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Puppy Classes

Truffle Property Survey

This page is Under construction and will be available soon.

Dogs already know how to find things with their noses.  We just need to teach them to sniff for Truffles and say, "I Found them!"        Easy, right?!

What Are Truffles Anyway??????

Click Here to find out more about truffles >>>

What Will My Dog Learn?

Your dog will learn to find truffles in a fool-proof systematic way.  Your dog will find ripe truffles, let you know where they are, dig and stop, without damaging the truffle.

What Are the Basic Truffle Dog Skills?

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  • Evaluation Of Your Dog’s Likelihood Of Success

  • Assistance Selecting A Good Truffle Dog

  • Imprinting Truffle Scent

  • Finding Hidden Truffles Using Nose

  • Selection & Delivery of Motivational & Rewards For Consistent Truffle Finds

  • Acquiring, Handling & Storing Truffle Training Aids

  • Exercises & Games To Increase Motivation & Focus

 

Will My Dog Be a Good Truffle Dog?

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There are no guarantees . . . but a good truffle dog typically is one that is highly motivated by cookies & treats

 

or a small toy or ball 

 

and likes to find things using its nose. A treat or toy reward is the easiest way to to quickly and repeatedly reward the dog for exactly what you want it to do.  Dogs that are highly aroused by mice, moles or voles . . .

 

. . . are often not good candidates for truffle hunting because they get too easily distracted by these critters and rewarded by chasing them. There are a lot of mice in the truffle patches.  A dog distracted by squirrels, birds or deer can still be a great truffle hunter.

What Are the Intermediate & Advanced Truffle Hunting Skills?

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Intermediate

  • Pinpointing & Digging Skills

  • Truffle Alert

  • Pinpointing In Sparsely & Densely Populated Areas

  • Preventing Dog Truffle Damage

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Advanced

  • Finding Truffles in the Natural Environment

  • Transition to Off Lead Hunting

  • Alert Variations

  • Multiple Truffle Species

  • Increasing Hunt Duration

  • Troubleshooting Problem Areas—Customized Solutions & Exercises

What's the Hardest Thing About Truffle Dog Training?

Finding good truffle patches to hunt in is the hardest part.  A target rich environment with lots of truffles is best for training and improving a dog's truffle hunting skills. Please respect private property and always ask for & get permission from private land owners.  Acquire the proper permits for public lands.

What Truffle Dog Training Options are Available?

One Two-Hour Evaluative & Beginning Training Session - $250

Next 1-3 2-Hour Sessions - Depending on How Many You & Your Dog Need  -$200 Each

In-Season Truffle Training Hunt in Truffle Patch - 4 hours $400

Out-of-Season - Simulated Truffle Training Hunt - 2 hours $200

Complete 2-Day Package In Truffle Season (Feb 1 - Apr 1) - $900

Individual scheduling to meet each Handler/K9 teams needs

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Free Email or Phone Support Throughout & After

Call  or email for custom private training packages & schedules if you travel from out of the area or for custom group training.

For inquiries and appointments email or call Deb Walker

Happy Truffle Dogs & Handlers Trained by K9-Behavior Company

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The Oregon Truffle Festival is held annually in Eugene, Oregon in late January and early February with this same objective in mind - to increase knowledge & value of Oregon truffles. For information about the Oregon Truffle Festival click on the OTF Logo >>>>>>>>

What Are Truffles?

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Like mushrooms,  truffles are the fruit of underground fungus called mycelium, much like strawberries are the fruit of strawberry plants. However, truffles grow totally underground and therefore can be difficult to find!

 

Truffles multiply & spread naturally as forest animals like mice, voles, birds, etc. eat, digest & excrete the unharmed spores to other locations.

 

When truffles ripen, they become aromatic and release aroma the forest creatures can smell and then find & eat.  Truffles that are not yet ripe, do not put off aroma and therefore are not found by mice or dogs.  

 

Europeans have used pigs initially and now dogs for centuries to harvest what has become a culinary delicacy.  European truffles sell from $1000 to $3500 per pound primarily because they are harvested with the aid of dogs at the peak of ripeness.

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Chinese & US Truffles sell for a mere $100 to $500 per pound, primarily because they are raked predominantly in their unripe state and therefore have poor aromatic quality and poor shelf-life.  We truffle dog trainers are helping to change all that and improve the 'reputation' of US truffles which are among the finest culinary quality.

 

Dog trainers and harvesters are working to change the US truffle industry by promoting dog-harvested truffles to improve the quality, crop yields, reputation, demand for and therefore market price of US truffles.

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