Military Dogs
The Hero Dog Awards® celebrate extraordinary military dogs who protect our troops and civilians in the line of duty.
Military working dogs first entered the service in 1942 to serve in the Army’s K-9 Corps. Today, these dogs are still playing an active role in searching for explosives and seizing enemies. Today’s conflicts include dogs at every level, still serving our country, helping to protect our troops.
Thank you to Nubz for sponsoring the military category.
Stay Tuned for the Semi-Finalists
Nominations for the 2026 Hero Dog Awards are now closed — thank you to everyone who shared their hero’s story.
Voting starts August 10. Follow along to meet the semi-finalists and vote for your favorite heroes!
Meet 2025 Finalist K-9 Ultra
Last year’s finalist K-9 Ultra and her handler joined an episode of the Robin’s Nest podcast.
A four-year-old German Shepherd/Dutch Shepherd mix serving as a Coast Guard Military Working Dog, K-9 Ultra is a highly trained detection specialist who can switch instantly from playful companion to mission-ready protector at the command “seek.” Together, K-9 Ultra and her handler share how military working dogs safeguard lives through explosive detection, motorcade security and force protection in high-stakes environments.