Three-month-old Riley is currently a gangly-legged, floppy-eared puppy. But with a little growing and a lot of training, he will soon become a vital asset to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
The gorgeous Weimeraner pup was chosen for his breed’s intelligence and powerful sense of smell. Riley will use these gifts to sniff out moths and other pests that could potentially damage the museum’s precious artwork.
Staff believe Riley will be the very first museum dog with this particular job.
Nicki Luongo, Riley’s owner and trainer, is in charge of protective services at the MFA. She said in a press conference:
“His job is going to be to just let us know if there’s any type of pest in the museum we might want to look into or be concerned about.”
After he completes his training, Riley will be able to detect the presence of moths and other harmful pests long before a human could.
“If Riley can learn to smell something before we can see it, he can help us investigate and prevent damage to an art object which is an amazing concept to think about,” said Katie Getchell, the museum’s Deputy Director.
Riley was presented with his official ID badge today, but don’t expect to see him perusing the exhibits just yet. The pup has several months of training to complete before he begins working.
Even then, his job will mostly take place behind the scenes.
H/T to CBS Boston
Featured Image via Facebook/Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
via Whisker Therapy