New research in the UK has found that trained dogs have high levels of accuracy when it comes to smelling the distinct odour of people who are infected with the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>.

Conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), this study was done in collaboration with Durham University and a charity, Medical Detection Dogs.

Hailed as the most comprehensive study to date combining dog trial, odour analysis, and modelling, it found that dogs specially trained for the job can detect the disease rapidly and non-invasively with up to 94.3 per cent sensitivity and up to 92 per cent specificity.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/dogs-can-detect-covid-19-among-humans-in-less-than-a-second-uk-study-finds-387127">Dogs can detect COVID-19 among humans in less than a second, UK study finds</a>

Dogs involved in the study were able to detect odour from asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals, including those infected with two different COVID-19 strains and those with both high and low viral loads.

Professor James Logan, Head of the Department of Disease Control at LSHTM, who led the project, said the presence of the new strains poses a threat to the country for some time to come, adding "that's where these amazing dogs could play a role."

This method can detect COVID-19 in large groups of people with great speed and accuracy, even in asymptomatic cases. However, more testing is needed to determine whether the dogs will replicate these results in a real-world setting. However, the results of the study are extremely encouraging, he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-researchers-test-dogs-ability-to-sniff-out-covid-19-299001">UK researchers test dogs' ability to sniff out COVID-19</a>

Researchers trained the dogs at Medical Detection Dogs to identify COVID-19 using body odour samples sent by members of the public and National Health Service (NHS) staff, which included masks, socks, and t-shirts. LSHTM collected and analyzed 3,758 samples, choosing 325 positives and 675 negative specimens for testing.

According to Dr Claire Guest, Chief Scientific Officer at Medical Detection Dogs, it is clear that dogs are a reliable biosensor for detecting human disease odours and as evidenced by the study&nbsp;dogs have the potential to significantly aid in the fight against COVID-19.

"Knowing that we can harness the amazing power of a dog's nose to detect COVID-19 quickly and non-invasively gives us hope for a return to a more normal way of life through safer travel and access to public places, so that we can again socialise with family and friends," she said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-dogs-going-to-help-prevent-a-global-second-wave-of-covid-19-288792">Are dogs going to help prevent a global second wave of COVID-19?</a>

An accompanying mathematical model confirms the possibility of using dogs to screen plane passengers at ports of entry or other sites, with preliminary work suggesting that two dogs could screen 300 passengers during a "Rapid Screen and Test" implementation.

A PCR test would only be necessary for individuals identified by dogs.

When Bio Detection dogs are used in conjunction with a confirmatory PCR test, it's estimated that there will be more onward transmissions detected and prevented compared to isolating symptomatic individuals only.

(With inputs from agencies)

New research in the UK has found that trained dogs have high levels of accuracy when it comes to smelling the distinct odour of people who are infected with the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

New research in the UK has found that trained dogs have high levels of accuracy when it comes to smelling the distinct odour of people who are infected with the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), this study was done in collaboration with Durham University and a charity, Medical Detection Dogs. Hailed as the most comprehensive study to date combining dog trial, odour analysis, and modelling, it found that dogs specially trained for the job can detect the disease rapidly and non-invasively with up to 94.3 per cent sensitivity and up to 92 per cent specificity. Also read | Dogs can detect COVID-19 among humans in less than a second, UK study finds Dogs involved in the study were able to detect odour from asymptomatic and symptomatic individuals, including those infected with two different COVID-19 strains and those with both high and low viral loads. Professor James Logan, Head of the Department of Disease Control at LSHTM, who led the project, said the presence of the new strains poses a threat to the country for some time to come, adding "that's where these amazing dogs could play a role." This method can detect COVID-19 in large groups of people with great speed and accuracy, even in asymptomatic cases. However, more testing is needed to determine whether the dogs will replicate these results in a real-world setting. However, the results of the study are extremely encouraging, he added. Also read | UK researchers test dogs' ability to sniff out COVID-19 Researchers trained the dogs at Medical Detection Dogs to identify COVID-19 using body odour samples sent by members of the public and National Health Service (NHS) staff, which included masks, socks, and t-shirts. LSHTM collected and analyzed 3,758 samples, choosing 325 positives and 675 negative specimens for testing. According to Dr Claire Guest, Chief Scientific Officer at Medical Detection Dogs, it is clear that dogs are a reliable biosensor for detecting human disease odours and as evidenced by the study dogs have the potential to significantly aid in the fight against COVID-19. "Knowing that we can harness the amazing power of a dog's nose to detect COVID-19 quickly and non-invasively gives us hope for a return to a more normal way of life through safer travel and access to public places, so that we can again socialise with family and friends," she said. Also read | Are dogs going to help prevent a global second wave of COVID-19? An accompanying mathematical model confirms the possibility of using dogs to screen plane passengers at ports of entry or other sites, with preliminary work suggesting that two dogs could screen 300 passengers during a "Rapid Screen and Test" implementation. A PCR test would only be necessary for individuals identified by dogs. When Bio Detection dogs are used in conjunction with a confirmatory PCR test, it's estimated that there will be more onward transmissions detected and prevented compared to isolating symptomatic individuals only. (With inputs from agencies)

New study suggests dogs can be used to detect COVID-19

A study by researchers from Utrecht University finds that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">Covid</a> is common in pet cats and dogs whose owners are infected by the disease.

Pets in 196 households where an infection was present were swabbed for traces of infection.

A PCR test revealed six positive results for cats and seven for dogs, and 54 animals were found to have antibodies for the virus.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/no-cuddling-uk-warns-people-after-cat-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-379922">‘No cuddling’: UK warns people after cat tests positive for coronavirus</a>

Dr Els Broens from Utrecht University advised that people with Covid should avoid contact with their cats or dogs.

The reason behind this advice lies in the uncertainty of whether pets can transmit the virus or not. While the authors of this study found no evidence of pet to human interaction, they say that detection would be difficult especially when human to human transmission is so swift.&nbsp;

Covid tends to cause mild to no symptoms in most animals infected with it.

As part of the research a mobile veterinary clinic was sent to Netherland households where in the last 200 days, someone had tested positive for Covid.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seoul-to-give-free-covid-19-tests-to-pets-362173">Seoul to give free COVID-19 tests to pets</a>

There they took blood samples to test for antibodies that could suggest past exposure to Covid, as well as swabs of the pet cats and dogs to test for current infection.

Results which were then presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases showed that around 4.2 per cent of the pets had a current infection, while 17.4 per cent tested positive for antibodies.&nbsp;

PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-positive animals were subsequently tested and showed that antibodies were formed.

According to the researchers, the most likely route for transmission of viruses is from humans to animals, but that they can't say that vice versa is zero per cent possible.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-common-in-pet-dogs-and-cats-reveals-study-395073">Covid common in pet dogs and cats, reveals study</a>

Many animals in Russia are being vaccinated against the disease by veterinarians. However, Dr Broens believes that to be unnecessary, as for now there is no evidence supporting the need for it.&nbsp;

Study No. 2

In a separate study, researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, found cats sleeping on their owners' beds appeared particularly susceptible to infection.

The owners of 48 cats and 54 dogs from 77 households were interviewed to learn about their interaction with their pets, and the animal immune systems were tested for Covid antibodies.

67 per cent of pet cats and 43 per cent of pet dogs tested positive for Covid, while merely 9 per cent of cats and dogs from an animal shelter and 3 per cent of stray cats tested positive.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-evidence-of-human-to-cat-covid-19-transmission-379717">Scientists find evidence of human-to-cat COVID-19 transmission</a>

Twenty-five per cent of the pets exhibited symptoms, ranging from loss of appetite to difficulty breathing. Despite most cases being mild, three were severe.

The researchers suggest that the biology of cats may make them more susceptible to Covid infection.

Additionally, as cats are more likely than dogs to sleep near their owners' faces, they are at higher risk of catching an infection from their owner's breath.

'Robustly conducted'

Professor James Wood, the head of the veterinary medicine department at Cambridge University, said the two studies provide further indications that cats and dogs may contract the disease from their owners.

He also noted that the Dutch study was robustly conducted and demonstrated that even though 20 per cent of exposed pets may be infected, they eventually clear the infection just like most humans do.

A study by researchers from Utrecht University finds that Covid is common in pet cats and dogs whose owners are infected by the disease. Pets in 196 households where an infection was present were swabbed for traces of infection.

A study by researchers from Utrecht University finds that Covid is common in pet cats and dogs whose owners are infected by the disease. Pets in 196 households where an infection was present were swabbed for traces of infection. A PCR test revealed six positive results for cats and seven for dogs, and 54 animals were found to have antibodies for the virus. Also read | ‘No cuddling’: UK warns people after cat tests positive for coronavirus Dr Els Broens from Utrecht University advised that people with Covid should avoid contact with their cats or dogs. The reason behind this advice lies in the uncertainty of whether pets can transmit the virus or not. While the authors of this study found no evidence of pet to human interaction, they say that detection would be difficult especially when human to human transmission is so swift. Covid tends to cause mild to no symptoms in most animals infected with it. As part of the research a mobile veterinary clinic was sent to Netherland households where in the last 200 days, someone had tested positive for Covid. Also read | Seoul to give free COVID-19 tests to pets There they took blood samples to test for antibodies that could suggest past exposure to Covid, as well as swabs of the pet cats and dogs to test for current infection. Results which were then presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases showed that around 4.2 per cent of the pets had a current infection, while 17.4 per cent tested positive for antibodies. PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-positive animals were subsequently tested and showed that antibodies were formed. According to the researchers, the most likely route for transmission of viruses is from humans to animals, but that they can't say that vice versa is zero per cent possible. Also read | Covid common in pet dogs and cats, reveals study Many animals in Russia are being vaccinated against the disease by veterinarians. However, Dr Broens believes that to be unnecessary, as for now there is no evidence supporting the need for it. Study No. 2 In a separate study, researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, found cats sleeping on their owners' beds appeared particularly susceptible to infection. The owners of 48 cats and 54 dogs from 77 households were interviewed to learn about their interaction with their pets, and the animal immune systems were tested for Covid antibodies. 67 per cent of pet cats and 43 per cent of pet dogs tested positive for Covid, while merely 9 per cent of cats and dogs from an animal shelter and 3 per cent of stray cats tested positive. Also read | Scientists find evidence of human-to-cat COVID-19 transmission Twenty-five per cent of the pets exhibited symptoms, ranging from loss of appetite to difficulty breathing. Despite most cases being mild, three were severe. The researchers suggest that the biology of cats may make them more susceptible to Covid infection. Additionally, as cats are more likely than dogs to sleep near their owners' faces, they are at higher risk of catching an infection from their owner's breath. 'Robustly conducted' Professor James Wood, the head of the veterinary medicine department at Cambridge University, said the two studies provide further indications that cats and dogs may contract the disease from their owners. He also noted that the Dutch study was robustly conducted and demonstrated that even though 20 per cent of exposed pets may be infected, they eventually clear the infection just like most humans do.

Study finds that pets are at risk of covid infection from their owners, not the other way around

Dogs trained to detect the novel coronavirus began sniffing passenger samples at Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa airport this week, authorities said, in a pilot project running alongside more usual testing at the airport.

The dogs’ efficiency has not been proven in comparative scientific studies so passengers who volunteer to be tested and are suspected as carrying the virus are instructed to also take a swab to confirm the result.

A team of 15 dogs and 10 instructors are being trained for the job in Finland by volunteers, sponsored by a private veterinary clinic. Among them is Kossi, a rescue dog from Spain, who was trained as a sniffer dog in Finland and who has worked before detecting cancers.

“What we’ve seen in our research is that the dogs will find (the disease) five days before they (patients) get any clinical symptoms,” Anna Hielm-Bjorkman, who is Adjunct Professor at the University of Helsinki and spesialised in clinical research for companion animals, told Reuters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/sniffer-alert-bosnia-trains-dogs-for-mine-detection-330369">Also read|&nbsp;Sniffer alert: Bosnia trains dogs for mine-detection</a>

“They are very good (at it). We come close to 100-percent sensitivity,” she said, referring to the dogs’s ability to detect cases of the virus.

In the canine test, a passenger swipes their neck with a gauze, places it in a can which is then handed over to another room for a dog to sniff and to deliver an immediate result.

A few months ago, authorities in the United Arab Emirates embarked on similar canine testing at Dubai International Airport using police dogs.

“In the future, it’s also possible... that these dogs go around passengers in a similar way to customs dogs,” Vantaa deputy mayor Timo Aronkyto, said.

Dogs trained to detect the novel coronavirus began sniffing passenger samples at Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa airport this week, authorities said, in a pilot project running alongside more usual testing at the airport.

Dogs trained to detect the novel coronavirus began sniffing passenger samples at Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa airport this week, authorities said, in a pilot project running alongside more usual testing at the airport. The dogs’ efficiency has not been proven in comparative scientific studies so passengers who volunteer to be tested and are suspected as carrying the virus are instructed to also take a swab to confirm the result. A team of 15 dogs and 10 instructors are being trained for the job in Finland by volunteers, sponsored by a private veterinary clinic. Among them is Kossi, a rescue dog from Spain, who was trained as a sniffer dog in Finland and who has worked before detecting cancers. “What we’ve seen in our research is that the dogs will find (the disease) five days before they (patients) get any clinical symptoms,” Anna Hielm-Bjorkman, who is Adjunct Professor at the University of Helsinki and spesialised in clinical research for companion animals, told Reuters. Also read| Sniffer alert: Bosnia trains dogs for mine-detection “They are very good (at it). We come close to 100-percent sensitivity,” she said, referring to the dogs’s ability to detect cases of the virus. In the canine test, a passenger swipes their neck with a gauze, places it in a can which is then handed over to another room for a dog to sniff and to deliver an immediate result. A few months ago, authorities in the United Arab Emirates embarked on similar canine testing at Dubai International Airport using police dogs. “In the future, it’s also possible... that these dogs go around passengers in a similar way to customs dogs,” Vantaa deputy mayor Timo Aronkyto, said.

Dogs used to detect coronavirus in pilot project at Helsinki airport

The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted a lot of houses. Many people were stuck away from home. Similarly, a dog was stranded 10,000 miles away from his owners. Pipsqueak, a wiener dog, belonging to an Australian family was sailing around the world with his family when the novel coronavirus hit the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted a lot of houses. Many people were stuck away from home. Similarly, a dog was stranded 10,000 miles away from his owners. Pipsqueak, a wiener dog, belonging to an Australian family was sailing around the world with his family when the novel coronavirus hit the world. However, as Australia decided to close their borders, the Eilbeck family — Zoe and Guy Eilbeck, and their sons Cam and Max — had 48 hours to pack up their stuff, dock their 40-foot yacht in Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and fly back to their home country. However, they had to make a tough decision of leaving their dachshund Pip behind as Australia has strict pet import rules. After making a few calls, the Eilbeck family made an eight-hour-long drive to their friend Lynn Williams' house where they left Pip with a hope to come back for him in a few days. However, their hopes came crashing down as the Australian borders remained shut and the coronavirus restrictions got stricter. View this post on Instagram A Pip Pupdate: Thank you enormously to everyone who shared Pip’s plea for a travel buddy across America to LA next week - the post was shared 135 times and viewed by over 18,500 people; we’ve been blown away by the kind offers of help received from so many. Ultimately Pip’s chosen ‘wing gal’ for the two flights from North Carolina to Los Angeles is the amazing Melissa Young @mhyoung83 who has generously offered to take Pip across the country in a time of great uncertainty and deliver her to Jetpets for her onward international journey. At this point Pip will do final vet checks before climbing aboard Air New Zealand to avail herself of their hospitality en route to Auckland. Why NZ? Because Qantas aren’t flying and we need to get this gal home. After a night in NZ to get some sleep and a good meal, Pip will fly cargo to Melbourne to complete her 10 (not 14) day quarantine. We envisioned ourselves driving the 12 hours to Melbourne to collect her (hoping like mad she remembers who the hell we are after all this!) but Victoria’s just closed their borders due to the latest Covid wave so we will find a way to get her out and home to us in the coming weeks - this journey certainly feels like a never ending roller coaster! No one’s kidding themselves that this is going to be a happy trip for Pip but she’s been in limbo now for 4 months and we are determined to get her home! Melissa’s generosity and bravery in taking Pip across borders in the USA is inspiring and humbling. she also happens to be on the Board of a NFP called @sparkyfoundationnc that rescue and find dogs loving homes for “the happily ever after story book ending that they all deserve.” If you wanted to help Pip or just want to acknowledge Melissa’s act of kindness and bravery, please consider donating to her foundation - every cent received will be used wholly for animal rescue in tough times ahead. #thankyou #generosity #helpingothers #cmonpip #dachshund #minidachshund #weinerdog #doxie A post shared by No Plans Just Options (@noplans.justoptions) on Jul 10, 2020 at 6:08am PDT × Little Pip and his family, however, were determined to meet each other soon. So, the family started working on the required paperwork needed to bring Pip back, but was facing one hurdle after another. "To export a dog from America, you need to get a US declaration to say the dog is in good health and has had particular blood tests to do with rabies," Zoe explains. "This was being done in New York, which was now closed. So trying to get anything like that done was extremely difficult." View this post on Instagram Pip travel update: It’s now all on track for flight #3! This is the long one LA to Auckland. After some hiccups with official paperwork Pip has now been successfully processed by the great team at Jetpets in Los Angeles who have been cuddling and walking her during her last day on American soil. @insteinbergram @staceyhopegreen @mhyoung83 and I are on tender-hooks.... She was bumped from one flight to Auckland this afternoon but reconfirmed shortly thereafter on another AirNZ flight which leaves an hour later (who knew there were so many flights going to New Zealand tonight!) Now she’s been checked by the USDA govt vet, accepted by LAX airport and her crate sealed for export 😳 She has a long road now ahead as she waits nearly 4 hours to fly at 10.30pm local time. Flight time is then 13 hours so this will be tough for her, here’s hoping she will sleep most of the way. #goodgirl #cmonhomepip #keepgoing #heregirl #travelingpup #airNZ #aucklandbound #seenz #laflight #aircargo #weinerdog #doxie #dachshund #minidachshund #noplansjustoptions A post shared by No Plans Just Options (@noplans.justoptions) on Jul 21, 2020 at 8:24pm PDT × The family was finally able to conclude the needed paperwork and was excited to meet their dog, but Qantas, the air carrier, announced that the company won't be flying dogs to the country. With limited options and red-tape limitations, Zoe turned towards social media and posted a message looki ng for people flying east to west coast in the US to help the family out. Upon reading the post, Melissa Young, who works for dog rescue foundation The Sparky Foundation, stepped in and helped Pip flew from Greensboro to Charlotte, North Carolina, and then from Charlotte to Los Angeles with Pip under her seat. From there, Pip travelled solo from Los Angeles to Auckland through Jetpets. Upon reaching Auckland, Pip was quarantined for a night and was flown out to Melbourne the next day, where she was quarantined for 10 days, as per the rules of the state. View this post on Instagram 🇺🇸 Flight #2 Charlotte to LA - nailed it! Not a squeak from Pipsqueak, now enjoying the amenities and luxury of #aloftelsegundo with kind human, dog whisperer and travel buddy @mhyoung83 prior to her booking with #jetpets in LA tomorrow. Sleep well, Pip. Two flights in, three flights and 14 days to go until you’re back in Sydney! #travelpet #worldtraveleddog #cmonpip #headedhome #aussiebound🇦🇺 #wellbehavedpets #weinerdog #dachshund #doxie #dachshundsofinstagram #flyingsausage #lax #lababy #noplansjustoptions A post shared by No Plans Just Options (@noplans.justoptions) on Jul 19, 2020 at 6:00pm PDT × The family was getting excited to meet their part of the 'crew', but problems increased when the state of Victoria imposed a strict lockdown and the borders between Victoria and New South Wales were closed. Pip was then taken by Zoe's brother, who resides in Melbourne. However, Pip's social media popularity came to her rescue as Virgin Australia contacteed the family and agreed to fly Pip home. "Our greatest fear was that she wouldn't remember us after all that time. My kids were so worried that they got a hotdog and rubbed it on their hands. And then this tiny dog walks out through the hangar, strutting along. When she heard our voices, she came barreling into our arms. It was absolutely amazing to have her back after all that time," Zoe said. "I'm conscious that she's a dog, but we think of ourselves as a bit of a crew," said Zoe. "Living on a boat you really have to work together. And even though she just lazed about and didn't really do anything, we still consider her a member of our crew." The family has now put their docked yacht, called No Plans Just Options, on market for sale. However, the family hopes to sail again soon. "It's been a really lovely story to be a part of. Especially during a pretty horrific time in the world for most people," Zoe said.

Dog travels from South Carolina to Australia to re-unite with owners

It is a tough time for everyone, including the house pets. To stay away from the infection, people have been stepping out of the houses only with a face mask. This has perplexed the pet dogs.

So, during the pandemic if your neighbour's dog barks at you like it has gone mad, remember that it is scared. You may be wearing a facemask and dogs fear those.

Dogs hear the&nbsp;familiar voice&nbsp;but when they look up, your face is unrecognisable. For them,&nbsp;it is a moment of total confusion.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-dogs-fear-facemasks-314767/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

They&nbsp;are really good at reading human facial expressions. When a human is angry, fearful or happy, their heart rate goes up but since we now cover our faces, the pet dogs&nbsp;are unable to tell how their masters are feeling which scares them, including fear of a stranger.

A proof of this is the trend of funny videos shared on the internet during the Halloween holidays. Internet is filled with such videos&nbsp;where the dogs can be spotted flipping in fear, barking or turning tail in&nbsp;perplexity when they see people dressed in funny costumes. The dogs continue to do so until they hear their master's familiar voice.

Getting used to it

It's been six months since the coronavirus outbreak. Many pet dogs are used to seeing their masters with a facemask. However,&nbsp;with the easing of lockdown restrictions, it is getting difficult to handle a dog, especially&nbsp;near shops or public transport.&nbsp;

The dogs&nbsp;get overwhelmed on seeing a sea of people wearing facemasks. In such situations, dogs need to be trained and taught, leading dog trainers believe. The experts also suggest to avoid taking dogs outdoors during busy hours.

You must train the dog by taking off your mask and wearing it again several times, and awarding them with a treat at every successful step.

It is a tough time for everyone, including the house pets. To stay away from the infection, people have been stepping out of the houses only with a face mask. This has perplexed the pet dogs.

It is a tough time for everyone, including the house pets. To stay away from the infection, people have been stepping out of the houses only with a face mask. This has perplexed the pet dogs. So, during the pandemic if your neighbour's dog barks at you like it has gone mad, remember that it is scared. You may be wearing a facemask and dogs fear those. Dogs hear the familiar voice but when they look up, your face is unrecognisable. For them, it is a moment of total confusion. They are really good at reading human facial expressions. When a human is angry, fearful or happy, their heart rate goes up but since we now cover our faces, the pet dogs are unable to tell how their masters are feeling which scares them, including fear of a stranger. A proof of this is the trend of funny videos shared on the internet during the Halloween holidays. Internet is filled with such videos where the dogs can be spotted flipping in fear, barking or turning tail in perplexity when they see people dressed in funny costumes. The dogs continue to do so until they hear their master's familiar voice. Getting used to it It's been six months since the coronavirus outbreak. Many pet dogs are used to seeing their masters with a facemask. However, with the easing of lockdown restrictions, it is getting difficult to handle a dog, especially near shops or public transport. The dogs get overwhelmed on seeing a sea of people wearing facemasks. In such situations, dogs need to be trained and taught, leading dog trainers believe. The experts also suggest to avoid taking dogs outdoors during busy hours. You must train the dog by taking off your mask and wearing it again several times, and awarding them with a treat at every successful step.

Unmasking the fear: Coronavirus face mask are scaring dogs in 'new normal'

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on people are starved of physical touch and the absence of touching is beginning to take a toll on physical and mental health. For many people adopting dogs helped in relieving stress. Watch report.

Dog adoption on the rise in New York: Dogs are anxiety-reducing companions

It's still at an initial stage, but a French team at a veterinary school is hoping to use dogs to sniff out COVID-19 positive people through the particular smell of sufferer's sweat.

French dogs trained to sniff out COVID-19 sufferers