Australian Army sniffer dog has been found alive

An Australian Army sniffer dog has been found alive and well after spending 14 months in the Afghan desert, media reports said.

Sabi, a four-year-old black Labrador, went missing during a clash between Australian troops and Afghan militants in September 2008, and was since officially listed as 'missing in action'. Nine soldiers, including the dog's handler, were injured in the fighting.

'Sabi is back home in one piece and (is) a genuinely nice pooch as well,' Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said while visiting his country's troops in Afghanistan.

The dog was found by a US serviceman in the southern Afghan province of Orugzan. He said he found out that Sabi was not a common stray dog when she understood some of his commands, according to Australian media reports Thursday.

She will return to Australia after a quarantine period.