SOCHI SCENE: Tale of 2 dogs

KRASNAYA POLYANA, Russia (AP) - It was a grand entrance for sure.

Two police officers formed a sort-of guard of honor for an army officer with a finely-groomed German shepherd or Alsatian entering the Gorki Media Center for a presumed sweep for bombs or other explosives on Sunday.

Not much more than a football first down away was another dog of similar appearance, this one not so well presented. Looking a little scruffy, he or she was on the steps outside the security tent, but inside the compound. Befriended by one of the guards, the dog lay trying to catch fleeting bits of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day in the mountains, copping the odd soothing scratch from the guard.

With all the controversy over the stray dog problem in Sochi and region, for at least a little while Sunday, this newly pampered pooch could be on the same playing field as a more well-credentialed canine.

_ Dennis Passa _ Twitter: http://twitter.com/DennisPassa

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Associated Press reporters will be filing dispatches about happenings in and around Sochi during the 2014 Winter Games. Follow AP journalists covering the Olympics on Twitter: http://apne.ws/1c3WMiu

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