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.

Grey seals show their playful side while swimming off the English coast, UK in the last decade of May 2025. (Photo by Brian Matthews/Solent News)

English singer Dua Lipa looked gorgeous on her latest trip to Miami, sporting a beautifully simple white dress with no underwear in Miam in the last decade of September 2025. (Photo by Instagram)

Traffic enforcer Ramiro Hinojas, 51, wears a Santa Claus costume while directing motorists through traffic at an intersection in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines on November 28, 2017. (Photo by Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

Mayon Volcano spews ash and lava in the town of Daraga, Albay province, Philippines, 25 January 2018. Mayon volcano located in eastern Philippines and active over the last 10 days spewed fresh lava and ash while the number of evacuees exceeded 60 thousand in the face of the threat of an even more potent explosion. The Philippines, which currently has 23 active volcanoes, is situated on the so-called 'Pacific Ring of Fire', an area known for its intense seismic activity which extends from the west coast of the American continent to New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia. (Photo by Francis R. Malasig/EPA/EFE)

A participant wearing a costume poses for members of the public before the 40th anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade in central Sydney, Australia, March 3, 2018. (Photo by David Gray/Reuters)

Women demonstrate on International Women's Day as they strike to demand the end to domestic violence and the country's prevailing “macho” culture, in Milan, Italy on March 8, 2023. (Photo by Claudia Greco/Reuters)