Meet Giglee the truffle hunter. He spends his professional life hunting truffles – the elusive, exclusive and very expensive underground fungi prized for their earthy flavour.
This month on Dogs with Jobs, Kate Fairweather goes truffle hunting with Giglee and his owner Tom Lywood in an undisclosed location(!).
Giglee hails from the Po basin in northern Italy, which was marsh in the sixteenth century, when the breed was used to hunt water fowl. Nowadays the Lagotta Romagnolo is associated with truffle hunting in this area of Italy. It’s a treat to meet one, as they are a rarity in the UK.
At just a year old, Giglee is not yet a reliable hunter in comparison with his older colleague, Tobacco. He’s easily distracted, but now he is starting to hunt on his own with Tom, he’s stepping up and starting to perform.
This interview was recorded during a cold snap in late January, with temperatures of -7 degrees overnight, which was far from ideal. Will the ground be too frozen to detect and dig truffles? Find out in this month’s Dogs with Jobs.
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If you would be interested in coming on Dogs with Jobs, please get in touch with Kate at team@shineradio.uk or call 10730 555 500. Kate is particularly keen to interview a sniffer dog!
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