Meet the Harvesting Teams

Please note that it is standard procedure for Aussie Truffle Dogs to check all your trees when contracted for your harvest. The handler will take their dog/s down each individual row to ensure that each and every tree has been checked. To this end all dogs are worked ON LEAD. This does not indicate a lack of obedience, but does ensure you, the truffiere owner, can have 100% faith that all trees have been scented and the dogs are working to their optimum ability. We are flattered that other truffle hunters in the industry have followed our lead of working dogs in a controlled manner.

It is also standard for us to change dogs throughout the harvest to ensure the dog is working to full capacity. Scent work is the most challenging discipline for dogs and requires a high level of concentration. The relationship between dog and handler ensures the handler can identify when the dog goes 'off' and can then change to a 'fresh' dog . We believe, by harvesting in this manner that we maintain optimal working capability and we are ensuring, an improved yield for the truffiere owners as well as the welfare of our valuable truffle dogs.

The method that Aussie Truffle Dogs uses to check your truffiere is thorough and consistent and produces optimal results for you. Our dogs use a combination of 'air' scenting and 'ground' scenting to locate the truffle and are taught to communicate the location of the truffle to the handler, by light digging at the spot.

This combination of scent work is important when deciding on the breed of your truffle hunter - as some breeds will only air scent or ground scent and not all have the inherent ability to work both mediums.

All Aussie Truffle Dogs are pedigree Field and Welsh Springer Spaniels and Rottweilers and have been selected for their inherent scenting ability. The Field and Welsh Springer Spaniels are proven scent workers within the Gundog group and are highly valued for their nose. The Rottweiler has been used extensively within the police force for scent work and tracking.

All breeding and working stock have a proven scenting ability and have been formally assessed and tested by qualified assessors for working within the Truffle Industry. The development of our working scent teams has not been left to random chance but has been closely montiored, checked and reviewed to ensure you receive the highest service to your truffiere.

SHAYE - BEAUFORT, VICTORIA:

FLY: (Field Spaniel) Fly is a five year old Australian Confirmation Champion and has been a successful breeding bitch. Fly is reserved in nature and works quietly and effectively within the truffiere. Fly is an eager truffle hunter though was withdrawn last year due to being 'in season'. Fly is working well in aniticipation of the coming season.
OPRAH: ( Field Spaniel) Oprah is two years old and Fly's daughter. She has been previously shown in the confirmation ring and has been trained and used for truffle detection for 12 months. Oprah is outgoing in nature and responds well to positive rewards. Oprah is not desexed and will be mated to produce some more truffle hunters in the future.
JERRY: ( Field Spaniel) Jerry is the baby at eight months old and has began his intensive training to join both Fly and Oprah in the Truffiere's this season. Jerry has previously been concentrating on his obedience, which will be of assistance in his training for the Truffle Industry. Jerry has been bred specifically by Aussie Truffle Dogs for the Truffle Industry and has been exposed to the truffle scent at an early age. This will fast track his initial training and we have every confidence that he will be working in truffiere's this season. While his concentration span may not be that of the experienced dogs due to his age, he will definately locate the truffles. Jerry's litter brother is working with AATA and will be working with the disabled when fully trained.
BINDI: She is the baby at ATD and her training is comming along nicely. She is very laid back and this has actually held her back a little. She will be working on real truffle by the end of this season (2010)

GEORGIE - CENTRAL VICTORIA:

TYLK: (Field Spaniel) Tylk was imported from the United Kingdom and has attained his Australian confirmation Championship title. Tylk has been working in the Truffle industry since 2006, and has recovered many Truffles. Tylk has shown the versatility of this breed having started in scent detection work when he was 6 + years of age and has proven his ability for locating truffles consistently. It is interesting to note that he appears in almost all the pedigrees of our scenting Fields. Click to enlarge image >
KINAE: (Field Spaniel) Kinae has been working in scent detection since 2006 and we have aptly named her " PIG DOG". She is the most noisey or vocal dog that we have working in scent detection. She is a little on the small side for a Field Spaniel so has been shown rarely in the confirmation ring. She has such a great nose that she may still enter the brood box to pass on her scenting ability to her progeny.
DOTTI: ( Field Spaniel) Dotti has been working in the Truffle Industry since 2007 and has found plenty of truffles. She has produced a beautiful litter of puppies and two of her boys are working with Canine helpers and have been acknowledged as the "best pups ever", so we hope to see them placed out in the near future. I hope to get her confirmation title soon, that is when we find the time.She works pretty hard in the truffle season, works in pets education and has been on the production line. She is a litter sister to Oprah; and Fly's daughter. Click to enlarge image >
SUMMER: ( Field Spaniel) Summer has been an absolute pleasure to train and add to my team, she is very versatile and goes about her truffle harvesting with very little fuss. She is part way to her confirmation title and works with me in Pets education. She has found real truffle real easy from her first day in the Truffiere. Click to enlarge image >