Dogs Digging Up Science: The Truffle Hunters of North Carolina

In the forests of North Carolina, a unique team of dogs and their human partners are on a mission. These aren't your average pets; they're highly trained truffle hunters, helping both science and the local economy. Massi, a 4-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo, is one such dog. With his muddy paws and eager tail, he's a picture of determination as he sniffs out truffles. His family, Luke Gilbert and Natalie Dechiara, are not just his owners but also his trainers. They run Wild Goods, a business that sells truffles and teaches others how to train their dogs for this unique task. But it's not all about business. Gilbert and Dechiara are also citizen scientists, working with experts to identify new species, study biodiversity, and even map soil health. Truffles, it turns out, are more than just a gourmet ingredient. They're bioindicators, helping scientists understand the impacts of climate change, urbanization, and other environmental stressors.Training a truffle dog isn't easy. It involves patience, repetition, and a lot of treats. Dechiara uses a method similar to training drug-sniffing dogs, rewarding the dogs when they correctly identify the truffle scent. The dogs also respond to specific code words, like "chercher La Chouffe, " which means "seek" in French. The work pays off, though. Just recently, Massi found a rare and highly prized truffle, the Tuber Canaliculatum, also known as the Michigan or Appalachian Truffle. This discovery is not just a win for the couple's business but also for science, as it helps researchers understand more about these elusive fungi. The couple's journey started with Eva, their first truffle dog. She was a quick learner, finding more than five different species of truffles. Her legacy lives on in her puppies, including Massi and Rosie, who continue the family business. But it's not all fun and games. Truffle hunting can be challenging, with long hours spent in difficult terrains and even encounters with wild animals. Yet, Gilbert and Dechiara are determined to keep going, driven by their passion for truffle hunting and their commitment to science.