Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez attend The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

Ukrainian servicemen of the 128th separate mountain assault Transcarpathian brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine take part in tank drills, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine on January 11, 2024. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

Throughout the course of the long war in Afghanistan, Coalition troops have relied on thousands of military working dogs to help keep them safe, and make their jobs easier. The dogs are trained to detect explosives, to find illegal drugs, to search for missing comrades, or target enemy combatants. Not only are they active on the front lines, but behind the lines they serve as therapy dogs, service dogs, and loyal companions. They also share the same risks as the ground troops, suffering injuries and sometimes death on the battlefields. Gathered here are images of these dogs and their handlers in Afghanistan and back home, from over the past several years, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.

A Pomeranian dog sits in a rolling pet carrier in Hong Kong, China on September 4, 2019. (Photo by Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters)

“Monorail Subway, Capitol To Senate. The Car. Senators Swanson And Townsend As Passengers, 1916”. (Photo by Harris & Ewing Collection). (Please click to enlarge)

This greedy piglet was isolated from the rest of its litter by the farmer who named it Hitler after it tried to grab all the food at feeding time. (Photo by R J Lewis/Getty Images). 1942

In this Tuesday, March 12, 2019 photo, a visitor takes part in an immersive experience showing visitors how dogs see from inside the head of a dog at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. A new exhibit at a Los Angeles museum examines the relationship between dogs and humans and explores why the two species seem to think so much alike and get along so well. “Dogs! A Science Tail” opens Saturday, March 16, 2019, at the California Science Center. (Photo by Richard Vogel/AP Photo)