Meet Treo the favourite armed forces dog who took on the Taliban

Top dog: Treo, pictured with Jane Fryer, has been awarded the Dickin Medal

Treo, I am told, is "knackered". He"s been up since 5am and needs a bit of a lie down.

Goodness. What could be wrong? But when he emerges an hour later, he looks like he"s thoroughly enjoying himself - with a swagger in his step and a large medal bobbing round his neck on a silken ribbon.

Treo is an nine-year old black Labrador who likes playing with tatty old tennis balls, chomping old bones and watching Manchester City Football Club on television.

But he is also a war hero.

And today a huge crowd of important dignitaries and his handler SgtDave Heyhoe, 40, are at the Imperial War Museum as Her Royal HighnessPrincess Alexandra presents him with the Dickin Medal, the animalequivalent of the Victoria Cross.

He follows in the pawprints of 26 other dogs, 32 World War IImessenger pigeons, three horses and a cat called Simon who have won theaward, introduced in 1943 by Maria Dickin, the founder of the PDSA -People"s Dispensary for Sick Animals.

Certainly, Treo has seen more action in Afghanistan than manysoldiers. At least twice he"s saved the lives of hundreds of troopswith his uncanny ability to detect Taliban roadside bombs.

On August 15, 2008, he found a "daisy chain" improvisedexplosive device - made of several bombs wired together and carefullyhidden by the Taliban as he patrolled with Dave in Sangin, HelmandProvince.

A month later, Treo saved a platoon from guaranteedcasualties when he discovered a similar device.

"He"s basically a four-legged metal detector," explains Dave.

Treo wasn"t the only army dog in Afghanistan - at the time,he was one of 25 dogs deployed to support troops in various roles,including as protection and detection dogs and working in vehicle searches and as arms and explosives search dogs.

He certainly looks every inch the military hero today.

"Love at first sight": Treo with Sgt Dave Heyhoe has been awarded for his bravery sniffing out Taliban bombs in Afghanistan

But he wasn"t always quite so well behaved.

Aged two, he was so naughty snapping and growling at everyone that his owners donated him to the army to straighten him out.

He and Dave met on deployment in Northern Ireland. And fell in love.

;Treos handler had just left the army. I looked at him and he looked at me and that was that I know it sounds daft, but it was love at first sight.

More...Black labrador Treo becomes 23rd animal to receive the Dickin Medal after serving in Afghanistan

At work, Treo has army issue dog biscuits and special army issue doggykit - two pairs of nylon booties with rubber soles to protect paws over rough terrain and a heavy black protective coat filled with gel packs to keep him cool.

There were other perks to Treo"s life in Helmand.

"I built him a special kennel," says Dave. "But he never slept in it - he always slept with me on my bed."

I"m beginning to suspect Dave"s a bit of a softie. In their five years together, he and Treo have only ever been apart once.

"I came home on leave for two weeks without him and missed him loads - but he had a nice holiday in Camp Bastion in an air conditioned kennel."

He claims their bond is better than with any dog he"s ever worked with: "I wouldn"t say he"s telepathic, but there was an incident in Afghanistan - when another dog handler was killed. Treo knew I was down. He jumped on my bed and licked my face."

Dave explains that Treo"s training is all based on rewards. Every time he sniffs an explosive device he gets a treat.

Nose for trouble: Treo, from 104 Military Working Dogs, St George"s Barracks in Oakham, Leicestershire, has now retired (aged eight)

Maybe an army issue chocolate drop?

"Oh no. It might be a bit of play together with his tennis ball. Or just me cuddling him."

There"s no getting away from the fact that Dave"s job is extremely dangerous. Dogs and handlers do die. So does Treo ever show fear?

"He"s a dog who wants to work. When there"s a scent there he knows - he"s excellent at saying, "Dad, look, there"s something here"."

But life has changed dramatically for Treo in the past six months. Last August he officially retired from the army aged eight and has spent the last few months winding down at Dave"s house in Lincolnshire.

Instead of sniffing out bombs, suffering in the heat and risking his life, he spends his days playing with his Dave"s other dog, Blue (a Weimaraner), sleeping on Dave"s bed (poor Blue sleeps on the floor), working his way through enormous bones from the butcher and watching Man City on the box.

Oh yes, and lolling about on his very own reclining armchair with very own footrest.

Blimey. No wonder he looks so loved and cared for.

"He"s usually a quite a feisty dog," says Dave. "But since he"s retired he"s overrelaxed."

Soon army life will be over for them both - Dave retires at the end of March. So will the medal hang above Treo"s armchair?

"We"ll present the original to my unit, but we"ll keep a replica displayed in the front room. I might even get Treo to polish it."

A nice idea, but now he"s finally off duty, I can"t quite see Treo bothering. Especially if Man City"s on telly.

Proud: Sergeant Dave Heyhoe speaks with Princess Alexandra after she presented the Dickin medal during a ceremony at the Imperial War Museum