Judging the Lagotto Romagnolo

This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, July 2015 issue.

Judging the Lagotto Romagnolo

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a working dog, both powerful and robust. The standard reflects all that makes this dog good at its job. From its original function as a waterfowl retriever to its current and popular use in truffle hunting or other nose work, the Lagotto Romagnolo must be able to endure and work effectively in various harsh environments. The origins of the Lagotto Romagnolo (literally meaning “lake dog”) date back to the 7th century BCE, where a small curly retriever was used to hunt waterfowl in the marshlands around the Romagna province of Italy. The influence of this small dog, believed to be the foundation of many retrievers we see today, can certainly be seen in various breeds of working and sporting dogs: the Portuguese, the Spanish, the Barbet (French Water Dog), and the German Pudel.

In centuries-old artworks, a small dog phenotypically resembling the Lagotto we know today can be seen. Dating to 1464-1475, the fresco “The Meeting” and also in Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (1591-1666) are two known examples. The Lagotto is also known as the Romagna Water Dog. Around the 19th century, the marshlands of Romagna and the delta region were drained, and the Lagotto Romagnolo lost much of its original purpose, with numbers dropping significantly. Over time, the Lagotto Romagnolo found favor among many in Italy, from the affluent to the working class, as a dog with additional purpose. Numbers have increased worldwide, and the Lagotto Romagnolo is now used in a variety of functions. In Italy, it is bred specifically to hunt the underground tuber known as the truffle.

There are many aspects to discuss in judging the Lagotto Romagnolo. Unique features range from the coat, which should be curly and dense, to the nostrils/nose in regards to size and color, and the structure, which should be square and with substance. The bite is a feature that can be misunderstood, as more than one is considered “acceptable.” The head is also very important to explain, and it is the profile that establishes the correct and “classic” Lagotto look.

Let us first discuss the unique aspect of the coat. Overall, the coat is one of the defining factors of the Lagotto Romagnolo and requires a full understanding. Judges must remember that this is not a dog to be over-groomed and that the coat plays an important part in protecting the Lagotto when in its working function. The Lagotto coat should be thick and woolly in texture, neither harsh nor soft, with well-defined ring-shaped curls, not brushed and blown out. Curls will range in size and tightness and should be present over the entire body with some exception around the face. The size of the curls is not as important as the density, and when parting the hair with your hands, it should be difficult to see the skin.

Push down on the coat; it should spring back. The undercoat, by standard, must be present and not completely removed. The undercoat is wound into the curls and helps to create the protective layer the dog requires when working, both in the water and in the brush. This cannot be seen if the dog has been brushed out and the undercoat stripped. A dog presented with a coat that cannot be evaluated due to over-grooming or incorrect grooming should be faulted to the point of exclusion from awards on that day. The cut should easily follow the lines of the body to highlight the dog’s natural angulation and should not be over-sculpted.

The coat should be the same length all over the body, but never more than 1½ inches. It should also be long enough to properly evaluate curliness, but not so short that the curls and coat quality cannot be properly seen and assessed. The hair on the head, legs, and face may be longer than that on the body. Curls should be present throughout the body, including the head and legs. The muzzle may or may not have curls. The curls on the head and legs are generally looser but still required to be present. In judging younger dogs, it should be noted that coat curliness can take several months to develop. Dogs under a year will have a softer texture to the coat. At this age, it is common to see dogs with less density and looser curls. When evaluating young dogs, some leniency should be given to the developing coat. However, it should still show the formation of curl, especially at the root when parted, and never blown and fluffed.

Without beating a dead horse, a common question asked by judges, as well as those new to the Lagotto community, is “why not brush out the coat?” That is a great question and an important point to fully understand and appreciate. First, know that dogs with poor coats are not uncommon in the breed. They can have almost no curl, improper texture (either too soft or too hard), lack undercoat, and have little density. Secondly, the standard requires the undercoat to be present and evaluated, as the dog needs to be shown to the working function, and the coat is a major component of that. The Lagotto Romagnolo needs to have a rustic appearance.

Brush the coat out, and you lose the undercoat and the integrity of what they should be judged on. When the coat is in correct form, the Lagotto is ready to work. Only a proper coat will create an impenetrable barrier to protect the dog from the elements, underbrush, and foliage. The denser the quality of the coat, the better the protection for the dog. This does not mean the coat should be matted or corded. In fact, cording is a serious fault and requires disqualification. In judging, it is important to examine and appreciate the density as an indicator of the dog being in proper coat formation.

There is no black gene in the Lagotto Romagnolo. Coat colors range from off-white, white with orange patches (usually seen on the ears and down the back), white with brown patches, brown, brown with tan points, and brown roan. They may also have markings which are white, roan, or freckled with brown. The pigment of the nose ranges from fleshy tan to dark brown and all shades in between. Even the toenails range from pinkish-white to dark brown, depending on the color of the dog. The colors of the coat tend to fade with maturation, and some change so much that they look nothing like they did as puppies. To those unfamiliar with the breed, it may seem that colors are limited to white, brown, or white and brown only.

There is no advantage to the type, shape, or placement of markings, and the darkness of the color—all colors, dilutions, and markings are equally acceptable. Younger dogs will often appear much darker than adults. Brown roan and brown with tan are two colors that are eye-catching in youth but often fade or “fill in” (in the case of brown roans) to look like a brown dog as adults. Often the “ticked areas” on a brown roan dog will fill in so much that the dog will look just like his brown littermate as an adult. Sometimes, the brown markings and unticked splashes of white are still visible in adulthood. Brown dogs with roan stockings or chest markings can also experience this color change as they age. Orange and white puppies often become indistinguishable from white dogs as adults.

When examining the head of the Lagotto Romagnolo, a careful hands-on approach is essential in determining correct type. Careful and artful grooming can mask a less-desired head. A narrow skull and muzzle are common faults. The width of the muzzle and its blunt profile are key features, as they contain wide-open nasal passages that are important to the dog while scenting for ripe truffles. The blunt profile of the muzzle also plays a part, as the nose with its wide-open and mobile nostrils protrudes very slightly from the edge of the lips. The nose of the Lagotto should appear large. The size and set of the nose and the width of the muzzle are more important than the dog having a scissor bite.

The bite is something that must be truly understood and can be confusing as to what is considered acceptable versus unacceptable in this breed. Unique to the sporting group, this former duck hunter’s main job now involves scenting, and the equipment that makes this possible may often result in the dog having a level or reverse scissor bite. A scissor bite is acceptable as well, but must not have a snippy muzzle. An overshot bite of any kind is a disqualifying fault, as is a truly undershot bite (defined as more than ¼” between the top and bottom incisors).

Many of the world’s top Lagotto carry a reverse scissors bite, and while it may take some getting used to for North American judges, understanding that the bite is of lesser importance to the dog’s primary function, which is scenting, should help when judging for the correct, blunt profile head type. Young Lagotto can have bite changes up to three years of age. Some breeders report that young dogs with strong head type can be reverse scissor up to a year of age before going level or even a scissor bite. The skull should be nearly as wide as it is long.

Measuring from ear to ear and stop to occipital bone can be done by hand and is obvious when it is right. The skull is slightly longer than the muzzle. The underjaw is strong and wide, and when correct, the lips seem to form an upside-down “C” when viewed from the front. The eyes should be large, round, and wide-set. Their color should harmonize with the dog’s coat and pigment. They should also be visible, not hidden under excess hair. Eye color in the Lagotto Romagnolo ranges from ochre (various golden shades) to hazel (golden with greenish undertones) and dark brown, usually following the depth of color of the coat (lighter coats generally have lighter shades). There should be no black pigmentation in the eyes. The eyes should convey a keen and friendly expression.

The ears are medium-sized, triangular with rounded tips, and the base is wide, set just above the zygomatic arches. They are slightly raised when the dog is attentive. If pulled toward the nose, they reach the muzzle at ¼ of its length. The ears have hair on both inner and outer surfaces, and in the ear canal (though this may be plucked). Grooming-wise, the ears tend to get lost in the curls of the head, but the ears themselves should be trimmed to the ear leather. It’s possible to disguise a narrow skull or ears that lie flat or are too long with an abundance of groomed-out hair on the cheeks and beard. Using a hands-on approach will help to reward structure rather than over-grooming of the head. The body of the dog is square rather than rectangular.

A common fault is a Lagotto that is too short on leg (a rectangular dog proportioned 50/50 in terms of depth of chest and length of leg), which is common in sporting dogs but incorrect for the Lagotto. The length of the leg should be a little more than half the dog’s height, and the chest should not come below the elbows. The ribcage expands at the 6th rib, far past the elbow. The dog should be powerful, agile, and well-muscled, but never heavy or bulky. These dogs work for hours covering miles of rough hillside terrain, and being too large or too substantial in bone or body thickness would greatly impede their endurance.

The dog’s topline should be straight from the withers to the loin, with a slightly sloping croup. The tail may be carried level or raised in a scimitar fashion when excited. It should never curl to touch the back or be raised at the base (gay tail). The tail should reach only to the hocks, which, given the length of the thigh, can make it appear short. The dog’s underline slopes up to a slight tuck-up. The Lagotto Romagnolo has a slightly longer thigh that should be well-muscled. The thigh should not be so long as to lose the well-defined angulation. The hocks should be perpendicular to the ground. In movement, the Lagotto Romagnolo should cover a lot of ground effortlessly and be full of energy, never appearing lumbered or clunky. Reach and drive should be apparent, balanced with forequarters that are a little more upright than many breeds, while still maintaining a laid-back shoulder.

The neck should be oval, muscular, and powerful, demonstrating an athletic appearance. A proper neck should never be short or stocky, like that of a Pug. The length of the neck should be equal to the total length of the head (from muzzle to the occipital ridge) and never elongated. In profile, there should be a slight arch from the nape. Proper neck length can be easily assessed using hand measurement compared to the head length.

In temperament, the Lagotto fits into the sporting group well; it is energetic, intelligent, and has much endurance. The ideal Lagotto has an effervescent personality that will dazzle you, despite or because of its rustic appearance. Please take time to meet a Lagotto Romagnolo if you can. This is a dog that can be a true delight to judge. We’ll see you in the ring!