Breed standard Lagotto Romagnolo (Italian Water Dog)

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an ancient breed of dog from Italy, which over the centuries of its existence has changed many professions, largely becoming famous thanks to its achievements in finding truffles. Balanced, friendly and energetic, they excel as companions and family dogs. Translated from Italian, lagotto romagnolo means “lake dog from Romagna,” but the breed is also known as the Italian water dog.

brief information

• Country: Italy.
• ICF class: Group 8 - retrievers, spaniels and water dogs.
• Use: hunting and working dog, truffle search, companion.
• Color: white, dark brown, white with spots.
• Life expectancy: 15-17 years.
• Average weight: 11-16 kg.
• Height: 41-46 cm.
• Price: from 80,000 rub.

Photo: wikimedia.org

When does the harvest season begin?

The most common types of truffle are black (Périgord), Italian (real white), Chinese, and winter. In Russia you can find only one species of the genus Tuber - black Russian or summer. Its fruiting bodies reach a diameter of 2.5–10 cm. The surface of the mushrooms is painted black. Their taste is nutty and sweet. The smell is pleasant. Fruiting of the Russian variety occurs in August - September.

Did you know? The most valuable varieties of truffles are sold by auction. So, in China, one of the auction participants paid 330 thousand dollars for a pair of white copies. Mushrooms from the genus Choiromyces are often called truffles. However, they are less valuable than the real species. Representatives of this genus can also be found in regions of Russia. This is a white truffle, which is also called Troitsky, Posadsky. It produces fruiting bodies 2–8 cm in diameter.

The skin is smooth, whitish. As it ripens, it becomes yellow-brown. This mushroom is considered a delicacy in some countries, while in others it is considered poisonous and can cause poisoning. The collection season for the white species begins at the end of August and ends in November.

History of the origin of the breed

There are two versions of the origin of the breed. According to various researchers, the ancestor of the Lagotto Romagnolo can be either an ash dog or a peaty dog. The first mention of the characteristic appearance dates back to the 16th century. Initially, animals were used to guard sailboats. During the 16th to 18th centuries they were used for hunting in the swamps. Due to the massive drainage of reservoirs, the breed has lost its relevance.

Lagotto Romagnolo is known as a truffle finder. Has a unique sense of smell and learning ability. In some areas of Italy it is used by the police to detect drugs. The second official name of the breed is Italian Water Dog.

Nurseries

The rare breed needs to be looked for in Italy. The future owner must be aware of the purpose of the acquisition, what he will prepare the pet for, and what working qualities to develop. The price will depend on the tasks set. On average it is 1000-1500 US dollars.

It is difficult to buy a Lagotto Romagnolo puppy in Russia

There are nurseries in Italy where Lagotto is bred. And in Russia there are also nurseries where dogs are bred for sale. If you want to buy an animal with good working qualities, then it makes sense to go to Italy or find someone who will bring it to you. Nurseries in Moscow do this. Art Fantasy and Alberto Richie.

In Italy the nursery is IL GRANAIO DEI MALATESTA.

Lagotto dogs appeared in Russia relatively recently, five years ago, but the number of people whose hearts have been captured by these dogs is steadily growing.

Description of the breed

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a dog of medium height and strong build. There are pronounced gender differences, males are larger than females. One of the characteristic features of the breed is its thick and curly coat. Curls form throughout the body, giving it an attractive, peaceful appearance.

It is distinguished by friendliness and love for people. Quickly learns commands and tolerates upbringing. Gets along with children and other animals. Thanks to the combination of an excellent scent and performance, the breed is considered one of the best for detecting drugs. Able to immerse deeply in this activity without being distracted by external stimuli.

Standard

Official recognition of the IFF occurred in 1991. Main characteristics according to the standard:

• Frame. The Lagotto is a strong and muscular dog of medium height. Males should not be more than 46 cm. The height of females is 41-46 cm. Weight is from 11 to 16 kg, there are gender differences.
• Limbs. They have a correct anatomical structure and characteristic parallelism. The paws are slightly rounded and powerful, arched. The claws are strong, pigmentation is allowed on the paws. There are formed membranes, which allows you to swim for a long time and quickly.
• Head. It has a trapezoidal shape with moderate width. Usually it is slightly smaller than the muzzle, the bend from the forehead is almost invisible. Nose with a straight back. The color depends on the coat color (black or brown). The lips are covered with dense whiskers, tightly fitting to a strong scissor-shaped or straight jaw. The look is curious, active. The ears are medium-sized, triangular.
• Wool. Very thick, curly and tough. There is a dense waterproof undercoat. The strands are of moderate length, with curls throughout the body. Vegetation is expressed on the muzzle (beard and eyebrows). Solid white color (or with spots), shades of brown are allowed. Dogs with dark fur have a mask on their face.
• Tail. It does not form very high. It has a characteristic narrowing and should normally reach the hock joints. When calm, it takes the shape of a saber, twisting is not allowed.

Lagotto has an organic physique. Despite her rather powerful body, she can run fast and be active in endurance exercises.

Characteristics of Lagotto Romagnolo

Character and behavioral characteristics

The Italian Water Dog is energetic, sociable and hardworking. She becomes attached to her owner and tries to please him in everything. He has a balanced psyche and does not show cowardice or aggression towards other people or animals. At home, the animal behaves calmly, left alone, and does not exhibit atypical behavior.

Lagotto loves physical activity. Regular exercise is required to stay healthy. They were bred as hunters, so the dog still has pronounced instincts. It can be trained to hunt waterfowl; thanks to its sense of smell, dogs are often used to search for truffles, which they can smell at a depth of up to 60 cm. It does not have guarding qualities, but is wary of new people.

Nutrition

The Lagotto dog is unpretentious in nutrition. The menu can be made from natural products or use industrial feed. From natural products, the animal is allowed to give:

• lean meats;
• fish;
• cereals boiled in water;
• soups and broths;
• vegetables.

Important! If the pet is on a natural diet, it must be regularly given vitamin-mineral complexes, since products cannot provide enough vitamins and minerals for the animal.

It is important to monitor the balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. In the dog's menu, food enriched with protein should predominate, and fats should be kept to a minimum. The source of carbohydrates are cereals and vegetables, herbs.

There should always be clean water in the bowl. It is very important to ensure that the animal consumes enough water, especially in cases where the diet consists of industrial feed.

Note! Representatives of the breed are prone to obesity, especially if the owner does not provide them with sufficient physical activity. To avoid your pet being overweight, you need to monitor your caloric intake. It is strictly forbidden to feed an animal from a human table.

Education and training

The Lagotto is an easy breed to train and train. He socializes quickly and masters even complex commands. Thanks to its people-oriented nature, it tries to please its owner in everything. However, the education process must be gentle and consistent; the Lagotto cannot tolerate aggression towards itself. Lagotto loves fetch, which can be used during training as physical exercise.

The breed was bred as a hunting breed. From puppyhood, teach your pet to listen and follow commands unquestioningly, otherwise he may run off the leash in pursuit of birds and small animals during a walk. Regular physical activity is required. You need to spend at least 1.5 hours outside every day; it is recommended to alternate intellectual exercises and endurance exercises.

Photo: pxhere.com

Review

Lagotto Romagnolos are descended from Italian water retrievers, which were later used to find truffles. Thick, curly hair covers this dog's entire body, including the face, and although it does not shed much, it still requires regular trimming.

Like all working dogs, the Lagotto Romagnolo is very energetic. Her high level of activity is balanced by her affectionate and flexible character. This dog is easy to train and alert enough to become a good watchdog.

Due to its keen sense of smell, the Lagotto Romagnolo is well suited to canine sports such as tracking, and also typically performs well in agility, flyball, obedience and rallying. Swimming is also nothing unusual for her. This energetic dog will do well with daily long walks or other vigorous exercise.

Bright and cheerful, Lagotto Romagnolos are best suited to families who can provide them with plenty of companionship, exercise, and training. These dogs are loyal to strangers, but prefer to keep their distance from them at first. Well-trained Lagotto Romagnolos should never be shy or aggressive.

Care

The Lagotto is a relatively easy dog ​​to care for. To maintain health and a beautiful appearance, the following procedures are required:

• systematically clean the ears;
• trim nails in winter, the optimal frequency is once a month;
• cleanse eyes;
• Have your teeth cleaned by a veterinarian every year and give your dog special treats to prevent stones;
• when eating natural food, it is advisable to wipe the beard after eating, as food particles remain on it;
• Lagotto loves water treatments; in the summer, going to a pond where the dog will swim. Wash no more than 2 times a year.

Particular attention should be paid to grooming your pet. Due to the thick and curly fur, large tangles may appear on the body.

A haircut

The most difficult part of caring for a Lagotto Romagnolo. The coat sheds, but overripe hair remains on the dog. Requires weekly brushing. Haircuts should be regular, up to 4 cm is left for exhibition representatives, and the length is maintained throughout the year. This is convenient and for hygienic purposes - short wool is less likely to get dirty and does not roll into tangles.

In Italy it is believed that combing is not required. Dogs are clippered up to 2 times a year, which avoids matting and contamination. With this method, it is impossible to expose them for 3-4 months after the procedure.

Kinds

There are quite a lot of them. Among them

• summer truffle (aka Russian black),
• winter,
• white,
• Chinese, Piedmontese,
• as well as several other species, named mainly according to their place of growth.

Winter black

The fruit is covered with warts 2-3 cm in size, its diameter reaches 20 cm. The fresh fruit has a reddish-violet tint on the outside, after harvesting the color darkens and becomes black. The truffle pulp is white, then turns gray and becomes gray-violet with many white, yellowish veins. The weight of such a fruit can be more than a kilogram. It often grows in Ukrainian, French, and Italian lands. Ideal places for plants are birch, oak groves, and beech forests. Active fruiting - from November to March. The truffle aroma is reminiscent of musk.

White truffle

This species has a light, almost white, and very dense fruit body. In all areas where white truffle grows, and in Russia this is the Volga region and the central black earth region, you need to look for mushrooms from July to November.

Black truffle

These truffles are also called summer, or Russian. Black truffles have black peridia, and the inside of the fruit body has a slightly purple tint. Some experts claim that the taste and aroma of black truffles is much better than that of white truffles.

The areas where black truffles grow have a particularly mild climate. Most often, these mushrooms are found in the southern regions of Russia, in Crimea, and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.

They are usually found at a depth of up to 30 cm. The oldest specimens, due to their large size, are sometimes located closer to the surface.

• The harvesting period for black summer truffles in Russia covers the period from July to November.

Tips for choosing puppies

It is recommended to separate puppies from their mother no earlier than 2.5 months to allow immunity to develop. When choosing a pet, pay attention to its appearance and behavior. A healthy puppy should be active, curious and eager to get to know each other. You should evaluate his olfactory skills and vision - move a treat with a strong smell nearby, play. Carefully study the pedigree and metrics. It is not recommended to purchase an animal that does not show interest in what is happening, activity and signs of illness.

Search for tasty mushrooms

Collecting truffles is a real hunt. Who searches for truffles with a person? Helpers are pigs and dogs, as well as insects and bears. Truffle hunting is the province of the trifulau. The craft of these craftsmen is shrouded in mysteries, secrets that hunters do not want to tell the public. Trifulau call themselves representatives of the fairy-tale world, like gnomes and fairies. Truffle harvesting is focused on the phases of the moon.

According to legend, craftsmen hunt only at night, and they always have a white dog with them. Trifulau hunting locations are a professional secret. It is passed down from generation to generation and hidden from competitors. At the market, craftsmen bargain in whispers and hide jewelry in their pockets.

To find truffles in the forest you will need a pig. The pig is the first animal that helped man in his search for mushrooms. First you need to train the pig to smell it. If a pig smells it in the forest where truffles usually grow, it will start digging. The hunter needs to drive away the animal in time, otherwise the delicacy will go to the last one.

A trained pig can help its owner-hunter for up to 10 years. But these animals get tired quickly, and it is difficult for them to search in large areas. In such cases, the search for truffles can be entrusted to the dog.

Where do the roots come from...

Truffle hunting has its roots in the past, and pigs, rather than dogs, were once used for this purpose.

However, dogs are the only animals that are ideal for truffle hunting. Unlike "piglets", dogs are much easier to train and teach to search for mushrooms.

As for the breed, theoretically it is possible to train any dog ​​to look for truffles, but only three canines are considered the most successful in this matter.

How to assemble it correctly

Not only can the search for truffles be difficult, but so can the process of collecting them.

When collecting valuable mushrooms, you should act carefully and adhere to several rules:

1. If you find a representative of the mushroom kingdom, clear the area around it.
2. Do not pull the fruiting bodies out of the ground, but carefully remove them with a knife.
3. Make the cut without damaging the surface and root.

Important! You should not look for truffles in young forests. They have poor soil, unsuitable for the growth of the described mushrooms

So, such a valuable and delicious mushroom as truffle grows in the Russian Federation, in particular in the Moscow region. Finding it is not easy - you need to know in which places you need to search, focusing on the preferences of the fungus in the composition of the soil, lighting, and plants with which it mycorrhizes.

Features of growth

A favorable place for the development of truffles is a large number of tree roots and soil with loose soil with a large amount of sand and lime. Experienced mushroom pickers say that if you find one specimen, then you need to continue looking for several more nearby. Typically, you can find about 5 pieces. Often truffle develops in families, rarely - alone.

Searching for truffles in the forest

People have been collecting unusual mushrooms for many years.

It is important to consider that there are false and real mushrooms. To return home with the desired loot, it is important to follow special technology:

• Go to the forest where there are beeches, birches, oaks, and hazels.
• Look for fruits near trees with large roots.
• If the search is carried out with the help of pigs, then they should be muzzled, because the animals really love to feast on mushrooms.
• Keep in mind the type of plant: its surface is rough, the flesh has a hard structure. The fruits resemble potato tubers in black or white shades.

Owner reviews

Irina A. “We were looking for a puppy for a very long time, and in the end we brought him from France. This is a smart and affectionate dog. Loves active games with a stick and disk. He gets along well with children, but often climbs into their bed at night. We don’t know how to wean ourselves off this.”

Victor G. “My wife gave me a puppy for my birthday. It took me a long time to choose a hunting companion. I often take my dog ​​with me into nature, she quickly learned commands and listens well. His character reminds me of my spaniel.”

Buying "from hand"

The advantage of this method of purchasing an animal is that it costs relatively little. At the market there are resellers called “breeders”; some sellers bring dogs whose breed and health they know nothing about. Although the price tags are lower than in dog breeding organizations, there is a risk of loss in purchasing a non-purebred or sick animal, which can be adopted for free.

To avoid becoming a victim of deception, you need to have a good understanding of the exterior of purebred animals and be able to visually recognize signs of disease. Try to find out the seller's address so you can contact him if any misunderstandings arise.

Briefly about the main thing

1. The Lagotto Romagnolo is an old breed developed in Italy. Initially it was used for hunting, today the main activity is searching for truffles and serving in the police.
2. It has an excellent sense of smell, ability to learn and loyalty. It is an excellent companion and family pet.
3. Lagotto does not require complex care; the main procedure is regular work with the wool. Has no hereditary diseases.
4. The main drawback is that it is rare for Russia. This will make it difficult to find a partner for breeding.

General health problems

The Lagotto is known as a healthy breed with a long lifespan. They often live to be 17 years old. However, like most breeds, they can be prone to certain hereditary diseases.

Some Lagotto Romagnolo diseases you need to know about:

• Hip dysplasia can be a problem for some individuals. Abnormal joint growth in one or both hips can lead to a degenerative problem that can range from mild to very severe. In severe cases, surgery may be required.
• Lagotto Behavior Disease (LSD) is a breed-specific condition that breeders should have checked for. It is a serious neurodegenerative disease that ultimately leads to death. Dogs suffering from this disease will exhibit a variety of neurological symptoms, which include behavioral changes, problems with coordination, and facial and eye tics.
• Benign familial juvenile epilepsy (BFJE) occurs in very young puppies that suffer from seizures, which they usually grow out of before reaching adulthood.

Photo

Photo: pxhere.com

Photo: pxhere.com

Photo: pxhere.com

Photo: wikimedia.org

Photo: wikimedia.org