By Claudia Bensimoun

First published in Fido Friendly magazine.

Meet Riley, the clever Weimaraner puppy trained as a bug-sniffing dog at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), where his keen nose protects priceless art from pests. This Fido Friendly feature by Claudia Bensimoun dives into how Riley’s incredible sense of smell and intelligence make him ideal for scent detection, blending conservation with canine talent. From 2017 training discussions to his role in pest prevention, the story highlights Weimaraner traits like high intelligence and olfactory prowess, offering insights for pet parents on scent work. Below are key highlights from the article. Read the full feature on FidoFriendly.com here.

Meet Riley, the Bug Sniffing Weimaraner Pup at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts!

This brilliant Weimaraner will spend his days detecting bugs at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

By Claudia Bensimoun

Meet Riley, the Museum of Fine Arts’ scent puppy in training. Riley, a Weimaraner pup, is being trained in pest detection that only a dog can provide. Discussions began in the fall of 2017 between Conservation and Protective Services when discussing how to best care for the collection.

“Having an extra layer of pest detection that only a dog can provide could be invaluable to the Protective Services and Conservation teams as they work to protect the collection through a range of practices, policies, and protocols,” says Karen Frascona, Director of Public Relations, MFA, Boston.

Weimaraners are very intelligent and have an incredible sense of smell. Riley’s duties as a scent dog at the MFA are well-suited to his breed!

For the Full Exclusive Story, see the Spring 2018 Issue of FIDO Friendly.

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