Imagine a cold morning in the interior of Istria. The fog still lingers in the Mirna Valley, and the smell of damp earth and rotting leaves mingles with the sharp air. You are sitting in the kitchen, drinking your first black coffee, and under your feet you feel the impatient tapping of a tail on the floor. It is a sound that has echoed in our family, the Bartolić family, since the 1950s.
Without that sound, without that tail and, above all, without that moist, unmistakable nose, truffle hunting in Istria would not exist. We may have a centuries-old tradition and the best locations in the Motovun Forest, but without a true four-legged partner, we are just walkers in rubber boots.
Today we will talk about those who do the hardest part of the job – truffle dogs.
History and Collaboration: From Pigs to Top Dogs
Although historically pigs were the ones who found truffles, we learned a lesson in Istria a long time ago. A pig seeks truffles because it wants to eat them, and fighting a 150-kilo sow over a precious nugget of Tuber magnatum Pico (white truffle) is not a job for everyone.
Dogs have revolutionized the game. They do not seek truffles to eat them, but to please their owner and get a well-deserved reward. Over the decades in our business “Tartufi Istra”, we have realized that not every dog is cut out for this job. It requires a special blend of focus, calmness and what we call “forest instinct”.
Lagotto Romagnolo: The Italian Jewel of the Istrian Forests
If you ask any serious truffle hunter about the “gold standard”, the answer is almost always Lagotto Romagnolo. This old Italian breed was originally designed to retrieve game from water, but their intelligence and incredible sense of smell have made them the best truffle specialists in the world.
Why is the Lagotto perfect for the Motovun Forest?
Woolly coat: Their fur protects them from the blackberries and sharp vegetation in the thickets of the Motovun Forest.
Focus: While a hound will swerve if it smells a rabbit or a deer, a well-trained Lagotto remains focused solely on the scent of truffles underground.
Size: They are small enough to squeeze through the undergrowth, yet strong enough to endure hours of walking on rough terrain.
The Power of Istrian Mixed Breeds: The Bartolić Family’s Secret Weapon
While we value purebred dogs, there is one great truth in Istria: mixed breeds are often the kings of the field. Many of our best finders throughout history have been crossbreeds of birdwatchers, Labradors, or local Istrian hounds.
Why are they so good? It’s all about “hybrid strength.” Mixed breeds are often more durable, more resistant to disease, and have a specific stubbornness that won’t let them give up until they locate that specific, penetrating scent emitted by a black truffle or the even more prized white one.
Want to see these incredible dogs in action and feel the adrenaline rush when a dog starts frantically digging at the spot where the treasure is hidden? You can book your truffle hunting adventure here.
Training: How to make a puppy a top “truffle hunter”?
Training starts early, as early as two months old. We don’t use force, just play and love. It all starts with the scent. We put a small amount of truffle oil on the mother’s nipples or in the food so that the scent is etched into their system as a symbol of security and reward.
Later, we hide cloths soaked in truffle aroma, and make truffles, until the dog associates that smell with the moment of greatest happiness – receiving a treat and praise from its owner.
Expert advice: The hardest part of training is not teaching the dog to find a truffle, but teaching it not to damage it with its teeth. A good dog will just mark the spot and gently scratch it, waiting for us to finish the job with our shovel (a special spatula).
Life with dogs at “Truffles Istra”
For us in the Bartolić family, these dogs are not tools. They are members of the family. When the white truffle season ends in January, our dogs do not move to kennels. They are with us in the house, warming themselves by the fireplace, knowing that they have done their job superbly. This connection between man and dog is what you feel in every jar of our products. Every time you open our tartufata, remember that one happy tail was wagging as this ingredient found its way from the depths of the earth.
What to do if you want to experience this world?
If your journey takes you to Istria, don’t just order pasta with truffles at a restaurant. Experience the whole journey. Come to Motovun, smell the forest and see the incredible intelligence of dogs in person.
And until then, we bring you the scents of the forest directly to your doorstep. Our products are made according to the recipes of our ancestors, using only truffles found by our faithful companions.
Conclusion: The Heart of Istria on Four Paws
Whether it’s a graceful Lagotto or a hearty mongrel, truffle dogs are the soul of Istrian gastronomy. Without their passion, the white and black truffles would forever remain hidden under the roots of ancient oak trees.
We invite you to visit us in our stores in Motovun, Poreč or Rovinj, have a glass of Teran with us and hear a few more stories about our dogs. And if you want to take part in this magic yourself, our doors (and our forest) are always open to you.
See you in the forest!
