15 Dogs to Carry Along When Hunting Truffles and Mushrooms

Hunting for truffles and mushrooms is an activity that has stood the test of time. Some do it because they need it in the kitchen; others just for fun. While there are other ways to go about truffle and mushroom hunting, many people prefer to use dogs for it. In this list, we’ll mention 15 great dogs for this activity.

Lagotto Romagnolo

Many truffle hunters agree this is the best dog for this activity, and that’s to be expected, considering it was partly bred for it way back in Italy. Truffle hunters love it for several reasons, including its love for work, its high energy, and how easy they are to train.

Poodle

When searching for truffles, you need a pet buddy with intelligence and high energy. Poodles excel in these two areas. There are four types of poodles by size—toy, miniature, medium, and standard—so with this breed, you can choose your truffle hunting partner depending on how big or small you want them to be.

Beagle

Do you know a Beagle can smell something hundreds of yards away? This super-scent ability comes in handy when preparing a dog for truffle hunting. Besides this exceptional smell, you may also notice how much this dog loves to dig, and you can leverage it to dig out truffles.

Springer Spaniel

The English Springer Spaniel is a medium-sized dog with the potential to be a show dog or a truffle and mushroom hunter. Springer Spaniels bred for hunting of truffles and other things usually have shorter coats than those bred for show. In the field, they use their sense of smell to aid your hunting escapades.

German Shorthaired Pointer

When you need a dog that can retrieve things on both land and water, it’s time to get the German Shorthaired Pointer. Their strength and endurance will enable them to hunt for truffles and mushrooms with you for long periods. With this breed, you get not only an energetic truffle hunter but an affectionate pet.

Cocker Spaniel

Today, many people think of Cocker Spaniels as show dogs, but true truffle hunters know that their sense of smell makes them one of the dogs to consider when it’s truffle-hunting time. These dogs are social and will get along not only with other members of your household but also with other dogs.

Bloodhound

The Bloodhound is a tracker by nature. Once it catches a scent, it holds on to it for a long time. It doesn’t matter where mushroom and truffle hunting takes you; this breed can brave different topographies. They can be pretty stubborn, so consider that before getting one.

Basset Hound

Bloodhounds wear the crown as the dogs with the best sense of smell, and their closest rivals are Basset Hounds. Channel their smelling ability towards mushroom hunting, and you’ll have yourself to thank. Basset Hounds have short legs, so their bodies are close to the ground.

Jack Russell Terrier

When many people think of Jack Russell Terriers, digging is the first thing that comes to mind. Now, remember that truffle and mushroom hunting requires some digging, and that makes this dog an asset for this activity. These dogs love good exercise and will be happy to assist you.

Labrador Retriever

Labradors are among the most social dogs, if not the top dog on the list. They can accommodate everyone, from children to other dogs and strangers. Because of this, people keep Labradors as companion pets. However, they were bred to be hunters, and their intelligence and sense of smell are an added advantage for hunting mushrooms.

Weimaraner

The Weimaraner is loaded with hunting skills, and pointing, tracking, and retrieving are among them. Besides their hunting skills, they love to play, so you’ll have a lively hunting buddy. Training them for truffle hunting will prove easy, as they just want to make you happy.

Vizsla

You’ll notice that Vizslas want to stay close to their pet parents, and thankfully, they aren’t just extra weight when it comes to mushroom hunting. These dogs can track and retrieve, and because their abilities extend to water, you can use them for other kinds of hunting.

Border Collie

There is no dog as intelligent as the Border Collie, and since intelligence is a factor to consider for truffle and mushroom hunting training, this dog has that to its advantage. Combine this smartness with their well-developed sense of smell, and you have an excellent truffle-finding dog.

Belgian Sheepdog

The Belgian Shepherd is easy to train and loves to stay busy. It’s a versatile breed that can dabble in assistance and guiding, guarding and rescue, and what you probably need them for right now—truffle search. Their exceptional sense of smell will help them sniff out mushrooms and truffles.

Golden Retriever

Goldens, like Labs, are also among the most social dogs. Besides that, they want to stay busy, and you will find them helpful when the business you take them on is truffle hunting. The strength of their sense of smell and their willingness to learn new things make them a great mushroom-hunting buddy.