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Bilello told ABC News that TSA has found no behavioral or mission effectiveness differences between the dogs. The change is purely focused on image and branding, with the job coming first.

But don't worry about the jobs of our pointy-eared furry friends. No dog will lose its gig at TSA due to the new preference, the spokesperson said. Dogs with ears of both varieties will continue to be trained and put to work in order to meet the high demand for canine missions at the agency. TSA will give preference to the floppy-kind for passenger screening, when it has the opportunity.

\"PHOTO:
Mark Mainz/Getty Images, FILE
PHOTO: Police canine Labrador Catherine is pictured during a demonstration of how canine teams will assist the Transportation Security Administration in screening luggage for explosives at JFK International Airport Dec. 10, 2002. in New York City.
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Wake up Maggie! We think we’ve got something to say to you! It’s almost September, and you really shouldn’t just sit there and drool. Just kidding! Maggie is a hard working doggo, and she deserves some rest every now and then. She’s an explosives detection canine and she works with her handler at the Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). … TSA trains and deploys about 350 TSA-led and local law enforcement-led canine teams per year to operate in the aviation, multimodal, mass transit, and cargo environments. Once trained, these very effective, mobile teams can quickly locate and identify dangerous materials that may present a threat to transportation systems. The canines are often seen working in some of the nation’s largest airports. TSA has been training canines in explosives detection since 2001. … #TSACanines #WorkingDogs #DogsOfInstagram #TSA #IAD

A post shared by TSA (@tsa) on Aug 31, 2018 at 1:32pm PDT

\"The health and operational capabilities of the dog supersedes the appearance of their ears,\" he said, adding the agency is sending a clear message that there's no need for their breeders to crop dogs ears, a controversial, but legal practice.

\"If it's a healthy canine and it's trained and operationally capable, that's the first priority,\" Bilello told ABC News.

TSA does not provide numbers on how many dogs work for TSA and Bilello couldn't say if most are floppy-eared or pointy-eared. TSA canines, assisted by human handlers, are trained to sniff for explosives at airports, train stations, events and other places the agency is tasked with protecting. Expansion plans for the canine program include certifying dogs, belonging to third-party contractors, for cargo screening.

\"PHOTO:
Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images
PHOTO: Douglas Timberlake, with the Transportation Security Administration and bomb-sniffing dog, Rriverso, prepare to demonstrate their work at National Airport in Arlington, Va., Dec. 29, 2015.
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