Hundreds of military working dogs are trained to protect soldiers and civilians by finding explosive devices and insurgents in some of the most volatile regions of the world. "Glory Hounds," a television special airing tonight and Feb. 24 follows the special bond between these dogs and their handlers, the work they do together and the heartache they share.

A soldier and a military working dog in a still from the TV documentary "Glory Hounds." Photo courtesy of Animal Planet.

To film "Glory Hounds," Animal Planet embedded four camera crews with troops at remote bases in two of the deadliest provinces in Afghanistan for six weeks. They followed four dogs and their handlers working and living in the hostile terrain.

The two-hour documentary program premieres tonight at 8 p.m. and repeats on Feb. 24 at 9 a.m. ET/PT on Animal Planet. (Check local listings to confirm times and dates.)

More photos, videos and information about the program can be found at http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/glory-hounds.