Kaboom had too much energy for his 3 owners. But he's a great fit for Morris' bomb squad

It's a comeback tail for the ages.

Surrendered three times to a local animal shelter, Kaboom, a feisty black Lab-retriever mix, faced an uncertain future. But a chance encounter with a Morris County sheriff's officer has led to a new life with the K-9 squad − and newfound fame as the county's top dog.

On Saturday, Kaboom will march proudly in Morris Plains' annual Memorial Day parade, one of the biggest in the area.

The bomb-sniffing pooch already earned bragging rights last month when he won "Bark Madness," an NCAA-style contest among the sheriff's department's Facebook followers. Victory came complete with a private lunch at Arthur's Tavern, the popular steakhouse in Morris Plains.

It's quite a turnaround for a dog who couldn't keep an owner after he was born seven years ago, thanks to his high-octane personality.

Morris County K-9 couldn't keep a home

"Kaboom is a ball of energy," said Detective Christopher Murarik, the K-9's current partner. "He is very motivated and loves to work. That's why he got put up for adoption in the past. People weren't able to handle his craziness."The dog was born on January 2, 2017 and adopted − and returned − three times at the Parsippany Animal Shelter. It was there that an off-duty officer spotted the puppy and spoke with a shelter worker, who suggested all that vigor could be put to good use in an official capacity.

The dog proved open to training and completed his certification as an explosives-sniffing specialist following a 14-week course. His original handler named him Boomer, but before long, the nickname "Kaboom" stuck.

"It's a great story," Sheriff James Gannon said last week. "You have this high-energy dog who was having a difficult time in folks' homes, and he kept going back to the shelter. Our officer took a liking to him, thought he had a high capacity, high, high energy. And that's what you need for an improvised-explosive dog. You need that high-energy component."

Now he's a star among the ranks of the 10-dog K-9 unit, through which Gannon's department provides a variety of services in the county. Kaboom deploys with the Bomb Squad, he's certified to work with the State Police and he assists in searches for missing persons.

"He's out there doing great work all the time, clearing places to make sure it's a safe environment, whether it's a parade route or a big gathering," Gannon said.

The top 'dawg' in Bark Madness

Public interest in the K-9 unit spurred the department's "Bark Madness" contest, which invited followers to vote for their favorite animal officers. Kaboom advanced to the finals, where he edged out the top seed, Odie, 79 likes to 54.

"This boy is unstoppable," posted one voter, Samantha DeNunzio.

"He is my dawg," added another, Ryan Sorensen.

The dog joined Gannon and other members of the department in April to celebrate the achievement with a steak lunch at Arthur's. The restaurant was closed to ensure any health and sanitary conditions could be addressed by staff, the sheriff said.

Detective Murarik, who succeeded Officer Mike Carbone as Kaboom's handler, was able to attend despite being on active orders with the New Jersey National Guard. Murarik, who grew up with huskies and has competed in sled-dog races throughout the Northeast, said the right training allowed Kaboom to harness his friskiness. The dog learned how to detect 21 different bomb-related odors.

"We were able to figure out what motivated him, which is to play," Murarik said. "Everything he does work-wise, his motivation is to play. It's all a game to him. Working with him is great because he's a very motivated dog. He loves to work."

Next assignment: Morris Plains Memorial Day Parade

Kaboom's next assignment? Appearing in the big Morris Plains Memorial Day Parade this weekend. The procession will feature some 100 groups and 15 marching bands. The list will include the Orange High School Marching Tornadoes Band, the Salaam Shrine Temple Oriental Band, the Rory O’Moore Pipe Band, the Morris County Police Pipes and Drums, the Denville String Band and the Morristown High School Marching Colonials.

The event begins at 9 a.m. with a Memorial Day service at Roberts Garden in Morris Plains, followed by the parade kickoff at 9:30 a.m.

It won't be Kaboom's first time in the spotlight. Among their many assignments, Murarik said he and his K-9 were deployed to Newark to support security at the Prudential Center for the MTV Video Music Awards in 2022.

Now, Kaboom's the star, and Gannon understands why.

"Kaboom was the underdog," the sheriff said. "People love underdogs."

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com Twitter: @wwesthoven

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morris Plains Memorial Day Parade to feature K-9 with Cinderella story