Almost as long as wars have been fought dogs have played a part in them, helping us to stay safe thanks to their heightened senses and of course their incredible loyalty to their human companions. To celebrate this incredible bond that we share with our four-pawed companions here are 28 powerful photos of service dogs in action that prove why they’re so deserving of the title ‘man’s best friend.”
1. A soldier and his dog take a well deserved rest.
2. A seriously brave army dog in training.
3. A military paratrooper dog skydiving.
4. Service dog amongst his comrades.
5. A K-9 mourns the loss of US Marine Adam Leigh Cann.
6. Work hard, play hard.
7. Lucca visits an injured veteran at Walter Read.
8. A U.S. Air Force military working dog.
9. A U.Ss Navy Seal military working dog on a training exercise.
10. Sgt. Kevin Reese and his military working dog Grek wait at a safe house in Buhriz, Iraq.
11. Spc. Chavez And MWD Anouska return together from Afghanistan.
12. U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jason Fischman with a tactical explosion detection dog.
13. Military dog Xarius shows Sgt. Mark Bush some affection.
14. Staff Sgt. Mark Bush takes a break from validation training to play with military working dog Lian.
15. Specialised search dog Lucca hanging out with her friends in Iraq.
16. Marine carrying his partner back after a two-hour-long search exercise.
17. Staff Sgt. Philip Mendoza comforts his military working dog Rico who’s wearing Doggles during training.
18. A dog handler gives his military working dog a drink from his own water source.
19. A dog saying goodbye to his friend.
20. Labradors often work alongside each other in countries such as Afghanistan to sniff out improvised explosive devices.
21. Military dog getting ready to bring the heat.
22. Military working dog Rico and his owner U.S. NAVY Petty Officer Blake Soller pay tribute at the National War Dog Cemetery.
23. A military dog takes a nap with his fellow comrades.
24. Tech Sgt. Andrew Montgomery comforts his dog Diesel whilst inside a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter.
25. A soldier and his dog jump off the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook Helicopter
26. A military dog watches over his partner whilst he sleeps.
27. “My Coworker With A New Military Attack Dog.”
28. U.S. Marine Corps working dog Wilbur takes a rest with a marine special operations team.
Bonus.
“Our old boy’s passed away today. Somehow our other 2 seemed to know, and they’d been saying goodbye all morning.”
“He’s almost 30 with no teeth or claws, but he’s still my gorgeous old man!”
“He makes me miss my exits and chooses bad music sometimes but I wouldn’t trade him for the world.”
“The farm cat does this everytime I’m around.”
“Got quarantined at the vet and had to give my dog a little talk that the other dogs do want to be his friends, he’s just too sick to play with them right now.”
“Don’t cry. I understand you, I understand…”
“I find out that my sweet giant rabbit has a heart disease and has only a few days left. He is at the age of 3 and I thought we had years left together.”
“Walked into the shelter and asked which cat had been there the longest. Came home with a deaf, toothless, senior lovebug. Meet Cali!”
“My boss’s dogs like to come into the tractor even though there’s not a lot of space.”
“My neighbors moved without taking their cat with them.”
“Deaf, nearly blind, 17 years old but still shares his love every day.”
“Violet was an Easter present to a young child who lost interest. She was kept in a tiny cage in their basement and forgotten about. Now she lives cage-free and sleeps in bed with me every night.”
“My husband found our cat when he was an infant kitten and cared for him 24/7. Over a year later, he still thinks my husband is his birth mother. It’s adorable.”
“Airlines wouldn’t fly my dog, so I drove from one city to another. I’d never leave you behind, girl.”
“My majestic cat. This was taken on the first day in weeks she felt like herself after the antibiotic treatment kicked in.”
“Deaf, old, arthritis stricken grandpa doesn’t go crazy when I come home anymore but I still love him.”
“My girlfriend and her cat 20 years apart!”
“My best bud just turned 9 years old, and his gray hair makes him twice as precious.”
This senior dog owner is a bus driver. The dog goes with him to work every day.
“My boyfriend never had a pet and my cat hates him even though he loves her. I suggested we get a kitten so that he could feel kitty love. They’re inseparable.”
“My rabbit’s kisses were the best. She’s no longer with me and I miss her so much.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQpzv7cBKuc
“We just retired and we’re staying with our daughter’s dogs. Every evening at the appointed time, they all gather for cookie time with Grandpa.”
Sometimes a little human contact goes a long way.