Puddles the dog sniffs out invasive mussels

LAKE ROOSEVELT, Wash. — Even in retirement, Puddles the dog can’t be stopped.

The original Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) invasive mussel-sniffing dog retired about a year ago after her handler, Sgt. Pam Taylor, also retired from WDWF Police following many years of service.

Puddles uses her nose to sniff out invasive mussels on watercraft, including invasive quagga mussels and zebra mussels. Now, Puddles is helping train other dogs to do the same.

Puddles and her handler Pam will spend eight days over the next month or two at Lake Roosevelt in Northeast Washington, looking for invasive mussels. The two are working with mussel-sniffing training company Mussel Dogs as “roving inspectors” and teachers to new doggy recruits.

WDFW also has Fin, a certified mussel-sniffing pup, and is looking for an additional rescue dog to add to the team. This work is funded by a grant through the Lake Roosevelt National Park Service, and you can keep an eye out for the team at watercraft launches in Roosevelt throughout the next couple of months.

To follow along and learn more about the work these dogs do, visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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