The elegance and dignity of these dogs do not preclude, in fact, the possibility of being perfect pets, loving and affectionate like many other breeds more famous in this sense. There are different sub-races of Setters, whose peculiarities and aptitude for truffle hunting we will shortly see. The English variant of the setter is easily recognizable by its long and fringed coat characterized by mottling and blotches of various shades that cover the entire body. Beautiful, slender, and elegant, this dog reaches a maximum height at withers in males of Dedicated as much to work as to physical activity, in spite of the strong hunting instinct, an expert truffle hunter with excellent training and leadership skills will be able to educate the English setter as an extraordinary truffle dog.
Sniffing and obedience certainly does not lack, as well as attachment and affection for their loved ones.
All this should not be misleading: this breed was selected in order to obtain a virtuous hunting dog, fast and explosive , especially in the running. The sniffing does not lack for sure, but the hunting instinct remains well-rooted.
Therefore, in order to accustom it to the search for truffles, a targeted training will be necessary, especially in virtue of its primary vocation, which is so different. The Irish setter finally differs from the other two sub-races for the coat with a tendency to single color, oriented towards shades ranging from dark golden to mahogany. Physically very similar to its English cousin, only slightly shorter, it has a firm and extremely performing musculature in spite of its dry and tapered conformation.
Hunter by nature and full of energy, the Irish setter is a dog with a very lively and sensitive temperament, perfect for a family eager for an affectionate companion but also equally serious and dignified when it comes to working. If effectively trained, and to do this, you need expert hands; it will be a very good help for all truffle hunters who will be able to direct the energies of this breed towards the search and the retrieval rather than towards hunting.
This medium-sized breed 20 inches ca. The Breton is certainly not a heavy dog, and, together with all its other physical qualities, this characteristic makes it extremely effective on a great number of surfaces and in just as many tasks. In short: a versatile animal, to say the least, energetic, bright, and obedient, as well as extremely sociable, tolerant, and respectful of others.
A famous hunting dog of English origin, the Beagle, is probably one of the most recognizable breeds in the world. Born for the hunting activity in moult, these small but robust hounds They are also extremely energetic and active dogs, vigorous and participative, which can sometimes be stubborn and nervous if not looked after properly or if not educated correctly.
Despite its well-developed hunting instincts, an experienced truffle hunter will know how to best enhance the Beagle by relying on its extraordinary nose. However, it goes without saying that training, education, and socialization should be put at the top of the priorities for such an active dog. The Beagle also tends to be a very sociable and affectionate dog in the family as long as, as already mentioned, one avoids leaving it to its own devices and making it undisciplined.
The Border Collie is a very famous dog of British origin historically used as a shepherd, but spread throughout the world as a popular pet and as a formidable show dog not only beauty.
With a maximum height of Devoid of any predatory instinct, it is endowed even if not many people are aware of this with an excellent sense of smell, allowing it to recognize and detect numerous types of substances. In spite of the initial mistrust, also this breed is beginning to be taken into consideration by truffle hunters, even if in Italy there are still very few.
If trained correctly, in fact, and do not underestimate the value of training despite the intelligence of the dog, it can guarantee excellent performance and results in this activity. In the family, it is an expansive, lively, and affectionate dog, but it is very important to educate and socialize it to avoid it becoming wild and developing dominant behaviors.
I am not going to answer this question in full, going into great detail about each procedure and phase of the training, because there are specialized manuals and professionals much better versed in the subject capable of providing such information. I will limit myself to listing what are the fundamental elements, the canonical bases of learning on which the training to the search of the truffle must be based.
This condition is fundamental not only for the success of the training but in general also for the psychic health of the specimen in question, regardless of breed. This is for the same reason as before: the dog must perceive this activity as a playful moment of excitement and satisfaction; consequently, the longer it goes on, the more boring and less interesting it will be.
The task of the truffle hunter is to make the dog passionate about the search, making exciting what he will be asked to do. The training process must be developed in various phases, and at various times, you cannot expect everything immediately from the dog, and you must proceed step by step. For example, when the dog is a puppy, it will be necessary to make him play with a cloth wet with oil or truffle essences, then it will be necessary to teach him how to retrieve it, then retrieve, then search and retrieve, and so on.
From a simple toy or aromatized cloth, you can hide under the ground real truffles or special instruments that replicate the shape and the smell; the important thing is that everything happens gradually and in a way that includes every little gesture that the dog must master naturally. An expert truffle hunter should certainly aim at a puppy half-breed or breed to raise and train on his own, thus strengthening the relationship with the dog and saving considerably on costs.
It all depends on the availability of the future owner and the degree of seriousness they have decided to undertake this activity. Others, however, tend to postpone this question and rely on the sex of their previous truffle dogs, who proved to be particularly gifted for the search. Assuming that a truffle dog, even if only to be considered as a truffle dog, MUST be trained, the question can have different points of view.
As already mentioned, a truffle hunter with previous experience might prefer an untrained specimen to educate it according to his own principles. On the contrary, a truffle hunting hobbyist could choose a shorter but immediately at least on paper profitable path with a specimen already trained by professionals.
Just as there is no breed that is perfect or superior to others for hunting truffles, a similar argument can be made when trying to prefer purebred dogs to half-breeds. This is because each breed has in itself merits, defects, and peculiarities with respect to this work that truffle hunters can exploit to obtain good results. There are too many answers to this question because too many variables come into play: the prestige of the breeding, the age of the dog, the breed, if the training is already given or not, etc.
Nevertheless, to any serious professional of the sector, we can simply affirm that a truffle dog already trained to work, both of breed and half-breed will have a starting price close to a thousand dollars and a maximum of around ten thousand dollars. Training costs also vary significantly depending on the type of education you want to give your dog. From a few hundred dollars you can reach a thousand or two thousand, depending on many factors such as hiring a professional, doing it yourself, the use of materials and land, etc.
Considering that for training, in this case, we mean the specific training aimed at the search of the truffle, we can consider it as a more or less canonical period that goes from 5 to 6 months.
In any case, before proceeding with this type of training, the specimen in question must already have a basic education behind it. By the end of this article, you should have focused on which breeds are the best for truffle hunting , what needs each one requires, but also what specific qualities each one can bring to the table.
The choice of the truffle dog of your dreams clearly falls on you and must be made according to your needs, but not only! At five weeks old, her puppies begin searching for the truffle container, which Brosnan buries slightly near trees, mimicking how truffles grow.
Brosnan introduces truffle dogs to the scent using positive reinforcement clicker training. She pairs the scent with a click to mark the find, then rewards. Most dogs catch on to the game quite quickly. As the dogs progress in their training, they will develop an alert, such as barking, sitting down, or gently digging.
This is done so the handler knows the dog has found truffles. As dogs gain experience, distractions are introduced to mimic what truffle hunting dogs experience when searching in the woods, like distracting scents, gunshots, and other animals. Brosnan notes that in her experience teaching, the best truffle dogs are ones who are curious, independent, biddable, and food motivated. Those traits can be found in a variety of breeds or mixed breed dogs.
She offers introductory and advanced truffle searching classes and leads students with their dogs on truffle searches. Although the Lagotto Romagnolo is especially skilled at truffle hunting, many breeds of dogs are able to be trained to do the job well.
However, notes Brosnan, some breeds have different challenges than others. Sighthounds do not ordinarily keep their nose on the ground. Short-snouted dogs have an obvious disadvantage, but still have a sense of smell much greater than ours.
Essentially, all can be trained with patience and positive reinforcement. While you may not be a Lagotto owner in the truffle-rich Pacific Northwest, truffle hunting can be learned by just about any dog. For dogs who frequently hike and hunt off leash in high-distraction environments, it is much easier.
The dog needs to remain at the truffle location and wait for you to arrive. There are a number of training resources available for those just getting started or if you want some more advanced, hands-on help. In the Pacific Northwest, the Truffle Dog Company offers classes in-person and online , guided outings, and training kits that include the correct truffle scent for your area.
In addition to strengthening the working relationship between you and your dog, you might even find a culinary prize to take home to your kitchen. She has a lifelong passion for the outdoors, dogs, and wildlife; as an adult, she discovered that upland bird and waterfowl hunting were natural extensions of these pursuits. Jennifer lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two Deutsch Langhaars.
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Reproduction in whole or in part without the express permission of Northwoods Collective is strictly prohibited. Photo by Erica Wells. Learn how to work with your dog to find wild or cultivated truffles in the off-season As anyone who owns one knows, hunting dogs are at their best when they have a job to do.
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