Dr Nicola Rooney (BSc PGCE PhD), Research Fellow and
Lecturer in the Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group at
the University of Bristol, has headed a team conducting
research on working dogs for the past 15 years. She
shares her expertise with our readers, examining a range
of methods for training dogs to detect odours which are
associated with human diseases. She also calls attention to
the prime importance of teaching carers how to ensure a
stress-free environment for their helpful dogs.