Military Working Dogs sniffing out danger 03.10.12
174Members of 101 Squadron, the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment have come to the end of their tour in Afghanistan.
They have just handed over to 105 Squadron and said goodbye to many of the dogs they have been working with over the last six months.
Not all of the dogs go home after one tour. If a dog is working well and is acclimatized and healthy, it can often end up doing two or three tours in a row.
About 60 percent will stay on, but only if the vets are happy. The dogs are checked over and constantly assessed to see how they are performing. Some work better in the winter months, others have adapted to the climate stay longer.
Herrick 16 has seen the largest deployment of dogs since the Second World War, but on Herrick 17 that numbers increasing.
Forces News has been speaking to the handlers and trainers about the tour.