Truffle hunting dogs-qualifying round
After a one-year pandemic hiatus, the Joriad North American Truffle Dog Championship returns to Eugene, Oregon.
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Caroline Singer of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif., competes with Falco, a lagotto romagnolo, 4. Singer and her partner, a chef, are about to open a restaurant and plan on having truffles somewhere on the menu.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Lola, a two-year-old lagotto romagnolo enters the competition arena with Kathy Malvern. This breed of dog from Italy is known as a "truffle dog" and sports a curly fur.
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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Otis, a one-year-old corgi with handler Noreen Roster, right, competes in the first round of the of the event.
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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Judges Ava Chapman, left, and Deb Walker confer.
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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Cairn terrier, Vivi, 8, looks around the arena while working with her handler Yoshiko Watanabe. Handlers say any breed of dog can be trained for scent work.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Sanin, a two-year-old borzoi, formerly known as the Russian wolfhound, competes with Alexandra Sullivan in the first round.
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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Victoria Gideon, left, and Ian McConnell watch the events. Gideon teaches truffle hunting for dogs and many of the competitors were her students.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Magnolia, a four-year-old beagle rescued from Texas, finds a truffle-scented target while competing with her handler Bob Beard of Beaverton.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Harvi the Great, a five-year-old golden retriever works with handler Olga Marszal.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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A spectator films the event.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Jane Krauss with her corgi/heeler mix Junebug, outside the competition arena.
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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Several contestants were of the lagotto romagnolo breed, an Italian breed known as the “truffle dog."
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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Gili, a one-year-old Sheepadoodle waits to enter the competition ring. Gili made it into the championship round.
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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A three-year-old labrador mix named Knut, enters the competition arena with handler Ha Mai.
Arya Surowidjojo / OPB
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The youngest competitor, Tia, an eleven-month-old French Brittany spaniel, hunts for truffle-scented targets with her handler, Kimberly Joan Hoover.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Barley, a six-year-old yellow labrador works to find a truffle-scented target with his handler Christine Moehl.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Robert D. Keys rewards Sasha, a three-year-old beagle for finding a truffle-scented target as judge Marcy Tippmann indicates a find.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
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Sanin, a two-year-old borzoi handled by Alexandra Sullivan.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB