The Truffle Forager Podcast Ben Sweet

On this episode I chat with leading UK-based dog trainer, Nick Benger who recently decided to teach his new malinois, Onyx, how to hunt truffles. Nick is a highly regarded dog trainer and has been training dogs for nearly 20 years starting when he was just 15. He's become a bit of a celebrity after being called up to the Amazon Prime Hit TV Show The PACK, to be their lead trainer. He now resides in Bristol and has a successful pet dog training company called Hound Plus.

Nick and I connected over a shared interest, dogs and truffle hutning. On this episode we talk about a wide array of general dog training principles and reveal some top tips for any aspiring truffle dog handler.

🎁 Download My Free Beginners Truffle Dog Training Guide 👉 https://truffleforager.com

🎁 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙚𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚: 7 Truffle Hacks To Turn Your Dog Into A Truffle Hunting Machine - 👉 https://truffleforager.com

In this episode, I sit down and chat with Louise Ferguson. She is a long-time Lagotto Romagnolo dog breeder based in the UK. She's also the Chairwoman of the UK Lagotto Society and has a tone of experience with the breed and with truffle hunting. We dive deep into the breed, why these dogs are perfect for truffle hunting, and what you should look out for if you're considering purchasing a Lagotto from a breeder. As well as dog training tips, we also learn about Louise's adventures competing with her Lagotto at THE premier Lagotto-focused Truffle Hunting competition in Italy.



Learn more about Louise here: https://louisemizenferguson.com/

🎁 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙚𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚: 7 Truffle Hacks To Turn Your Dog Into A Truffle Hunting Machine - 👉 https://truffleforager.com


In this interview, Ben talks with friend and fellow truffle Nerd, Jon McGowan, who recently won 1st place at The UK Truffle Dog Championships 2023 with his Lagotto Romagnolo, Tembo. In this episode, we learn about how Jon did it, and what his experience was like and he reveals several bombshells of information when it comes to truffle hunting and dog training. Enjoy.

Alana McGee is the founder of The Truffle Dog Company and is a world-renowned truffle consultant and truffle dog trainer.



Learn more about Alana here: https://truffledogcompany.com

In this episode, we cover:



00:02:26 - Alana McGee’s story and how she got started training truffle dogs
00:09:05 - What different truffle species do you find in North America - An Overview
00:18:14 - Alana’s favourite truffles and what different truffles smell like?
00:24:00 - Are there undiscovered areas where wild truffles might be growing?
00:28:00 - Truffle oil vs. real truffles for dog training
00:32:50 - How do you make your own truffle-scented oils?
00:37:10 - Alana shares what science and truffle research projects she’s excited about
00:41:00 - Alana talks about her dogs
00:43:10 - What are the most common things new truffle dog handlers struggle with?
00:46:50 - How to teach a dog to alert and stay at source
00:50:20 - What is the ideal truffle dog sequence to train for
00:58:00 - What do your advanced students commonly struggle with?
01:04:20 - How much do we need to worry about scent contamination when training our dogs?
01:08:50 - What is the best way to explore new truffle areas with your dog?
01:16:00 - How to use your “que” when training your dog hunt truffles
01:17:35 - Alana shares what she loves most about her work in the truffle industry
01:20:45 - Alana talks about truffle hunting in Europe
01:29:12 - Raking for truffles vs using dogs
01:40:18 - Alana’s favourite way to eat truffles



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In this captivating podcast episode, I interview UK wild food expert and foraging guide, Sam Webster for www.foragingforages.com.

Sam delves into the fascinating world of unconventional laundry techniques, intriguing facts about deadly fungi, mouthwatering recipes featuring fermented wild garlic, and the therapeutic benefits of foraging for your mental health. Join us as we explore innovative ways to wash your clothes using conkers, uncover the mysteries of poisonous mushrooms, discover delightful culinary creations, and delve into the healing power of nature. Get ready for an engaging and enlightening journey through the realms of truffles, nature, and unconventional living. Tune in to the Truffle Forager Podcast with Sam Webster and embrace a unique blend of knowledge, inspiration, and natural wonders.

Join The Truffle Forager email newsletter community here 👉 https://truffleforager.com

In this video podcast episode, I speak with one of the global leading experts on truffles and truffle cultivation, Professor Paul Thomas.   

Timestamps👇  

00:01:56 - Welcome and UK Truffle Festival Chat
00:03:24 - Paul's toy poodle future truffle dog
00:05:53 - Tuber Rufum truffle smells like bacon
00:06:57 - Paul Thomas on Dragon's Den  
00:09:55 - First Successful Cultivation of Perigord Black Truffle (Tuber melanosporum) in UK
00:14:36 - Threats and opportunities for the truffle industry
00:16:40 - Climate change will cause truffle supply to collapse
00:22:00 - French truffle supply now 80 tonnes/year vs 1000 in 1970.  
00:22:40 - How many truffle farmers are in the UK? 00:24:14 - What projects are exciting you right now? - Truffle Museum
00:25:16 - Truffle and insect home experiment for the kids during lockdown
00:29:23 - Truffles, Sex and DNA
00:34:42 - The process of truffle cultivation  
00:36:50 - How to grow truffles at home in your garden
00:38:28 - How to correctly test your soil PH for truffle cultivation
00:42:05 - The Napa Truffle Festival  
00:42:58 - Using a microscope to identify truffles
00:46:58 - How much do different truffle species vary under the microscope?
00:49:10 - What truffle dog training is Ben doing right now?
00:55:00 - How to develop drive in your truffle dog?
00:59:02 - How to you build a dogs drive toward a tennis ball?
01:06:25 - How truffle hunters can contribute to Paul's truffle research projects
01:07:30 - White truffles switching on and off their aroma within 24 hours
01:20:25 - White truffle cultivation progress update   


🍄 ABOUT PROFESSOR PAUL THOMAS
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After pitching his truffle cultivation business plan on Dragons Den back in 2005 (and winning), Professor Thomas founded Mycorrhizal Systems Ltd and 12 years later became the first successful cultivator of the famous Black Winter Truffle in the UK (Tuber Melanosporum). He has gone on to publish more than 30+ scientific articles and has contributed significantly to what we now know about truffles around the world. He was also kind enough to volunteer his time and be a headline speaker at our first UK Truffle Festival in Sussex in November 2022 → https://trufflefestival.co.uk/

You can contact Paul via Twitter @SummerTruffle or visit his website: https://plantationsystems.com/

🎁 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙚𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚: 7 Truffle Hacks To Turn Your Dog Into A Truffle Hunting Machine - 👉  https://truffleforager.com   



🍄 ABOUT TRUFFLE FORAGER  
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Hi, my name is Ben Sweet (aka The Truffle Forager)  I'm 33 and live in the UK with my partner Danni and my truffle dog, Buddy.   I'm the co-founder of The UK Truffle Festival and The UK Truffle Dog Championships and I'm totally obsessed with foraging for truffles and mushrooms and dog scent training.   I'm on a Quest to hunt and feast on truffles and document that journey with you on this channel.   I also host the Truffle Forager Podcast where we interview real truffle hunters, dog training experts, and foraging enthusiasts. On the show, we talk all things truffles, dog training and foraging.   


👋 FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA 👋  
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📸 INSTAGRAM: @TruffleForager
🐦 TWITTER: @TruffleForager
⏰ TIKTOK: @TruffleForager
💧 FACEBOOK: @TheTruffleForager   

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LEARN MORE @ www.truffelforager.com