Uralla dogs Finn and Bea are masters at sniffing out truffles

They are masters of sniffing out these culinary treasures.

Founder and owner of Scent Shepard's, Bridgett Hone, said she never intended to end up in the truffle business.

"My first dog Finn he is so smart and I knew at the age at four or five months old, I had to teach him something else that wasn't sit, drop, and stay" she said.

"So, I found a trainer Phil Evans and he really inspired me to realise that dogs can do so much more than what pets learn everyday. We started scent training and obedience training."

Mrs Hone said the training process involved her letting go a bit and trusting in her dogs to locate the scents she wanted.

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"It's taken years of consistent training. You just build your little steps up and before you know it they can locate the smells I'm asking for." she said.

Bea and Finn are two of the only truffle dogs working commercially across various farms throughout the New England region.

"Typically the farmers will have their own truffle dogs, but what makes my dogs stand out is that they can work longer hours," Mrs Hone said.

Finn and Bea typically hunt at farms during the colder months between July and August, because the type of black truffle grown in New England only ripens during the winter season.

"Black winter truffles are the fruiting melons of Tuber Melanosporum they grow off the tree roots, and they are normally produced by oak and hazel nut trees. Our farmers purchase these trees [and] the wait begins, as this is not something that naturally occurs within Australia," Mrs Hone said.

"The ph level has to be the correct balance otherwise it cannot fruit and it takes farmers a long time and a lot of work to make this happen," she said.

A working day includes spending hours hunting throughout truffle orchards on one of their regular five farms.

"Finn is a compulsive retrieval dog he just can't help but to keep going," Mrs Hone said

The talented German Shepard is always on the hunt for the next truffle.

"Finn is always looking for something to do, a special trait for shepards.

"Then Bea is a more gentler kind of dog and she loves food, so for her it's about getting a special treat and then having a bit of a game. While for Finn it is about the constant retrieval and game."

After the truffles are harvested they will go on to be sold at some of the top restaurants throughout Sydney, however Mrs Hone has been working this season to introduce these beautiful delicacies into well-known restaurants throughout the New England region.

According to Truffle Farm online the average price of a black winter truffle would be $721.25 per kilogram.

"This year we've had some of the most amazing meals at the Top Pub in Uralla, the Pie-Mechanic made a truffle pie, and Becca Bakes has been putting out this gorgeous truffle Danishes and she also makes truffle butter," she said.

Mrs Home said she cannot believe the outstanding work her dogs complete every single winter and she hopes to breed some pups similar to Finn and Bea.

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