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 girl rides on a train as she takes part in the first edition of the No Pants Subway Ride in Bucharest, Romania, Sunday, January 11, 2015. The No Pants Subway Ride is an annual which was started in 2002 by Improv Everywhere in New York, the goal is for riders to get on the subway train dressed in normal winter clothes without pants and keep a straight face. (Photo by Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

Hu Shaoming is a fantastic artist from China, who has learnt Fine Arts at Guangzhou Academy. The most complex sculpture of all his works is a mechanical seahorse, constructed from many tiny details. The whole composition consists of two complete opposites, including the top part of the seahorse`s head that looks like a golden town, and the bottom which resembles an amazing blue creature. An important problem is reflected in such an idea; it shows how a man forces the nature into submission. The contrast in the opposition of the human buildings and conquered Mother Nature suggests the thought of keeping our natural environment safe.

Living on the edge of Exmoor, Rob takes his inspiration from the rolling countryside surrounding his home, where each Bough House sculpture takes several months to construct. The designs do not follow an explicit plan or process, each piece is unique. They evolve and flow freely, as part of a creative journey which has no natural limit, whilst also revealing great logic and engineering integrity. Every aerial walkway or staircase leads to a room - there are no dead-ends and every turret and tower can be reached.

With hours of dreamy candlelight in your Candle by the Hour, you canset the amount of time it burns, hour by gleaming hour. Simply feed the pliable bees wax coil through the candle clip in increments of 3 inches or less. Three inches of cancle will burn for approximately 1 hour. Set your nights alight with the Candle by the Hour!. Burning time total is 144 hours. Quirky bees wax Candle is like a sculpture. Candle reaches upward in a spiral from a metal burning plate with metal calipers gripping the Candle. A unique conversation piece for any room. Burns as long as you "tell it to" and then extinguishes itself!

A North Korean soldier looks through a window at Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (L) and her partner Tim Mathieson (C) while they visit the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC) meeting room at the border village of Panmunjom, between South and North Korea, on April 24, 2011 South Korea. Gillard will visit Japan, the Republic of Korea and China during a bilateral tour of North Asia from April 20-27. (Photo by Jeon Heon-Kyun-pool/Getty Images)

Magnetic Woodlands Wallpaper by Sian Zeng. This magnetic wallpaper will bring fairy tales to life in a child's room. Magical woodlands wallpaper in toile style printed in England with eco friendly inks on paper from sustainable forests. Roll dimensions : 52cm X 10 M Length. Repeat size: 53cm half drop. Magnet receptive liner: 61cm width (no pattern repeat) 2x5m roll a total of 10m. The magnet receptive liner is pasted onto the wall first with pre-mixed wallpaper paste. Once it has dried the Woodlands Wallpaper is pasted on top to create this magnetic woodlands wall.

LA Coroners leave the Beverly Hilton Hotel possibly carrying the body of the singer Whitney Houston in the early hours of February 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. Singer and film star Whitney Houston aged 48 has died in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (Photo/Toby Canham/Getty Images)