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15. 03. 10. - 16:00

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15. 03. 10. - 16:00

Dog of War

Kathryn Quinn

Who are you calling a dog of war?

This four-legged recruit to the special forces joined troops on a parachute jump into one of Europe's biggest military training exercises in Narvik, Norway.

The explosives sniffing pooch - a member of Austria's version of the SAS - took part in Operation Cold Response in Norway along with British special forces and Royal Marines assault teams.

Securely strapped to his handler and with a muzzle to stop him damaging his mouth on landing he plunged 10,000ft from a transporter plane.

"It's something he does a lot and he's very comfortable with. He has a much cooler head than most recruits," said one operation trooper.

Far from panicking at the experience of hurling themselves out of a plane at 10,000ft, the Austrians' Belgian Shepherd dogs appear to be perfectly calm both before and during the jump.

One handler explained: "They don't perceive height difference the same way humans do, so that doesn't worry them. They're more likely to be bothered by the roar of the engines, but once we're on the way down, that doesn't matter and they just enjoy the view."

He was also eager to point out that the dogs, like their human colleagues, are regarded as valued team members and aren't put into situations that could prove unnecessarily dangerous.

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