Watch | Army dogs rehearse for upcoming Republic Day parade

These canines are rehearsing hard to make a comeback at the Republic Day parade after 26 years. Watch the 36-member squad has been rehearsing since 2am almost everyday, for the past four months. Mafia, a two-year-old German Shepherd trained as an assault dog, will be in the first row of the marching squad along with his buddies Panzer, Dhoom, Romeo, Dodge and Cobbler. They are a mix of German Shepherds and Black/Golden Labradors, includes eight female canines, spayed for operational roles. After they debut at the parade, the canines will be assigned to operational units in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir where their ancestors have been bestowed with awards for exploits on the battlefield.