Dogs trained to sniff out phylloxera

A university researcher is training sniffer dogs to detect pest and disease in vineyards. Dogs have traditionally been trained to sniff out drugs, explosives and even missing people, but their new target could be phylloxera – a devastating pest that feeds on the roots of vines and can eventually kill an entire vineyard. Sonja Needs, Melbourne University viticulture and animal science researcher, said she could train any breed to be a sniffer dog.