The lagotto romagnolo

The breed originates from Italy and was first bred as waterfowl retrievers working the marshlands. Since the 19th century, Lagotti have been used to hunt truffles in the Italian countryside. Lagotti have an exceptional nose and they are able to sniff out the underground truffle. Although, many other breeds of dogs are also able to hunt for truffles the Lagotti are considered to be the world’s finest “truffle dog.”

Lagotti are a small to medium sized dog with thick curly hair. They are in the sporting group and as such, they need regular exercise and mental stimulation to be happy and content. Lagotti are good with children and make excellent family dogs as long as they are properly socialized and trained.

Breed Standards:

Height at the shoulders: 

Males 16½ to 19½ inches

Females 15½ to 18½ inches. 

Weight: 

Males 28 to 35 pounds.

Females 24 to 31 pounds.

The skin of the Lagotto is thin, firm and close-fitting all over the body, without wrinkles. Pigmentation of the skin and pads harmonizes with the color of the coat, ranging from dark pink to dark brown. Hair is wooly texture, semi-rough on the surface. Topcoat should be quite thick, and undercoat visible. The combination of the two repel water. 

Lagotti can be off-white solid color, white with brown or orange patches, brown roan, orange roan, brown, orange, or sable (in different shades), with or

without white. Some dogs have extremities darker than their body color. Tan markings (in different shades) allowed. The colors have a tendency to fade, sometimes to such an extent that the brown areas can appear as silvery/gray roan.