (CIA)

“All dogs, just like most human students, have good days and bad days when learning something new. The same is true during our puppy classes. A pup might begin acting lazy, guessing where the odors are, or just showing a general disregard for whatever is being taught at the moment.”

But it turned out that a career in an intelligence agency just wasn’t meant to be for Lulu.

In a series of updates on Twitter, the CIA explained the reasons behind the difficult decision to fire one of their newest recruits.

Lulu was being trained with the K-9 Corps who assist the U.S. Park Police in the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

It’s an intense training program for the K-9 Corps. The canines need to learn to detect 19,000 explosive scents during a 10-week training program.

At the end of the training, the dogs take ten indoor and outdoor tests with their human partners, and when qualified, work around 60 hours a week.

Their specialized training means the K-9 Corps also work with other law enforcement teams.

It’s been a tough time for Lulu. But the good news is she has now been adopted and hangs out with a new friend.

The reactions were positive on Twitter too, with one person remarking the series of tweets were the “best thing I’ve seen on Twitter in forever.”

“Lulu’s a good pupper CIA. She just had the early retirement plan,” said one tweet. Another user joked that Lulu might be a double agent.