From farm dogs to truffle hounds - will these loveable pups find their true calling?

When Paul and Kirsty Tomas decided to ditch the big smoke and move to a farm just outside Canberra, they knew it would be an adventure.

Having both worked in hospitality for more than two decades, the couple wanted to invest in something a bit different as they moved towards retirement. But what would that investment look like?

Olive groves and berry orchards were discussed at length, but Paul and Kirsty eventually landed on a trufferie. The idea of ‘Tomas Truffles’ was born, and their search commenced in earnest for a suitable place to call home.

“We needed a sizeable block that would offer prime growing conditions for very picky truffles,” Paul says.

“It took a few years, but eventually, we found the perfect spot in the foothills of Harolds Cross, just past Captains Flat. It was totally bare, but the soil was fertile and the local climate solid.

“We purchased ‘Creekview’ in 2018 and spent a year preparing the orchard site before importing almost 500 top-of-the-line French Oak trees from Victoria.”

French Oaks were planted, infrastructure was installed, and farming commenced at Creekview full time in 2021. Paul and Kirsty were soon joined by their firstborn – a little girl.

Apollo, the German Shepherd, was the next addition to the Tomas family and their daughter’s very first Christmas present. He was to be her friend and protector, one that would hopefully lend a hand around the farm, too.

Titan the Australian Shepherd was next. He joined Creekview in early 2023, a month before Paul and Kirsty’s twins were born.

With the truffle farm now well on its way, Paul and Kirsty were keen to have both pups earning their keep not just as loveable family members but as true-blue working dogs.

Truffles are highly valuable, notoriously difficult to cultivate and require a delicate hand to retrieve, so most trufferies employ ‘truffle hunters’ to help things along come harvest time.

Expert handler Gill Cummins fell into truffle hunting more than a decade ago. Together with her dogs Pepper (German Shorthaired Pointer), Ruby (Kelpie X Blue Heeler), Henry (Kelpie) and Bailey (Springer Spaniel), she can mark 900 trees for harvest in about an hour.

“Just like herders, guides or livestock guardians, it takes a lot of work to train a good truffle dog who can sniff out and ‘strike’ where ripe fungi hide underground,” she says.

“They need to be highly obedient, accurate strikers and, most importantly, find enjoyment in their job. I start training at around three months old, but you can really start at any age as long as they show interest.

“Every dog is different, just like every farm … Some like to hunt in pairs, others on their own, some work well for an hour and others want to go all day. It’s about finding a synergy between their work style and yours.”

When truffle hunting, it’s important that every single tree in an orchard is covered by multiple dogs, one to two times a week across the season. Understandably, this makes hiring a professional quite an expensive venture.

Paul and Kirsty reckon their furry family members could be the missing piece of the puzzle.

The couple invested in a truffle dog training kit to give Apollo and Titan their start. After a few visits from Gill and her team to see how the professionals do it, the Tomas truffle dogs have had their first official introductions to the Creekview trufferie.

Apollo, with his love of attention and praise, is ultra-eager to please and Titan, being a food-motivated and obedient breed, has already shown great promise.

“Both of our dogs are definitely interested and keen to learn,” Paul says.

“It’s still very early days, but we’re hopeful Titan will be a great asset in the orchard and Apollo will support his efforts. That being said, they’re family. We will always love them, whether they become fully fledged truffle dogs or not!”

Where will these lovable pups’ training lead them? Paul hopes it’s to a bounty of Black Diamond truffles.

Follow Paul and Kirsty’s story as it unfolds at Tomas Truffles.