Lagotto Romagnolo

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an Italian working dog breed from the Romagna region, historically employed to retrieve waterfowl and locate truffles.

From the sixteenth century onward, the breed served marsh workers known as vallaroli across the lagoons of Comacchio and Ravenna. When the extensive wetlands underwent agricultural drainage at the end of the nineteenth century, local handlers repurposed the dogs into specialized truffle hunters across the hills of Romagna. Selective breeding honed their olfactory capability while eliminating hunting drive toward game animals. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale granted official recognition in 1995, cataloging the breed under Group 8 for Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, and Water Dogs.

Adult males measure 43-48 cm (17-19 in) at the withers and weigh 13-16 kg (29-35 lb), while females stand 41-46 cm (16-18 in) and weigh 11-14 kg (24-31 lb). The dog possesses a square outline, a balanced head with visible eyebrows and beard, and a level topline. Its woolly, waterproof coat forms tight ring-shaped curls distributed evenly across the body. Accepted shades include off-white, solid white with brown or orange patches, brown roan, and solid liver brown, sometimes displaying a darker brown mask.

Breed standards describe the Lagotto as obedient, undemanding, affectionate, and attached to its handler, making it responsive to training and scent games. Daily exercise through searching activities or tracking satisfies its working background. The continuous hair growth requires regular trimming and periodic clipping down to prevent felted mats, alongside routine ear canal inspections to remove internal curls. Notable health conditions screened in the breed include hip dysplasia, benign familial juvenile epilepsy, storage disease, and neuroaxonal dystrophy.