Lagotto Romagnolo breed: from a former water dog hunter to the world’s most successful truffle hunter

The Lagotto Romagnolo is the only dog breed whose main task is to search for truffles. Although it was originally bred for aquatic retrieval, in recent decades it has been used to find the valuable mushrooms.

His friendly appearance does not suggest a super nosey detective, but looks can be deceiving! This kind, incredibly intelligent dog is a real treasure for his owner, as he is the most successful dog breed at sniffing out truffles.

History

The breed did not become truffled in the 19th century of its own accord. It was merely forced into it, so to speak. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves!

The Lagotto Romagnolo is considered by many to be the ancestor of all water hounds, not just the oldest Italian dog breed. This is based on the fact that several wall paintings found near Ferrara show dogs very similar to the lagotto. They were probably made by etrusks in the seventh century BC and may be the ancestors of the Italian water dog, depicted fishing and hunting. But centuries later, lagottos were also popular in various paintings. Guercino, for example, poses with his pet in a picture, and a fresco by Andrea Mantegna shows that the dog has remained almost unchanged over the centuries. This is a particularly rare phenomenon in dogs.

The Lagotto Romagnolo was originally an aquatic retriever, which meant it collected prey from marshy areas. He proved to be very talented at this, aided by his weatherproof and waterproof fur. And his excellent sense of smell. By the 19th century, however, he was out of work as much of the Ravenna marshland was drained to make way for arable fields. So the Lagotto had to look for new work. Fortunately, in the same area there were plenty of truffles, which even then had a high price and had just become popular.

However, truffles hide underground, making them difficult to find. Pigs are also good at finding the mushrooms, but they often eat them. Dogs do not. Although other breeds have such a good sense of smell, the lagotto is a very intelligent, agile dog and, not least, it likes to dig, making it perfect for the job. Almost every part of him was made for the job and, despite being a rare breed, he has become a favourite with many.

Breed standard

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a small to medium sized breed of dog, with a rustic appearance and a proportionate, powerful build. The coat is thick, woolly, curly and waterproof. Colours: off-white solid; white on white with brown or orange patches; brown with deres; brown (various shades) with or without white; orange with or without white. Tan marks (in various shades) are allowed.

Head trapezoidal when viewed from above, moderately broad. The ears are medium sized, triangular, rounded at the tip, broad and tapering at the ear. The eyes are large, rounded and vary in colour from ochre to dark brown. The neck is strong and stiff. Trunk compact, strong, as long as the dog’s height at withers. Chest well developed, reaching to the elbows. The muzzle is straight and muscular. Hindquarters short, strong. Limbs straight, paws slightly rounded. Tail tapering towards the end, covered with woolly fur. Height at withers 43-48 cm for males and 41-46 cm for females. The latter weigh 11-14 kg, the males 13-16 kg. Life expectancy is 12-14 years.

Character

A very intelligent, fun dog, you will never be bored with him! Loves to go on outings, learn new things, as long as he is close to his owner. However, if he’s not handled well enough, he will quickly find something else to do. For example, he loves to dig, which is fine if it’s for truffles, but not so much if it’s for a well-tended flowerbed.

He is a playful and lively dog who is happy and balanced. He loves to take part in the family’s daily activities and his compact size allows him to go everywhere with his owners. He is friendly, non-aggressive with his breed mates and excels at dog sports, but is of course most talented at foraging for truffles. You can easily guess from his past: he also loves the water.

Ideal environment

The compact size of the Lagotto Romagnolo makes it an ideal choice for many. It can also be a family pet, loves children and is always available for a play date. He loves to go out and explore, so is best suited to active owners. Such activities are great for both mental and physical exhaustion. It’s worth trying some dog sports with him (in addition to truffle hunting), such as agility, flyball, obedience, mantrailing or dog dancing. He is known as a hypoallergenic dog, as his coat sheds minimally, making him an ideal companion for people with allergies. However, it is important to point out that there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog.

Care

According to the standard, if not trimmed, the coat tends to felt, so a full trim should be done at least once a year. Necrotic cover and undercoat should be removed regularly. The clipped coat should be no more than four centimetres thick and should be uniform with the silhouette of the dog. The coat may be longer only on the head, but not so long as to cover the eyes. According to the FCI standard, the coat may not be fashioned or cut in the same way as in the Poodle and Bichon Frise breeds. Trimming the coat too short damages the texture of the coat. Eyes and ears should be cleaned regularly.

Common health problems

Elbow and hip dysplasia and juvenile epilepsy are common health problems among Lagotto Romagnolo. Researchers have already studied epileptic Lagottos several times and the results could be used to treat epilepsy in children in the future.