I am aware that modern day truffle hunters are much more likely to choose a dog for their foraging companion, but how much does a truffle hog cost? Do all pigs have a natural nose for truffles or do truffle hogs undergo some sort of special training?
I believe both require training. They have good sniffers, but they get trained. Truffle hogs are more likely to want to eat their finds and dogs find and move on.
That’s the high-level overview. Others will be in with details.
I was under the understanding that hogs hunt truffles because they smell like sow pheromones.
For some reason I though this was about people who pick out their favorite candy out of a box leaving the less desirable ones for everyone else.
My understanding (based on the incidents-guaranteed-exaggerated-for-effect A Year in Provence, so don’t bet your life savings on it) was that hogs pretty much instinctively hunt truffles. Which makes it easier on the one hand as they don’t need training, but harder on the other as they can’t really be trained to give up the truffle once they find it. And as hogs grow a little bigger than your average hound, it’s not a physical contest a human can easily win.