# Chocolat saves lives



## John A Silkstone (Apr 6, 2010)

'Hero' Army Dog Sniffs Out A Bomb Factory

A year ago Chocolat the dog could not obey a command to sit, but he has now been praised for saving the lives of British soldiers in Afghanistan. The Army canine has been hailed a hero after he detected a booby-trapped Taliban bomb factory.

A trained dog can track down explosives by smell and these unique skills are proving vital for troops in spotting roadside bombs.

Chocolat the Belgian Shepherd sniffed out enough explosives to make 10 deadly improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during a routine search of a bazaar.

His handler Private Steve Purdy said Chocolat's behaviour made him realise that bomb-making equipment was hidden in the shop.

"Chocolat totally right-angled, went in, and wouldn't come back," he said.

"Normally he would never go out of my sight. That's how sure I was. It was enough for me to pull him back and say that there was something there."

Chocolat was able to lead Private Purdy and his team safely into the booby-trapped building and find where the IED stash was.

"Chocolat... literally didn't know how to sit when I first got him in March 2009," the soldier said.

"He is very cheeky, but a really good dog, really good at his job.

"He is also a bit of a character. He tends to wake me up a lot in the night just with his toy wanting to play, or he'll destroy something that's close by - like my flip flops."

Chocolat is one of 11 sniffer dogs currently deployed in Afghanistan.

Captain Vicky Tannahill, who is a vet with the Military Working Dog Support Unit, added the animals in the military work as hard as their human counterparts.

"They are saving lives day in and day out. But we do give them the best possible care," she said.


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