Lagotto Romagnolo – more than a truffle dog

Although the Lagotto Romagnolo is best known as a top truffle-searching dog, this breed hides far more than an exceptional sense of smell. The Lagotto is a true sporting dog – energetic, intelligent and always ready for work, play and new challenges.

Thanks to its physical ability, quick learning and great desire to cooperate with people, the Lagotto Romagnolo today achieves excellent results in various canine sports and activities.

This is a breed that loves movement, tasks, sniffing and cooperation with the handler.

The Lagotto is not a dog that will be happy with a short walk and spending the rest of the day without activity. This breed naturally seeks work, a mental challenge and movement.

Their combination of:

• intelligence
• endurance
• agility
• concentration
• motivation to work

makes them ideal candidates for numerous dog sports.

When the Lagotto has the chance to regularly use its brain and body, it shows its full potential and becomes an extremely stable, content and obedient dog.

Airscent search and rescue – a natural talent for finding people

The Lagotto Romagnolo can be an excellent dog for airscent rescue, that is, searching for people using the scent that spreads through the air — in a forest, rubble or avalanches.

In this discipline the dog searches the terrain and looks for human scent without following a precisely defined track. When it finds a person, it must clearly mark the find.

One of the interesting advantages of the Lagotto is that many members of the breed naturally love to use their voice and are easy to teach to bark as a way of marking a found person. Precisely because of this they can be very effective in rescue, because they:

• clearly and loudly mark the injured person
• stay motivated during work
• cooperate well with the handler
• have excellent concentration in the field

Their combination of scent, energy and desire to cooperate allows them quality work even in demanding conditions. Individuals within the breed that have a problem interacting with people are not the best choice for this sport.

Mantrailing – following a human track

The Lagotto Romagnolo also shows excellent results in mantrailing, a discipline in which the dog follows a specific human track using a person's individual scent.

Unlike airscent work, here the dog follows a precisely defined track through different surroundings such as:

• forests
• city streets
• parks
• populated areas

The Lagotto particularly stands out in mantrailing because of:

• its exceptional ability to concentrate
• precise scent work
• great motivation to search
• psychological stability during work

It is often through mantrailing that many owners discover how much the Lagotto enjoys complex tasks and scent work.

Agility – speed, focus and explosiveness

One of the sports where the Lagotto particularly comes into its own is agility.

In agility the dog goes through various obstacles such as:

• tunnels
• jumps
• the slalom
• seesaws
• bridges, etc.

and must carefully follow the handler's instructions while doing so.

The Lagotto Romagnolo does very well in this sport because it:

• learns quickly
• loves cooperating with the owner
• has good coordination
• is naturally agile and fast

Besides physical activity, agility additionally develops the dog's self-confidence and strengthens the bond between dog and handler.

Nosework – a sport made for the Lagotto

If there is a sport in which the Lagotto literally excels, it is nosework.

This is a discipline in which the dog uses its nose to find certain scents in different surroundings. Precisely because of its natural predispositions, the Lagotto often shows exceptional results from the earliest age.

Nosework:

• tires the dog mentally in a healthy way
• increases concentration
• develops independence
• strengthens self-confidence

For many Lagottos, scent work is the greatest reward of all.

Canicross and outdoor activities

The Lagotto Romagnolo adores movement and being in nature, which is why it is an excellent partner for:

• hiking
• trail walks
• canicross
• running
• long, active outings

Their endurance allows them to keep up with active owners throughout the whole day without any problem.

At the same time, they are not overly large or heavy, so they are practical for everyday life and travel.

Obedience

The Lagotto Romagnolo does very well in all forms of obedience and obedience sports thanks to its intelligence, desire to cooperate and great motivation for food.

This breed learns new tasks very quickly and enjoys mental challenges, which is why training often represents fun for them rather than an obligation.

The Lagotto responds particularly well to:

• training through reward
• working with food
• short and interesting sessions
• positive motivation

Their bond with the handler and desire to cooperate allow excellent results in disciplines such as:

• obedience
• rally obedience
• trick training
• dog dancing
• everyday obedience

With the right approach the Lagotto becomes focused, motivated and an extremely pleasant dog to work with, which makes it an excellent choice for people who want an active and clever sporting dog.

So that this is not just talk: Lava (whom you can read a little about on the About Us page) scored a full 100 points at the World Championship for search-and-rescue dogs on the obedience part of the exam, and in doing so left behind a large number of Belgian Shepherds, Border Collies, retrievers and others. So it is absolutely possible to do obedience with them at a high level.

The Lagotto Romagnolo perfectly suits people who love:

• nature
• outdoor activities
• working with a dog
• training and sport
• spending time with their dog every day

A sporting dog with a big heart

What sets the Lagotto apart from many other working breeds is its ability to fully relax and enjoy time with its family after activity.

Although it is energetic and focused during work, at home it is often gentle, affectionate and calm.

It is precisely this combination of:

• working potential
• sporting ability
• intelligence
• the fact that it does not shed
• attachment to the family

that makes the Lagotto Romagnolo one of the most versatile breeds of today.

The Lagotto Romagnolo is not only the best truffle dog – it is a true sporting talent on four legs.

Whether it is agility, nosework, mantrailing, airscent rescue, obedience, rally obedience, hiking or everyday activities in nature, the Lagotto shows incredible energy, intelligence and a desire to cooperate with people.

Its top sense of smell, great motivation to work, love of learning and excellent bond with the handler make it an exceptionally versatile dog for various sports and working disciplines.

For active people who want a dog that is a partner, an athlete and a family member in one, the Lagotto Romagnolo can be the perfect choice.