Lagotto Romagnolo
Another ancient and rare dog breed, this time originating from Italy. Its name literally means “lake dog from Romagna” (Romagna is a district in Italy), and its traditional purpose is a water retriever. It is believed that many modern water retriever breeds are partly descended from the Lagotto Romagnolo. Currently, however, the breed is mainly used as a truffle-searching dog.
The Lagottos are active and loyal dogs, although not all of them make good domestic companions. They have quite a long life span of about 16 years, but may suffer from hip dysplasia and epilepsy connected with poor breeding.
