Meet Meysi, a tiny Terrier crossbreed from Jarocin, Poland, who is is unwittingly vying for the title of World’s Smallest Living Dog. Meysi weighed just 1.58 ounces at her birth three months ago and her owner Anna Pohl wasn’t sure the cute puppy would survive.
Mushers and their huskies practice at a forest course ahead of the Aviemore Sled Dog Rally on January 24, 2016 in Feshiebridge, Scotland. Huskies and sledders prepare ahead of the Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain 34th race taking place at Loch Morlich this weekend near Aviemore. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)
A dog and its owner perform a routine in the main arena on Day three of Crufts at the Birmingham NEC Arena on March 10, 2012 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
In a world first, a dog drives a car completely by himself on a racetrack in New Zealand. The dog, named Monty, has trained for more than two months to drive the modified car in a project aimed at increasing pet adoption from animal shelters. The giant schnauzer drives the Mini 70 metres and even changes gears
A bulldog dressed as Marilyn Monroe poses for a photograph during the annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in the Manhattan borough of New York City, October 24, 2015. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Reuters)
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.