I have four dogs all of them are involved in some type of scent work.
Ollie is my first dog that I trained to hunt truffles on my friends truffle orchard. He is a Sydney Silkie x Maltese. He is a very methodical searcher.
Fozzie, Border Terrier x Jack Russell, was my next dog to train, and although he can locate the truffles, sometimes better than any of the others, he doesn’t have any interest in locating something that he cannot chase, He is presently learning the scent of Stoats so he can work to protect our native flightless species and presently an awesome Rat and Mouse killer.
Indy was my next dog, a cocker spaniel from working lines. She was an over the top dog at the pet home she was at and driving everyone crazy. Although she can still be like this, she is wonderful to watch working the truffles. She is very focussed when on the scent and her tail is continually going.
Haggis is the last one. He is only 16 weeks and is a springer spaniel from hunting lines. He is the that will be used during this course. He is already learning the scent and doing well.
I am in Hamilton, New Zealand and have clients in the North Island that have their own truffle orchards but do not have dogs, or want a ‘second opinion’.
I am completing this course again to check my learning, and start my pup the right way, as well as working towards becoming an instructor for Truffle Dog Company.