Revealing the secrets of exploring dogs in the Year of the Dog and excavating the ＂table gold＂ special hound.

　　　　　　 Cctv newsTruffle is a valuable ingredient in western food. Because it only grows in the wild, its quantity is scarce, and it is also known as "the gold on the table". It is not easy to find truffles. In Italy, there is such a school that specializes in training truffle hounds. After strict training, even ordinary puppies can become the right-hand man to find truffles. In today’s year of the dog, let’s take a look at the scene of truffle hounds working.

"Table Gold" — — truffle

　　　　　　 Truffles have long been synonymous with western food, and only a few pieces can sublimate the taste of the whole dish. However, when enjoying delicious food, do you know that a considerable part of these treasures of nature are also friends of mankind — — With the help of dogs?

Giovanni Monquero’s truffle hound school.

　　　　　　 In Roddy, a small town in Piedmont, Italy, the truffle business of Giovanni Monquero family has continued to the fourth generation. In addition to cooperating with some local enterprises to operate various truffle products, Giovanni also helped to train truffle hounds.

　　　　　　 According to Italian law, dogs must be used to collect wild truffles, so the demand for truffle hounds in the market has been constant. Giovanni’s family was experienced in training truffle hounds more than 130 years ago. The training school they run has the longest history and the loudest name among many competitors. Up to now, many colleagues and truffle collectors still send dogs for screening and training. As for his charging standard, it is a trade secret.

Giovanni trains truffle hounds.

　　　　　　 Truffles are usually collected from November to March of the following year, and truffle hounds are trained at the same time. Giovanni’s trick in training truffle hounds is to first make the puppy sensitive to the smell of truffles, then establish the puppy’s conditioned reflex between truffles and rewards, and finally bury the truffles underground so that the puppy can learn to dig them out by himself. The whole training process will last about one month.

Nicky, a six-month-old truffle hound.

　　　　　　 After getting familiar with the smell of truffles, Nikki began to look for them in the mountains, knowing that she would get various rewards after finding truffles. After completing the training, Nikki can find the truffles buried in the ground faster. For Nikki, finding truffles with Letty and Giovanni is not training, but fun as a game.

　　　　　　 In recent years, due to global climate change and other factors, the annual output of truffles has dropped by 30%. Last year, the dry weather in Italy lasted for several months, which made Giovanni and his dogs encounter unprecedented difficulties in collecting truffles. Giovanni expects that the collection of truffles will usher in a better harvest in 2018.