Train your dog to find sick snowdrops?

[Alan_b]

Okay, I know it's April 2nd not April 1st but this is almost a serious idea.  Today I lifted some snowdrops that had a certain amount of bulb-rot, stagonospora curtisii perhaps.  I'm pretty sure if I clean up such bulbs (and isolate them to be on the safe side) then most will recover, but equally you might want to dig them up and in order to dispose of such bulbs.  Whilst cleaning the bulbs I couldn't help notice that the rotten parts smelled, well, rotten; an unpleasant and quite strong odour.  I wouldn't be able to detect this smell when the bulbs are in the ground, but it struck me that maybe a dog could and could be trained to hunt for diseased snowdrops.  Unfortunately I don't have a dog, but I offer my idea free of charge for anyone that wants to give it a try.         

[mark smyth]

all sounds good but while the dog is digging s/he will damage all the bulbs unless s/he is trained to sit and bark when the smell is detected

[KentGardener]

Alan, if you haven't got a dog - perhaps you could get and train a truffle searching pig to do the job?   

[Alan_b]

That's a cunning plan. John, with just one little flaw.  However, if I got the pig then having truffles as well would be a real bonus!