Dogs: Two military dogs awarded OBE after retirement

Image source, PDSA/PA Wire

Image caption, Meet Alfie and AJ, the sniffer dogs who have been awarded an animal OBE

Meet military dogs AJ and Alfie - showing off their shiny new medals.

The dogs, who have served in the Royal Air Force for six years, have been awarded an animal version of an OBE after retiring. An OBE is an honour to recognise amazing achievements.

Alfie and AJ were known to be the best of the best in their roles on searches, where they helped authorities search for dangerous items by sniffing them out in tricky environments.

Provost Marshal (RAF) Group Captain David Wilkinson, said: "To have their actions recognised in this way is truly fantastic and I am immensely proud of everything they both achieved."

Alfie, an English Spaniel and AJ, a black Labrador, were given the award by the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) for doing such a fantastic job.

Video caption, In this video, Kate explains how you can teach your dog to perform the perfect Figure 8.

A PDSA Order of Merit is the animal's version of an OBE - it's awarded to animals for their devotion to their owner or country.

The award was first created in 2014 and has been given to 32 animals, including horses. An animal OBE is said to represent the bond between an animals and humans.

Alfie and AJ served in the Number 4 RAF Police (Typhoon) Squadron during their time as military dogs. Dogs can help authorities search for dangerous items by using their strong sense of smell, and these working dogs are known as sniffer dogs.

Congratulations on doing such a paw-fect job Alfie and AJ!

Video caption, Ally explains how to teach your dog to place its nose in a hole in a box.