SUNDAY ADVANCED JANUARY Truffle Hunting Seattle Area

$367.00

Group Truffle Dog Training Courses!

Instructor: Erica Wells, CNWI, CPDT-KA

If sold out please contact us to be put on the waitlist for first access to the next series of Advanced classes, or contact us to book a private field lesson. Class sizes are extremely limited.

DATES LISTED ARE FOR 2020/2021 Winter Season

Our group classes combine traditional face-to-face learning with online learning activities and support to provide you with and reinforce, complement, and elaborate on one another.

Learn to hunt truffles with the unique combination of live instruction AND access to our online video series and instruction and online forums. This class covers our Advanced material getting you out in the field and experiencing more complex environments and fine-tuning skills needed to excel at truffle hunting in the wild, seeing and visit actual truffle producing locations so you can learn more about habitat. 

This is an advanced level- fieldwork level class. If you have not taken classes or lessons with us previously, instructor approval is required and/or a mandatory evaluation of your team prior to enrolling.

After the series, you will have the opportunity to continue private lessons in the field or attend field days in truffle producing locations.

Location: Locations will vary. Travel is required in and around Seattle- metro area. If you have concerns about timing/ or distance to locations/ or these dates do not work for you- please contact us about setting up a private Field Lesson.

We are committed to helping you, our students, have a safe and successful time out truffle hunting in the woods. For that reason, dogs that are reactive to either other dogs or people are required to book private field lessons as opposed to this class. No exceptions. We will work with you around your concerns, but this class is not appropriate for dogs with reactivity.

In this class, multiple handlers and multiple dogs will be working the same space, concurrently. If you feel this isn’t the right environment for your dog to learn, we encourage you to contact us and we can set up private lessons for you in truffle-producing locations- or semi-private lessons with you & friend. Again, no reactive dogs are permitted in group Field Classes. If you have questions on if you & your dog fall into this category, please contact us.

During this class you’ll learn about habitat, how to find truffles, fine-tune your truffle hunting and handling skills, improve communication with your dog, practice precision alerting, troubleshooting actual situations that come up in the field, and practice finding truffles in real truffle patches.

This class consists of 4 separate lessons and 2 Fireside Chats (Optional). The First Lesson is for HUMANS ONLY. This is your chance to see how experienced teams operate in the field. We’ll teach you about the forest, truffles themselves, what actually happens when your dog finds a truffle, and much more. It’ll be a lot of fun.

The next three in-person classes will be with your dog. Due to current Covid restrictions, only one handler is allowed per team to attend class. If you would like to participate with your partner or spouse we suggest you contact us for Private Field Lessons.

There are 3 teams per section and a total of 2 sections per class.

Class times are 9:00 am to 10:30 am and 11 am to 12:30 pm. If you have a strong preference for class time, please note it at the time of sign up. We will do our best to accommodate your request, however, requests are processed on a first-come basis and priority is given to teams traveling great distances.

 

Class Dates

Human ONLY class:

SUN, Dec. 27th (10 am to 1pm)

 

Dates with your Dog:

Sunday, Jan. 3rd

Sunday, Jan 24th

Sunday, Feb 21st

 

Fireside Chats Via Zoom (to ask questions and discuss between in-person classes):

Grab some wine, a cocktail, or Tea & join us online to chat truffles and any questions you might have. Optional, but this is part of your class.

Sunday, Jan 10th 6:30-7:15 pm

Sunday, Feb 7 th 6:30-7:15 pm

 

Please allow 1.5 hrs for each in-person class. 

**As part of the class you’ll be provided real truffles to use in training! We will teach you how to use all of these and how to store your truffles and more.

Classes will teach you the skills you need to further build your relationship and teamwork with your dog and hone skills that are critical to successfully truffle hunting in the wild. 

Online course materials and forums will reinforce the skills you learn in face-to-face classes in addition to teaching you about the science of truffles and scent detection, truffle habitat, truffle care and more. Links for Zoom and class resources will be provided after registration.

We are excited for you to join us!

Fine Print:

*all dogs must be current on vaccinations. If you have any questions on if this class is right for you, please contact us directly, we are happy to chat.

*Absolutely NO reactive dogs in this class.

*If your dog will be in heat- please advise us BEFORE coming out into the field.

*If you have two working dogs in your household you’d like to work, please purchase two spots. Also, in that event, we’d encourage you to consider a Private field lesson.

*If you have not taken a class with us previously or are unsure if you are ready for this class, please contact us directly or any of our instructors and we can chat with you if this is the correct option for you. To enroll in this class you must have instructor approval.

*Please read our Covid and Cancelation/ Weather Policy

 

 

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Description

Level 1: Introduction to Truffle Hunting

Nosework is one of the hottest sports around and truffle hunting is a fun way to go a step further by applying those skills in the real world. This course is open to students and dogs of all levels (no previous dog training expertise is needed) and can provide a new challenge for nosework and tracking students – with edible dividends! Culinary varieties of truffles can be found all over the world, and it is possible they exist near you. Learn more about truffles by visiting our About Truffles page.

This class will introduce you and your dog to the exciting activity of truffle hunting. Truffle hunting can boost confidence, develop problem-solving skills, and provide controlled exercise and mental stimulation for your canine. Truffle dog training is also a great way to build focus and to improve your human-canine relationship. It is especially fun and rewarding for dogs and handlers recovering from injury or with limited mobility as well as shy and sensitive dogs to build confidence. Whether you are just looking for a new game to play with your dog or your goal is to locate native truffles in the wild or on orchards, this class will show you how to get started.

Level 2: (Intermediate) Developing a Reliable Truffle Dog Team

Welcome back to the fun and exciting sport of Truffle Hunting!

Do you like truffles? These edible fungi are considered a delicacy in the culinary world. They can be found all over the world… maybe even near you! Take advantage of your dog’s amazing scent abilities and learn about recreational truffle hunting! This is a fun way to boost confidence, develop problem solving skills, and provide controlled exercise and mental stimulation for your canine. Whether you are just looking for a new game to play with your dog or your goal is to locate native truffles in the wild or on orchards, this class will guide you in a fun adventure with your dog.

This class will focus on taking the knowledge and skills learned in Introduction to Truffle Hunting and turn that information into practical application in the field! You will introduce your dog to new elements and environments and learn skills that will aid in finding real truffles in the wild. This course is designed to move beyond foundation work and present real challenges that you will encounter when truffle hunting in the wild.

Level 3: Let’s Go Truffle Hunting: Practical Application and Sustainability

Get ready for a real truffle hunt! It’s no coincidence that we scheduled this course for fall because fall is the beginning of truffle season here in the Pacific Northwest and also in Europe. It’s time to get out there in the field!

This class will transition your truffle hunting skills into the forest to reliably scout out these culinary delights! You will learn to work in tandem with your dog to negotiate a variety of environmental factors when locating these underground treasures. We will guide you step-by-step to successfully transition you and your dog, as a team, to finding real truffles in the wild or on orchards. We will do this by introducing you and your dog to large and complex open area searches. We will then progress to buried hides in a forest or orchard, proofing for distraction, searching  negative space, and solidifying alerts for precision in the field. The class also includes games and exercises to strengthen your bond with your canine and boost confidence.

Equipment needed:

Listed below are the tools and suggested equipment you will need (eventually!) to acquire to be able to take full advantage of the lessons taught during our courses. Some of these materials may be purchased directly from us. To view a full list of Training Aids currently available through Truffle Dog Company, visit our STORE.

  • Truffle scent solution
  • Real truffles (frozen or fresh)
  • Scent containers (scent buttons or scent tubes)
  • Scent boxes or hides
  • Cotton q-tips or cotton balls
  • High-value treats
  • Your dog’s favorite toy
  • Non-retractable leash
  • A Harness
  • Digging implements such as a garden trowel, spoon, or vanghetto

 

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