Terrafunda Truffles

08/22/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶💦☀️

Guess what?! I SWAM FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! 🏊‍♀️🐾🎉

Talk about making your own FUN! In the pictures with this post, you’ll see me enjoying the water, cruising around on the boat with my humans, and getting ready for my very first swimming adventure. And in the video… you’ll see me actually SWIMMING! 🌊🐶💚

I have to admit, my first few paddles were a little like, “Ummm… what exactly are we doing here?” 😂 But once I figured out that my paws could move me through the water, I was off!

Here are some fun facts about dogs and swimming:

💦 Dogs have a natural swimming instinct, but not every dog is a natural swimmer. Some pups take to the water right away, while others need time and encouragement to feel comfortable.

🐾 We use all four paws! Doggie paddling helps keep us moving, but our swimming abilities can vary depending on our breed, body shape, coat, age, and confidence.

🧠 Learning to swim builds confidence. A positive first experience can help dogs become more comfortable exploring new environments.

☀️ Swimming can be great exercise. It gives our bodies a workout without the same impact as running on land.

🚤 Boat adventures require extra safety! Even dogs who love swimming should be supervised around water and have appropriate flotation equipment when boating. A good doggy life jacket can provide extra security.

🐶 And most importantly… let the dog decide! Introducing water gradually and keeping the experience positive makes learning much more FUN.

So from boat passenger to first-time swimmer, I think I’m officially ready for my next aquatic adventure! 🌊🚤🐾

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some very important splashing to practice. 😄💦

Sniff you Later,
Tart 🐾💚🌊

08/18/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾
Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶🎓💙
I DID IT!!! I PASSED MY CANINE GOOD CITIZEN TEST!!! 🎉🐾🏆I officially earned my AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) blue ribbon, and I couldn’t be prouder! In the picture with my human, you can see me proudly showing off my ribbon. 💙🎓 And yes… I think the ribbon looks VERY good with my curls! 😄 But why is this such a big deal?
🐾 CGC is more than knowing a few tricks. It shows that I’ve been learning how to be a polite, confident, well-mannered dog in everyday situations.
🧠 It’s about teamwork. My human and I had to learn to communicate, focus, and trust each other—even when there were distractions, new people, and other dogs around.
💚 It’s about being a good community canine. The skills I’ve learned can help me safely enjoy more adventures, meet more people, and be a great ambassador for dogs everywhere.
🍄 And it helps with my truffle-hunting journey! Being able to listen, stay focused, and work as a team makes me an even better four-legged partner.
A HUGE TART-SIZED THANK YOU to Beowoof Provisions For Pets for hosting our CGC preparation classes! 🐾💚 You helped us practice, learn, and get ready for the big day—and then you made our celebration extra special with treats AND an amazing selection of toys!
And guess what my human picked out as my congratulations presents? 🎁😋
❤️ A stuffed red panda that has already become one of my new best friends! 🦝
🦔 And a treat-hiding porcupine toy because apparently my human thinks I should have to WORK for my snacks. 😂🦴
You can see my new red panda buddy in the second picture. I’m pretty sure we make an adorable team!
And another HUGE thank you to Dr. Angie Moe at the WMU Therapy Dog Clinic for the training guidance, encouragement, and testing that helped me along this journey. 💙🐾 Your expertise helped my human and me understand what it takes to become a confident, well-mannered canine team.
From truffle hunting to CGC training, this has been one FUN adventure—and I’m just getting started! 🌿🍄🎓
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a blue ribbon to admire, a red panda to cuddle, and a porcupine full of treats to investigate. Priorities, people! 😜

Sniff you Later,
Tart

08/18/2026

08/18/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶🎓💙

I DID IT!!! I PASSED MY CANINE GOOD CITIZEN TEST!!! 🎉🐾🏆

I officially earned my AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) blue ribbon, and I couldn’t be prouder! In the picture with my human, you can see me proudly showing off my ribbon. 💙🎓 And yes… I think the ribbon looks VERY good with my curls! 😄

But why is this such a big deal?

🐾 CGC is more than knowing a few tricks. It shows that I’ve been learning how to be a polite, confident, well-mannered dog in everyday situations.

🧠 It’s about teamwork. My human and I had to learn to communicate, focus, and trust each other—even when there were distractions, new people, and other dogs around.

💚 It’s about being a good community canine. The skills I’ve learned can help me safely enjoy more adventures, meet more people, and be a great ambassador for dogs everywhere.

🍄 And it helps with my truffle-hunting journey! Being able to listen, stay focused, and work as a team makes me an even better four-legged partner.

A HUGE TART-SIZED THANK YOU to Beowoof Provisions For Pets for hosting our CGC preparation classes! 🐾💚 You helped us practice, learn, and get ready for the big day—and then you made our celebration extra special with treats AND an amazing selection of toys!

And guess what my human picked out as my congratulations presents? 🎁😋

❤️ A stuffed red panda that has already become one of my new best friends! 🦝

🦔 And a treat-hiding porcupine toy because apparently my human thinks I should have to WORK for my snacks. 😂🦴

You can see my new red panda buddy in the second picture. I’m pretty sure we make an adorable team!

And another HUGE thank you to Dr. Angie Moe at the WMU Therapy Dog Clinic for the training guidance, encouragement, and testing that helped me along this journey. 💙🐾 Your expertise helped my human and me understand what it takes to become a confident, well-mannered canine team.

From truffle hunting to CGC training, this has been one FUN adventure—and I’m just getting started! 🌿🍄🎓

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a blue ribbon to admire, a red panda to cuddle, and a porcupine full of treats to investigate. Priorities, people! 😜

Sniff you Later,
Tart 🐾💙🎓🦝

08/04/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾
Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶🎓🐾
This week in my Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Class, I practiced Test Item #6 – Sit and Down on Cue / Staying in Place! I have to admit… staying still when there are so many exciting things happening around me is one of the biggest challenges for a curious truffle dog! 😄🍄
In the video with this post, you’ll see me practicing my sit, down, and stay commands. It may look simple, but I’m learning that listening, focusing, and waiting patiently are just as important as running and sniffing!
Here are some fun facts about CGC Test Item #6:
🐾 Sit means self-control. Sitting on cue teaches me to pause, think, and wait for my next instruction instead of acting on every exciting distraction.
🛏️ Down helps me relax. Lying down on cue shows that I can stay calm and settled, even in a busy environment.
⏳ Stay is all about trust. When my human asks me to stay, I’m learning that I don’t have to follow every step they take. They’ll always come back to me!
🧠 Training builds confidence. Every successful sit, down, and stay helps me become a more focused companion, future therapy dog, and better truffle hunter.
🍄 Patience makes a great hunting partner. Whether I’m waiting for my next cue or searching for a hidden truffle, staying focused is one of my most important jobs.
💚 A HUGE tail-wagging THANK YOU to Beowoof! The amazing team at Beowoof has been hosting our Canine Good Citizen classes, and they’ve created such a welcoming place for dogs and humans to learn together. In one of the pictures, I’m proudly posing in front of the Beowoof sign because they deserve a giant bark-out for helping dogs like me become confident, well-mannered members of our community. Thank you for investing in us and making learning so much FUN! 🐾🎉
Every class is another step toward becoming the very best version of me. I can’t wait to show you what I learn next!
Now if you’ll excuse me… I’m practicing my stay… but if someone opens a treat bag, all bets are off! 😉🦴
Sniff ya later,�Tart 🐾💚

08/02/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶🐱💚

Making new friends takes a little patience… especially when they’re barn cats! 😸🌾

In the first video, you’ll see me following my big barn cat sister, Boo. She’s still deciding if I’m worthy of joining her cool cat club. I keep thinking, “Come on, Boo… I’m adorable!” But she’s teaching me that trust takes time. 🐾😹

Then watch the second video, where my little barn kitten brother, Buck, walks right up and rubs all over me like we’ve been best buddies forever! I think it’s official… I’ve been accepted by at least ONE member of the cat committee! 🥰🐈

Here are some fun facts about dogs and cats becoming friends:

🐾 Every friendship has its own timeline. Some cats warm up to dogs quickly, while others—like my sister Boo—prefer to take things slow.

👃 We learn through scent. Dogs and cats spend a lot of time sniffing and observing each other before becoming comfortable. It’s our way of saying, “Nice to meet you!”

😸 Cats show affection differently. When Buck rubs against me, he’s leaving his scent behind. That’s one way cats say, “You’re part of my family now.”

💚 Respect builds trust. Giving cats their space, staying calm, and letting them make the first move helps friendships grow naturally.

🌾 Barn life is full of adventures. Whether I’m training to hunt truffles or making feline friends, there’s always something new to discover around the farm!

I have a feeling Boo and I will be best friends someday… but until then, I’ll let Buck handle the welcome committee. 😄🐱

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I have another barn patrol with my cat siblings!

Sniff ya later,
Tart 🐾🐶🐱

07/27/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶🪮✨

This week in my Canine Good Citizen CGC Class, I practiced Test Item #3 – Appearance and Grooming! 💚

The video with this post shows my CGC instructor performing the test items on me. The instructor gently brushes my curly Lagotto coat, checks my ears, looks at my paws, and handles me just like a groomer or veterinarian would. I stayed calm and relaxed the whole time—pretty impressive, right? 😄🦴

Did you know this part of the CGC test is about much more than looking good?

🪮 Grooming builds trust. When I stay relaxed while being handled by the instructor, it shows I feel safe and confident with people.

🐾 Healthy dogs are happy dogs. Regular brushing helps remove dirt, prevent painful mats, and keeps my skin and coat healthy—especially for curly-coated pups like Lagotto Romagnolos!

👂 It’s a wellness check, too! The instructor checking my ears, paws, teeth, and coat helps make sure everything is healthy and catches little problems early.

💚 Good manners make grooming easier. Standing still and accepting gentle handling means trips to the groomer and veterinarian are much less stressful for everyone.

🍄 It helps me become a better truffle hunter! Being comfortable with the instructor handling my paws and body helps me stay calm, focused, and ready for every adventure—whether I’m searching for truffles or meeting new friends.

My humans and my instructor aren’t just keeping me looking fluffy and fabulous… they’re helping me become a confident, healthy, well-mannered companion. That’s a win-win in my book! 🐶✨

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to show off these freshly groomed curls… and maybe convince my humans that all this hard work deserves a cookie! 😉🦴

Sniff ya later,
Tart 🐾💚

07/21/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶🎓🚶‍♀️

Today in my Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Class, we focused on Test Item #4 – Out for a Walk! You might think walking on a leash is easy, but there’s a lot more to it than putting one paw in front of the other!

In the pictures and videos with this post, you’ll see me and my classmates practicing our walking skills together. We learned that a great walk isn’t about pulling our humans to the next exciting smell (even if I REALLY wanted to investigate that one! 👃😂). It’s about working as a team.

Here are some fun facts about CGC Test Item #4 – Out for a Walk:

🐾 It’s called loose-leash walking. The goal isn’t to have a perfectly tight heel. Instead, we’re learning to walk politely without pulling, lunging, or zigzagging our humans down the sidewalk.

👀 Paying attention matters. During the test, I have to show that I can follow my human as we make left turns, right turns, stop, and change direction—all while staying calm and connected.

🧠 Self-control is a superpower. There are so many exciting distractions outside—people, dogs, birds, squirrels, and amazing smells! Every time I choose to focus on my human instead, I’m building confidence and good manners.

🍄 This helps my truffle hunting too! Learning to work closely with my handler during walks strengthens our communication, making us an even better truffle-hunting team.

💚 Every walk is a chance to learn. Whether we’re in class, at the park, or around the neighborhood, practicing good leash manners helps me become a dog that can go more places and enjoy more adventures with my family.

I’m discovering that sometimes the best adventure isn’t racing ahead—it’s walking side-by-side with the humans I love. ❤️🐾

Now if you’ll excuse me… I think I’ve earned a nice sniff break after all that excellent walking! 🌿😄

Sniff ya later,
Tart 🐾🚶‍♀️💚

07/18/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶💚

Have you ever wondered why so many dogs love to rest their heads on their human’s lap? Well… in the picture with this post, you’ll see me doing exactly that. And let me tell you—it might just be one of my favorite places in the whole world. 🥰🐾

Here are a few fun facts about why we do it:

💚 It’s our safe place. Resting our head on your lap tells you we trust you completely. We know we’re protected and loved.

🐶 We’re bonding with our favorite human. Physical touch releases “feel-good” hormones like oxytocin in both dogs and humans, helping strengthen our special connection.

👃 We love your scent. Your lap is the perfect place to be surrounded by the familiar smell of our favorite person. It helps us feel calm and relaxed.

💤 It’s the best pillow ever! Sure, I have a dog bed… but your lap is softer, warmer, and comes with bonus belly rubs!

❤️ Sometimes we’re just saying, “I love you.” We can’t use words, so we use cuddles, gentle eyes, and a head resting on your lap to tell you exactly how we feel.

Whether we’ve been out truffle hunting, playing with friends, or exploring the great outdoors, nothing beats a quiet cuddle and a comfy lap to rest on.

So if your dog lays their head on your lap, don’t think of it as just taking a nap… think of it as one of the greatest compliments we can give you. You are our person. 🐾💕

Sniff ya later,
Tart 🐾💚

07/14/2026

🐾 Tart Talk 🐾

Hi friends, it’s me — Tart! 🐶🎓🐾

Guess what? I just started my very first Canine Good Citizen (CGC) class, and I already have some pretty awesome classmates! 📚🐕 In the pictures with this post, you’ll see all of us learning together. We’re different breeds, different sizes, and different personalities—but we all have the same goal: becoming the best dogs we can be!

Did you know the AKC Canine Good Citizen program teaches us how to be polite, confident, and well-mannered in everyday life? We’ll be working on skills like greeting friendly strangers, walking nicely on a loose leash, staying calm around other dogs, coming when called, and handling distractions with confidence. It’s all about being a great canine citizen wherever we go! (⁠American Kennel Club)

Here are a few things I’m excited to learn:

🐾 Good manners open doors. Being calm and polite means I can enjoy more adventures with my humans.

🤝 Meeting new friends. I’ll practice saying “hello” without jumping or getting too excited.

🧠 Using my brain is tiring! Training exercises give my nose, ears, and brain a great workout.

🍄 It’s helping my truffle hunting, too! Every sit, stay, and focus command makes me an even better teammate in the field.

💚 Learning is more FUN together. My classmates and I cheer each other on, celebrate little victories, and remind each other that every great dog started as a beginner.

This is just the beginning of my CGC journey, and I can’t wait to share all my progress with you. One paw at a time, I’m becoming an even better companion, future therapy dog, and truffle hunter! 🌟

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some homework to do… I hear there are treats involved! 😄🦴

Sniff ya later,
Tart 🐾🎓💚