The Truffle Forager Podcast

What separates a dog that nails every target in training from one that actually finds truffles in the wild? In this episode I'm joined by Paul Bunker, founder of Chiron K9 and one of the most experienced scent detection trainers in the world, with over 40 years working dogs across the military, research and conservation. Paul served 22 years in the British Army's Royal Army Veterinary Corp...

🎙️ In This Episode We speak with Professor Paul Thomas , founder of Mycorrhizal Systems and one of the leading figures in modern truffle cultivation. We explore how homegrown truffle hedges can thrive in the UK, the impact of climate change on yields and quality, and how dog–handler dynamics can shape successful harvests. Paul shares insights from the largest truffle hunting dataset ever collected...

Host Ben Sweet recounts a whirlwind trip to central France to advise what may become one of the world’s largest truffle orchards, where a small team and six trained dogs are racing against time to increase their hunting efficiency to keep pace with booming truffle production.

In this episode, we tackle the question: Does traditional scent detection or nose work negatively impact truffle dog training? Learn about the benefits and potential challenges of mixing scent disciplines, how to ensure clarity for your dog, and why context and consistency are key to successful training. If you’re passionate about truffle hunting and want to connect with like-minded enthusiasts, j...

Join the Truffle Dog Club 🇬🇧 👉 https://truffleforager.com In this episode of the Truffle Forager podcast, host Ben Sweet interviews Chris Bate, owner of Black Diamond Truffle Trees. They discuss Chris's move to Perigord, France, and his truffle business. Topics include the discovery of a wild tuber melanosporum truffle in the UK (WOW!), truffle dog training, truffle tree cultivation, and diff...

Join the Truffle Dog Club 🇬🇧 👉 https://truffleforager.com 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 H...

Join the Truffle Dog Club 🇬🇧 👉 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...

Join the Truffle Dog Club 🇬🇧 👉 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 hunt...

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 t...

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...

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 bac...

In this video podcast episode, I talk to master dog trainer, Nate Schoemer about truffle dog training, scent detection training and many other foundational principles to do with dog training including; free shaping, obedience training tips, positive punishment, rewarding your dog and much more. Please consider leaving a review of the podcast on iTunes if you're enjoying this content (it helps a lo...

In this podcast interview, I talk with mycologist and herbologist, Jesper Launder.  Jesper is a super knowledgeable guy and also shares a particular fascination with truffles. We cover a wide range of mushroom-related topics including, 90 species of truffles found in the UK, how to spot the signs of truffles in your local village or park, medicinal mushrooms and how to prepare your own, and a...

In this podcast interview, join me and the founder of Learn Your Land, Adam Haritan as we discuss his journey into foraging and mushrooms and a lot more besides. We dive into tree identification and its importance to the forager. We get his view on invasive species and how he views them... Maitake mushroom prep and also boiling your mushrooms instead of frying them... who knew! I was very grateful...

Welcome to this Episode of the Truffle Forager Podcast, where it’s my job to chat with Truffle Hunters, Mushroom Experts and Enthusiasts from around the world and tease out their stories of Inspiration and Wisdom with you... helping you to deepen your connection with mother nature. Special guest: Julie Stopforth Since 2015, Julie and her family have been hunting for white truffles professionally i...

Welcome to this Episode of the Truffle Forager Podcast, where it’s my job to chat with Truffle Hunters, Mushroom Experts and Enthusiasts from around the world and tease out their stories of Inspiration and Wisdom with you... helping you to deepen your connection with mother nature and your dog.   Special guest: Melissa Waddingham   Since 2011, Melissa has been a professional truffle hunt...

Welcome to this Episode of the Truffle Forager Podcast, where it’s my job to chat with Truffle Hunters, Mushroom Experts and Enthusiasts from around the world and tease out their stories of Inspiration and Wisdom with you... helping you to deepen your connection with mother nature. Special guest: Gareth Renowden  Despite being a photographer, writer, magazine editor and publisher, over the la...

Welcome to this Episode of the Truffle Forager Podcast, where it’s my job to chat with Truffle Hunters, Mushroom Experts and Enthusiasts from around the world and tease out their stories of Inspiration and Wisdom with you... helping you to deepen your connection with mother nature. In this first episode, James Feaver is our special guest, where he talks about finding massive english truffles and s...