Truffle Pigs and Truffle Dogs

Did you know truffle pigs are a real thing? That farmers once had to rely on pigs to dig up gourmet truffles from deep underground?

If you haven’t heard the full story, let me catch you up. It’s a wild blend of biology, history, and appetite.

A truffle by any other name is not the same

Not all truffles are created equal. The word alone covers wildly different things:

• Chocolate Truffles

Sweet, creamy, decadent. These are desserts, not fungi. They have zero relation to mushrooms but often confuse newcomers because of the shared name.

• Psilocybin Truffles

These are dense underground growths called sclerotia. Formed on the mycelium of certain fungi, they contain small amounts of psilocybin. Harder and drier than mushrooms, they’re ideal for microdosing due to their stability and lower potency.

• Gourmet Truffles

True culinary treasures. These underground fungi don’t contain psilocybin but pack an intense earthy aroma. Often described as garlicky or musky, they are considered a luxury ingredient across top kitchens globally.

Where Truffles Grow

In 1825, a French gastronome called them aphrodisiacs. An Italian composer dubbed them the Mozart of mushrooms. Even Lord Byron kept one on his desk just for the scent.

Truffles were once native only to France, Italy, and Spain. Commercial cultivation is recent. For centuries, they remained rare and regionally locked. Even now, truffles resist mass production. They grow underground with no stems or caps, shaped more like knobbly potatoes than mushrooms.

Hard to find. Harder to harvest. That’s the appeal. And the price.

The Power of Smell

Fungi communicate chemically. They use scent to send messages. Truffles, in particular, emit a compound similar to boar pheromones. That’s what makes pigs such great hunters.

But there’s a catch. Pigs love the scent so much, they often eat the truffles before they can be harvested.

Eventually, Italy banned pig-based truffle hunting in 1985.

Here Come the Dogs

Truffle dogs were the solution. They can be trained to sniff out buried truffles without gobbling them up. Breeds like the Lagotto Romagnolo are leading the movement. Training a dog takes time, but it pays off.

Dogs are now the go-to companions for truffle farmers worldwide.

Size Matters

If you feel ready to start microdosing with psilocybin truffles then you can grab your Starter Pack here and be sure to read the Beginner’s Guide to learn everything you need to know to get started.

Gourmet truffles range from the size of a golf ball to a tennis ball. You’ll find them shaved over pasta, infused in oils, or even sprinkled on popcorn. 

Most of us have never tasted them fresh. If you have, you definitely know the difference.

And if you have, tell us all about it in our socials here:

• Facebook group (9,000+ members)
• Discord channel (2,000+ members)
• Follow us on Instagram @microdosepro.amsterdam and @humanpro.amsterdam
• Follow me on Instagram @asha_md_coach 

As always, 

Shine bright. Do good. Flow strong.

Asha ✨

Asha Sultana

I believe in the power of mushrooms and in the innate intelligence of our bodies. Fungi support human health like none other. Personally, I have used a wide variety of mushrooms to restore my health from heavy metal poisoning and its consequences. Currently living in Cape Town while raised in Canada and born in Romania. My travels have deepened my connection to natural medicines and my commitment to balanced living.