Can Your Dog Leave It in the Woods?
Premier Truffles Field Notes · Nose Down, Truffle Up!
Part 2 of 10 · Ten Skills for Your Dog’s First Truffle Hunt
Last week, we practiced getting your dog all the way back to your hand. This week, we’re asking for something a little different. Can your dog turn away from one very interesting thing and keep hunting with you?
Picture it. Your dog is working along a mossy log, nose down, when suddenly that nose parks itself on something you can’t see. You take one look at the way your dog is leaning in and think, whatever that is, I’d rather it stayed right there.
That’s when I want a calm “leave it” to mean something. I still want my dog to sniff the woods. That’s the whole point of being out there together. I just want to be able to say, “Leave that one,” and have my dog turn away, check in with me, and go right back to using that wonderful nose.
Truffo & Vita · The Forest Floor Buffet
Truffo: I found something.
Vita: Is it a truffle?
Truffo: I was about to taste it and find out.
Vita: And that’s why we’re practicing.
Start with a closed hand
Step 1. Let your dog make the first choice. Put a piece of kibble in one hand and close your fist. Have a reward ready in your other hand. Offer the closed fist and let your dog investigate. The instant their nose pulls away, even a little, say “yes” and reward from your other hand. Keep the kibble in your fist.
Step 2. Add the words once they know the game. When your dog is readily backing away from the closed hand, say “leave it” once, just before offering it. Say “yes” when they turn away, then reward. A few good repetitions are plenty.
Step 3. Move the practice to the floor. Put the kibble on the floor where you can cover it with your shoe. Start far enough back that your dog can notice it without lunging. Say “leave it,” mark the moment they turn away, and reward beside you. If they’re too focused to turn, cover the kibble, add distance, and try an easier repetition.
Take it into the woods
I’d bring out the same 15-foot BioThane long line we used for recall. Start on a quiet stretch of trail with a practice item you brought along and can pick up afterward. Give your dog enough room to notice it while keeping it out of reach. Say “leave it” once. When their nose turns away, say “yes,” reward at your side, and move a few steps down the trail together.
Then comes my favorite part. Say “go sniff” and let your dog get back to exploring. Sometimes the reward that matters most is getting their nose back on the ground.
If your dog stays glued to the spot, use the line to keep the item out of reach and move away together. Next time, start farther back or choose something less tempting. On an actual hunt, if I can’t see what my dog is investigating and they’re already close to it, I’m going to move us along. We can practice the cue later with something I set out myself.
Try it this week
Do a few repetitions in the kitchen, then try it in the yard. See if your dog can notice the item, turn away on one cue, and go back to sniffing somewhere else. That’s the little sequence I want in the woods.
Next time, we’ll pick a special treat to save for truffle finds and get some clicker practice in before we bring out the truffle scent.
Nose down, Truffle up!
Premier Truffles Community Drawing · Part 2
Want to win a free truffle class?
This week’s prize is truffle training oil, with an approximate retail value of $7. Your Part 2 entry also gives you one chance to win our grand prize, a three-hour Beginning Truffle Class in Westlake, Oregon, valued at $175.
What’s the one thing your dog has the hardest time leaving alone on a walk?
Answer on the Part 2 Premier Truffles Facebook giveaway post, or send Premier Truffles a private Facebook message with “Part 2” and your answer. Part 2 entries close Friday, November 20, 2026, at 8 p.m. Pacific. The winner will be drawn on Saturday, November 21, 2026.
Missed Part 1? You can still answer the recall question on the original Part 1 Facebook giveaway post, or message Premier Truffles with “Part 1” and your answer, through Friday, November 13, at 8 p.m. Pacific. Enter both drawings and you’ll have two chances to win the class. Each giveaway you enter in Parts 1–9 earns another grand-prize entry, up to nine.
Open to U.S. residents 18 and older. No purchase necessary. One entry per person per part. Likes and shares are welcome and optional. The grand-prize entry deadline is January 8, 2027, at 8 p.m. Pacific. The grand-prize drawing is January 15, 2027.
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