{"id":242117,"date":"2022-06-25T17:30:58","date_gmt":"2022-06-25T15:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.negrotesoro.com\/?page_id=242117"},"modified":"2026-08-10T18:42:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T16:42:47","slug":"lagotto-romagnolo-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.negrotesoro.com\/en\/historia-plemena\/","title":{"rendered":"Breed History"},"content":{"rendered":"
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THE LAGOTTO ROMAGNOLO BREED<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

History of the Lagotto Romagnolo<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

An ancient Italian working breed originating in Romagna, whose history stretches from the water dogs of the marshlands to today\u2019s specialist truffle-searching dog.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Dogs resembling the modern Lagotto also appear in Italian art \u2013 from 15th-century Renaissance frescoes to Paolo Antonio Barbieri\u2019s portrait of Guercino and his mother with a Lagotto, dating from around 1627.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Paolo Antonio Barbieri: Portrait of Guercino and his mother with a Lagotto, c. 1627.<\/p>\n

Source: Fondazione Sorgente Group.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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ORIGIN OF THE BREED<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

An Ancient Italian Working Breed<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an ancient Italian working breed originating in the Romagna region. Its history is closely connected with water, the marshlands and the people who lived and worked there, and later with truffle hunting.<\/p>\n

Originally, the Lagotto was used as a water retriever in the wetlands around Comacchio and Ravenna. It worked in and around the water, retrieved shot waterfowl and accompanied people who lived and worked among the marshes and lagoons of northern Italy.<\/p>\n

This working heritage helped shape the qualities that still characterise the breed today \u2014 intelligence, perseverance, an excellent nose, a willingness to work with people and a natural aptitude for learning.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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THE WATER DOG OF ROMAGNA<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

The Water Dog of Comacchio and Ravenna<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

The Lagotto Romagnolo\u2019s original working environment was very different from the settings in which the breed is commonly seen today, whether as a family companion or a truffle-searching dog. The Lagotto developed among marshes, lagoons and low-lying wetlands, where it worked alongside people in and around the water.<\/p>\n

Its compact build, endurance, curly coat and natural willingness to work made it well suited to this demanding environment. It was a practical working dog rather than a decorative companion.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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ORIGINAL WORK<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Working in and around water<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Retrieving waterfowl<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Life among marshes and lagoons<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Close cooperation with people<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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A NEW ROLE FOR THE BREED<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

From Marshes to Truffles<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

As the great marshes of Romagna were gradually drained and the traditional way of life in the region changed, the Lagotto\u2019s original work as a water dog began to lose its importance. The breed, however, did not disappear. Its exceptional nose, working ability and close cooperation with people proved equally valuable in a new role.<\/p>\n

The breed gradually specialised in truffle hunting across the plains and hills of Romagna. The Lagotto was particularly well suited to this work, thanks to its excellent nose, concentration, perseverance and ability to work in close partnership with its handler.<\/p>\n

Today, the Lagotto Romagnolo is best known as an Italian breed specialised in truffle hunting, but its origins as a water dog remain an important part of its identity.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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PRESERVING THE BREED<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

A Breed on the Brink of Extinction<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Although the Lagotto Romagnolo has ancient origins, its modern recovery is relatively recent. As its traditional role as a water dog declined, decades of empirical breeding focused largely on working ability, together with repeated outcrossing, increasingly blurred the breed\u2019s type and placed its future at risk.<\/p>\n

In the mid-1970s, a group of Italian canine experts and breeders from Romagna began a determined effort to preserve the Lagotto. Quintino Toschi played a leading role alongside other enthusiasts and breeders who worked to restore the breed\u2019s type, working qualities and temperament.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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MODERN RECOVERY<\/div>\n

The Last 50 Years Shaped the Breed\u2019s Future<\/h3>\n

Compared with the Lagotto Romagnolo\u2019s long history, its modern revival is remarkably recent. This is precisely why responsible breeding today requires respect for the breed\u2019s origins, health, temperament and working heritage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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MID-1970s<\/div>\n

Preserving the Breed<\/h3>\n

A group of canine experts and breeders from Romagna, led by Quintino Toschi, began systematic work to preserve the breed and restore its typical characteristics.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

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1988<\/div>\n

Club Italiano Lagotto<\/h3>\n

Club Italiano Lagotto was founded in Imola, laying the foundations for the breed\u2019s official recognition and further stabilisation.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

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1992 \/ 1995 \/ 2005<\/div>\n

Official Recognition<\/h3>\n

In 1992, the breed was officially recognised in Italy by ENCI. Provisional international recognition by the FCI followed in 1995, and definitive recognition was granted in 2005.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n