FE 520 Week 3 Discussion

[Alana McGee]

We are hoping to pass or tracking certificate in prep for spring trial and earn TD. You said we should tell you if tracking is part of our training program

[Alana McGee]

We have white, black and NW truffle oils. Can we work with that or should we get pecan truffles?

[Alana McGee]

Ok- so for tracking. Here is our question to you Sandra- (bc it will be different with each student’s dog and HOW they track, ritual etc). You also do NW with Tippet so we aren’t as concerned, as he likely has them as separate activities.

Have you noticed Tippet following YOUR track when you have been laying the hides outside? It doesn’t seem that way based on videos we have seen. But we just want to be careful and not interfere with any tracking rules, because we are specifically asking you in this lesson to lay lots of human tracks. I frankly don’t think it is a concern with Tippet- but you let us know if you start to see him following YOUR track to where you placed targets. IF that is the case, then we have a couple of modifications to suggest to remove ‘you’ as much from odor game as is possible, and we wouldn’t want you to make lots of confusing tracks then.

We don’t want to interfere, confuse truffle games with tracking games, and if you feel confident now that he isn’t following you to source of truffles, we have no problem with you following the details of the lesson. BUT do let us know if you think he is tracking you to source.

[Alana McGee]

The oils are great and you’ll be just fine because they presents a wide spectrum. *With the caveat- and we talk about this later- that ideally you’ll work on some fresh or frozen at some point. We just like to be sure 🙂 (there are some different volatiles in those- but that is getting very science-y). Some dogs it is not necessary at all, for literal dogs, we absolutely recommend it.

We also are recommending to anyone Ashland southwards (down through Mexico) and Colorado east (including Canada- Alberta—> east– but we can’t ship truffles to canada 🙁 unless we may be able to get them to a university researcher…. ) that at some point they seriously consider getting some Pecan truffles, if not a more local species to train on from their local mycological society, such as Tuber canaliculatum. *technically (and I know I haven’t posted on this yet in the forum on Other US truffles)- pecan truffles are found everywhere east of the rockies.

The reasoning being that the white species found in these areas share some VOCs with Oregon Whites, but the white truffle species (and it’s a whole smattering of them) found in these areas are MUCH more similar in terms of VOCs to Pecan truffles. It is hedging your bets for success. The difference of sharing say 1/5th or an 1/8th of VOCs vs sharing 3/4th or likely more respectively.

There also are sandra possibly some orchards planted for Pecan truffles in California.

You’ll have both kinds of whites in your area Sandra, in different habitats. The Oregon white class more with your conifers (firs, pine etc), and the pecan class of truffles with native oak/ and even planted hazel (like on hazel nut orchards- for producing hazel nuts.)

I guess this is a long-winded way of saying that at some point Sandra, yes, it would be good to get some to work with. Fresh or frozen. But no hurry, at all. No one makes an oil of them as I know of yet, though a few fellows in Georgia are trying. And we may try now that we can get our hands on some- but making stable training oils/ edible oils is a pain!

[Alana McGee]

Hmmm. I believe tracking and nosework (NW and truffle) are different games to him. I am not aware of any confusion or “cheating” on his part. He certainly can smell the track when the truffles are put down, but he seems to understand the game is different. One very smart dog, he may be using clues, but in the long run it will work out okay.

[Alana McGee]

Just keep an eye out for it, and him following you. We don’t see evidence of it being an issue, and yes, he’s a very smart boy 🙂 We aren’t too concerned about it with Tippet, but we just want to make people aware that there may be scenarios we change if a dog is following human odor to a source, as we don’t want to mess up all that tracking training!

[Alana McGee]

Regarding getting real truffles to train with here in Canada:

Do you know if someone can one buy truffles in the US and then drive them into Canada legally (I’m not talking about sneaking them in)?

Conveniently, I am a researcher at the University of Calgary, although none of my research is on truffles or even remotely related to them. After a quick look I cannot find anyone who studies mycology here. Do you think that Shannon Berch might be willing to help? She is in BC, but we can probably figure something out.

Also, I found the Alberta Mycological Society (www.wildmushrooms.ws/) – but they don’t have anything about truffles on their site.

[Alana McGee]

Dr. Berch would most certainly be willing to help. Email me off the forum and I can introduce you etc. Our colleague Brooke north of the border also is a resource, and she may even know someone in your neck of the woods who has access to make it easier.

As a coincidence… I may be driving some over in the near future, and if I time it properly I may be able to mail some to you.

As for the Alberta Myco society, Contact them anyway. Most Myco societies don’t have much on truffles (posted, or otherwise)because, honestly, not all that much has been thoroughly explored in Canada, but that is changing. We KNOW they are there- in places folks never thought probable. Take Brooke for example. Brooke (and Dexter- her puggle) have in the last 2 years logged in an incredible number of species he has found in the herbarium in Vancouver. Not all are edible, but it is fascinating! I bet the Alberta Mycological society would LOVE to have you & Crick go out with them, and definitely can help you out and help ID things you find too.

Brooke may also start finding things soon and can send you send some. We are in the process of setting up our distribution network up there, but because of the lack of dogs (it’s growing though) it’s a bit tough with the cross border thing. Email me off line and we can chat about how to get you things!

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