Some days my dogs are like my own little heroes, snuggling up when I need it the most or making me proud by their positive interactions with other dogs. However, I of course recognize there are many dogs who do live out truly heroic lives as working dogs. For the first time ever, the many different classes of working dogs are being honored with their own star studded, red carpet worthy awards event. The first American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards will air this Friday on the Hallmark Channel and honors eight working hero dogs.

The canine finalists each represent one of the many categories of working dogs including service, therapy, military, law enforcement and arson, hearing, guide and search and rescue. The finalists were selected through a nationwide online search. A few of the winning heroes were also honored this week in Washington in conjunction with Veterans’ Day. Dogs that worked in Iraq and on 9/11 were invited to visit the House Veterans Affairs committee including Roselle, a seeing-eye dog who led her guardian Michael Hingson down 78 flights of stairs in the burning World Trade Center on September 11.

The awards gala is hosted by Carson Kressley and airs at 8/7c on Friday, November 11th. Learn more about the categories and watch a tearjerker of a preview on the Hallmark Channel’s website. Congrats hero doggies! I hope you scored some great swag in your award show goodie bags.

image via The U.S. Army