The season is right for the prized white truffle, which is collected from the beginning of October to the end of December. To find them one needs an excellent sense of smell that only some dogs have. It is no coincidence that some dogs’ breeds are called truffle dog breeds.
Truffle dogs can be trained for this purpose, but they must have special physical characteristics and temperament.
General characteristics of the truffle dog
There are some dog breeds more suited to truffle hunting than others. Truffle hounds must have a particularly developed and target-focused sense of smell, resistance to fatigue and a low interest in game. In addition, they must be particularly obedient and have a mild and balanced behavior.
The best truffle dog breeds
The most suitable dogs for truffle hunting are the:
- pointer
- lagotto romagnolo
- spinon
- cocker
- hound
- jack russel
The choice of truffle dog breed also depends on the search area. The hound, for example, is better suited to forests with slopes and escarpments, due to its long and rapid pace. The Lagotto, on the other hand, is better suited to flat areas, due to its short and less frenetic pace. As a rather malleable and more easily trained breed, the Lagotto is among the best dogs for truffle hunting.
How to train a truffle dog
To teach a dog how to search for and find truffles, you need to proceed step by step.
First of all, it is essential to establish a solid relationship between dog and owner and to link the search experience to a game.
The truffle dog must be particularly obedient. To train him, it is therefore important to teach him the basic commands by keeping him on a leash.
The next way to teach the dog to recognise truffles is to have it sniff a cloth that smells of truffles and use it as a retrieving game.
Then, the cloth should be replaced with a metal egg containing the truffle so that he learns not to bite it.
Finally, the egg should be hidden in the ground so that the dog learns to sniff and dig.
The best training leads from Ferplast
As mentioned above, it is important that the owner teaches the dog the main commands on the lead. The training leads from Ferplast are adjustable in length thanks to a metal ring.
The SportDog, Ergofluo and Daytona leashes fall into this category. They are made of sturdy padded nylon that is able to withstand the dog’s stresses and reach a length of 200 cm. These leashes can be combined with the collars and harnesses of the same line.
Truffle dogs therefore need to be trained as well as having certain physical characteristics. There must also be a strong relationship of harmony and trust between dog and owner.