She starts by putting truffles into a container for the puppies to chase. 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.
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Be careful though, the hunting instinct runs strong in the veins of the English Pointer and, if not trained in the most rigorous way possible, could easily prevail over the much less adrenaline-filled aroma of truffles.
A quiet, sociable, and adorable breed in the family, but which gives the best of itself only inexperienced and knowledgeable hands. There would be almost no need to introduce it, but how can we not talk about the prince of truffles? The Lagotto Romagnolo, or simply Lagotto, is a dog breed specially selected for this purpose , unlike any other. The results of this work were, to say the least, remarkable, not only as far as the truffle is concerned but in general at the level of the animal.
The Lagotto is, in fact, a strong and athletic dog, not particularly tall up to Covered by its special curly coat, characterized by a thick and woolly hair that protects from shrubs and weather, it is able to work together with its owner without getting tired for hours.
Its vocation for truffles is a characteristic trait of the breed , so it is easy to imagine how efficient it is for this purpose and how training for this activity requires much less effort than with other breeds. This is a dog breed with very ancient roots, originating in the Italian peninsula. Although its appearance may betray it, it is appreciated by the most humble population and the highest social strata. The Italian Spinone was born as an extraordinary hunting dog, used both for hunting and especially for retrieving.
Tall up to This last characteristic makes the Spinone particularly appreciated by truffle hunters, especially those who are already experts, as to get the best out of these dogs a serious training is necessary, early, and conducted with regularity and awareness. How can you not recognize the cute little face with the dangling ears of the Cocker spaniel? This noble breed of English origin , selected for hunting but on the basis of strict aesthetic criteria suitable for high society, is among the most versatile of all when it comes to hunting and truffles.
The historical uses of the cocker generally included chasing, retrieving, and aquatic hunting actions, practices that have stimulated the selection of an animal, although small in size The unobtrusive size, the long and fringed coat, and the incredible agility of this dog clearly favored him for actions in the middle of the woods, among trees, bushes, and brambles, although extreme temperatures were not for him.
The cocker spaniel also has an exceptional nose, perfect for helping a truffle hunter with their work. Be careful, though: in addition to the lively hunting instinct, it must be specified that this breed, although intelligent, is not at all easy to train and manage.
To get the best out of it, the cocker spaniel must be entrusted into expert hands, as much for what concerns the truffle as for the family. Specially selected for fox hunting, this small dog maximum The intuition and intelligence of Jack Russells are also well above average and allow them to learn numerous tasks and adapt to many situations.
Their employment as truffle dogs is particularly appreciated because of their excellent sense of smell, even if inferior to that of other breeds, and the incredible concentration that this breed shows towards its work. Faithful and loyal to the master and the family, to enjoy the best that a Jack Russell can offer, it is imperative to have solid training not only truffle as well as proper education and socialization.
The Setter breed refers to a series of hunting dogs, probably originating in Spain but selected and specialized for the art of hunting in the last instance in Great Britain. They are animals with a generally balanced temperament , particularly appreciable for their work attitude and excellent character qualities. 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.
Home News Truffle hunting dogs. Truffle hunting dogs. May 19, What are truffle dogs and which are the best ones? Other truffle hunting animals A dog is not like a pig, an animal that instinctively forages and pulls truffles out of the ground, as it needs to learn how to forage for truffles. Older Post. Newer Post.
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