Missing Bomb-Sniffing Dog Returns to Her Post in Afghanistan

Sabi, a black Labrador Retriever, went missing from her Australian Army patrol unit 14 months ago.  Sabi is trained to sniff out roadside bombs and other explosive devices planted as dangerous booby traps in the Afghan province of Uruzgan.  She was last seen by her handlers during a particularly fierce ambush of a joint Australian-Afghan patrol unit that left nine troops wounded.

Months of search followed, with no sign of Sabi anywhere.  Most of the soldiers who knew her never expected to see her again.

Sabi didn't meet a tragic fate, however, as her Australian unit recently learned.  She's recently enjoyed a happy reunion with the soldiers she served so bravely.

A US soldier found Sabi in a remote area also in the Uruzgan province.  Once her identity was discovered, she was returned to her Australian military home base.  Her military friends will probably never know the details of her whereabouts during her 14-month absence but they are grateful that Sabi was found in good condition, a sign that she's been in good hands during her odyssey.

Sabi's unit is one of many involved with training Afghanistan security forces.  Many of the 1,500 military troops from Australia work with explosive detection dogs like Sabi.

It is unclear at this time if Sabi will stay in Afghanistan.  If tests prove she is disease free, she may be returned to Australia.

What's REALLY on Fido's Mind?

Ever wonder what your canine best friend is thinking?  Or how smart is he, really?

Me, too.  That's why I was intrigued by the headline I saw recently at NYTimes.com.  "Good Dog, Smart Dog," the headline reads.  The article opens with the story of Jet, a New Jersey Labradoodle, trained to detect and respond to his human's seizures, psychiatric disorders, and other medical conditions.

So impressive is Jet's ability to protect his owner that the US Army is even studying ways service dogs like Jet can help soldiers returning from the ugly military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Of particular interest is a service dog's potential ability to respond to issues involving post-traumatic stress disorders.

Another study being conducted in Hungary is seeking the mechanism(s) by which a dog can tell when a person is on the verge of seizure.  Is it their keen sense of smell?  Facial expression?  Body language?  Other studies suggest dogs can sniff out lung cancer.

A University of British Columbia professor thinks we may have underestimated the mental abilities of dogs.  The professor, Dr. Stanley Coren, even says dogs can understand human vocabulary numbering into the hundreds of words.  University of Florida's Clive DL Wynne recalls a border collie with a vocabulary of 1,500 words.  German studies confirm the canine understanding of human words.  Most dog lovers can confirm it, too.

Everyone who knows their dog is an emotional and intelligent being will enjoy this article.  I highly recommend it.