Plate 157 · Mediterranean
Lagotto Romagnolo
拉格托罗马阁挪露
“The truffle hunter of Romagna.”
- Origin
- Italy
- Po Delta, Romagna
- Region of origin
- From the former marshes of the Po Delta around Comacchio and Ravenna; the marker is the province of Ravenna's reference point.
- The point marks the region the breed comes from, not an exact birthplace.
- Era
- Known from the 16th century; standard 1992
- Today
- Truffle dog · Companion
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Po Delta, Romagna
A curly-coated Italian water dog, now best known for finding truffles.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Retrieving shot waterfowl in the lagoons of the Po Delta; after the marshes were drained, hunting truffles.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Dogs like it appear in a Mantegna fresco of 1465–74. Its numbers fell sharply in the 1970s; a breed club was founded in Imola in 1988, ENCI recognized it in 1992, and the FCI fully accepted it in 2005.
04 · Today
Truffle dog · Companion
A truffle dog and family companion.
Personality
- Affectionate
- Keen
- Undemanding
- Lively
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Not hyper, but needs both physical and mental activity; scent work suits it.
- Grooming
- Regular trimming; check for mats.
- Training
- Loves to learn; excels at scent work and agility.
Living with one
- Size
- Medium
- Lifespan
- 15–17 years
- Coat
- Dense, woolly, tight curls; off-white, brown or orange, solid or with patches
Field note
The AKC links its name to 'lago', Italian for 'lake'.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Sporting Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (as Romagna Water Dog, Group 8, standard 298), ENCI (Italy)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Sporting Group, recognized 2015.
In Italy, according to Wikipedia, ENCI recorded about 2,200–5,500 new registrations a year in 2015–2024. AKC registrations: ranked 77 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Lagotto Romagnolo — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/lagotto-romagnolo/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Lagotto Romagnolo — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagotto_Romagnolo
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Po Delta origin, the Mantegna fresco, the shift to truffle hunting, decline in the 1970s, club (1988), ENCI (1992) and FCI (2005) recognition, Italian registrations.
- Romagna Water Dog — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/ROMAGNA-WATER-DOG-298.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Italy; Group 8, section "Water Dogs"; accepted 2005.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: From the former marshes of the Po Delta around Comacchio and Ravenna; the marker is the province of Ravenna's reference point.
