Theo the superhero dog

Theo the superhero dog

A People In Defence news article

14 Feb 11

Theo, a Springer spaniel cross who holds the record for finding the most improvised explosive devices and weapons in Afghanistan, has had his tour extended due to his amazing success.

Military working dog Theo is put through his paces by handler Lance Corporal Liam Tasker at Camp Bastion, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan
[Picture: Corporal Mark Webster, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

Theo is an Arms and Explosives Search (AES) dog. The 22-month-old 'superhero' spaniel and his handler, Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, are part of the Theatre Military Working Dog Support Unit (TMWDSU) based at Camp Bastion.

Theo is on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan. A tour is normally six months, with the dogs then returning to their home at 104 Military Working Dog Support Unit at North Luffenham, Rutland, but due to his success rate, Theo's tour has been extended by a month.

Before coming to Afghanistan, Theo had to undergo a rigorous period of training to ensure he would meet the highest standards expected of the dogs in the TMWDSU. The first stage was 16 weeks' basic training and assessment before being given to a handler. Theo and Lance Corporal Tasker then spent 15 weeks on a handlers' course, where man and dog learn to work as a team.

As an AES dog, Theo's task is to locate weapons and IEDs. He is normally the 'front man' of the patrol, sniffing out any hidden devices. In Theo's first five months of duty he notched up 14 operational finds...

Read more on this Superdog here.

Gooooo Theo!