The Poodle. 187 



he is now taken out to some place where truffles are 

 known to be, and the dog will find them, thus his 

 training is accomplished with less trouble than either 

 a pointer or setter is broken to find and stand game. 



Of course the little dog hunts keenly, and with 

 his nose to the ground, his tail action and 

 quickness on scent are quite equal to what are 

 seen in a spaniel on the line of fur or feather. 

 When a truffle has been "set" or found two or 

 three inches below the ground's surface, the dog will 

 scratch the soil away with his paws in the fashion 

 common to canines, but the better plan, and the one 

 usually followed, is for the owner to dig up the prize, 

 and so prevent any risk of its being injured by the 

 dog's teeth. I need scarcely state that a truffle dog 

 must be thoroughly and entirely broken from his 

 natural inclination to hunt game and vermin. 



The truffle is in season in England from November 

 until March, but it can be purchased in most shops 

 where such things are sold, all the year round. As 

 we have said, the occupation of. truffle-hunting is 

 little followed now in Great Britain, still I believe 

 that it is one for which there is ample scope, and 

 likely to prove remunerative to the labourer or 

 working man who would commence such work. 

 But he must have no poaching proclivities, else the 

 love of the rabbits or hares amongst which he hunts, 



