Gourmet hound with moneymaking potential

A mongrel rescued from the pound has the potential to earn his Gisborne owners Alan and Lynley Hall millions of dollars thanks to his sharp nose.

Three-year-old beardy-cross Brock sniffs out the valuable Perigord black truffle - a delicacy famed for its pungent and aromatic taste - which the Halls grow.

Brock was plucked from the pound by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to search for contraband at Auckland Airport but offered to the Halls after their previous truffle dog died.

"We thought we had good dogs previously but he is exceptional," Mr Hall said.