The Lagotto Romagnolo is a dog that has been specially bred to find truffles on all kinds of terrain; it is the only breed in the world specialized in tracking down truffles. A typical water dog of small-medium size, it is a light with a rather stocky trunk. Its general appearance is rustic, strong and well-proportioned and its utility as a working dog is immediately obvious. The expression is one of attentiveness, intelligence, and vivacity. The Lagotto Romagnolo works enthusiastically and efficiently, making the most of its inherent search-and-find skills and excellent sense of smell. The hunting instinct has been suppressed so that it is not distracted by game. An affectionate animal, it forms a close bond with its owner and also makes a fine, easy-to-train companion.

The Lagotto Romagnolo has the restrained character of the true country dog, the typical appearance of a dog which has its roots in history and the gentle, attentive expression common to all dogs of Italian breed. A first glance gives an impression of something historic and archaic that has miraculously survived to the present day – a living challenge to time and history.

Many centuries ago the people of Italy developed a thriving trade with the Orient. This system of commerce involved continuous contact at every level, thus allowing the different populations to learn much about each others’ cultures and customs – and a knowledge of dogs was no exception to that rule. This explains why so many archaeological sites, especially in north-west Italy, have revealed the presence of various canine breeds, especially a small water dog with a bristly, crimped coat. The Etruscan necropolis of Spina (near Ferrara) contains updated representations of hunting and fishing which consistently include a dog like the current Lagotto Romagnolo. The Etruscans reached the northern Adriatic between the sixth and fifth centuries BC and maintained commercial relationships with many Eastern nations; this favored the introduction of this group of dogs into the northern Adriatic region.

While it is true that the expansionism of many eastern populations was responsible for introducing these breeds as far afield as the British Isles, it should be noted that this happened centuries after the initial contact with Italian populations.When water dogs reached Spain via North Africa at the time of the Moorish conquests, giving rise to the present-day Perro de Agua Español, they had already been on the Italian peninsula for centuries, especially in the wetlands and marshes of Romagna.It is thus quite probable that the Canis acquaticus of which Linneo spoke, defining it as having “been around for some time” in the Mediterranean Basin, is none other than our Lagotto Romagnolo. In its morphology, the drawing made by Linneo bears a striking resemblance to the curl-coated dog of Romagna.

Another painting from the 1600s shows an almost perfectly conformed Lagotto Romagnolo as the subject of a painting by il Guercino” Giovanni Francesco Barbieri.

Today the Lagotto is quickly becoming a great pet in the USA as well as a great truffle farm helper as the USA plants truffles in the South.

Read more history on the Lagotto Romagnolo associations website.