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Millions of frustrated sports fans began following Andrew Cotter’s ultra-competitive labradors Olive and Mabel in the first lockdown. Has it changed the trio’s lives?Did anyone convey the topsy-turvy world of pandemic life better than two ultra-competitive labradors? When the first lockdown was announced back in March and sports events were cancelled across the country, the Scottish commentator Andrew Cotter found himself staring at a...

They’re loyal, diligent – and have unbeatable noses. Could dogs play a key part in the fight against the pandemic? A single-storey building in a lonely rural business park, a few miles from Milton Keynes on a grey autumn day. It looks like a location for a bleak thriller: where a kidnap victim is held, perhaps, or the scene of a final shootout. Inside,...

Six border collies from around world to take part in series of live experimentsThe search for the world’s smartest dog kicks into gear on Wednesday, as contenders compete in a livestreamed event to be crowned top of the canine class.Researchers in Hungary have spent more than two years searching for dogs who could recognise the names of their different toys, advertising for owners to...

Ricardo Pimentel’s menagerie also included cats, rabbits, chicks, sheep and a hedgehog evacuated from his animal shelterAs Hurricane Delta closed in on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula, Ricardo Pimentel opened his home – to about 300 dogs. Related: Tens of thousands flee as Hurricane Delta lashes Mexico's Yucatán peninsula Continue reading...

Study of brain activity shows no difference when dogs see back or front of a headDog owners might love their pet’s endearing puppy dog eyes and cute furry features, but it turns out the doggy brain is just as excited by the back of our heads as the front.For despite having evolved facial expressions that tug on the heartstrings of owners, researchers have found...

Researchers around the world are training canines to sniff out the virus – could they be deployed for mass testing?Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIt is simple and pain-free, could be used to test for coronavirus in care homes, airports and schools, and might just be more realistic than the UK government’s £100bn “Operation Moonshoot” mass screening plan. Its name? Fido.Around the...

Minister to introduce law next year to ensure nation’s 9.4 million dogs get enough exerciseGermany’s dog owners will soon to be ordered by law to walk their pets twice a day.The country’s agriculture minister, Julia Klöckner, has said she is introducing the new law based on evidence that many of the nation’s 9.4 million dogs are not getting the exercise or stimuli they need....

Max and his handler track woman and infant to edge of steep ravine A police dog on his first shift found a missing mother and baby near the edge of a steep ravine after they had spent the night outdoors.Max, a newly licensed police dog, and his handler, PC Peter Lloyd of Dyfed-Powys police, helped to track down the woman and her one-year-old child...

Research finds animals are less responsive to instructions from their carer during adolescenceMoody, unpredictable and with an striking disregard for the rules, teenagers can be hard to handle. Now it turns out the same is true for adolescent dogs.Researchers say they have found that pooches become less responsive to instructions from their carer during adolescence. Continue reading...

Draft policy released by agriculture ministry cites concern over animal welfare and prevention of disease transmission as factors behind moveCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe Chinese government has signalled an end to the human consumption of dogs, with the agriculture ministry today releasing a draft policy that would forbid canine meat.Citing the “progress of human civilisation” as well as growing public concern...

Dog training is a complex, time-consuming art – and now that CGI can replace them, the canine characters are increasingly outsourced. At what cost?An old man and a dog sit on the moss-covered roof of a log cabin in the Canadian wilderness. It is a warm summer’s night – a river gurgles nearby. The man, named Thornton, and the dog, named Buck, have been...

Merrick adopted after benefactor paid $3,000 for his photograph to appear on a giant billboardA dog who waited more than five and a half years in a Kansas City shelter for adoption has found a permanent home after a benefactor paid $3,000 for his photograph to appear on a giant billboard.Merrick, a six-year-old mixed breed, sat for dozens of photoshoots and videos in a...

Andrew Taylor came up with the idea because of a lack of ‘good’ sticks at the local parkA New Zealand man has created a “stick library” for his local dog park as a way to recycle branches from tree pruning.Andrew Taylor, of north Canterbury in the South Island, cut a dozen tree branches down to “stick” size for the community’s four-legged friends, and smoothed...

A Houston man, Johnny Mathis, saves the day – and the dog – by leaping into action when the leash of a neighbour's pet gets caught in an elevator door.  A security camera at their apartment complex captures the entire dramatic rescue. Mathis is thankful he was on hand to help: 'It could happen to anyone. A second is all it takes' • Florida dog...