Valkyrie Kennels

*Excerpt from the Canadian Kennel Club breed standard

Full standard can be viewed here.

GENERAL APPEARANCE
Small to medium-sized dog, well proportioned, nearly square, powerfully built, of a rustic appearance, with a dense, curly coat of woolly texture. Overall, the Lagotto gives the impression that it can withstand hard weather conditions and show endurance, strength and sound movement.

ORIGIN & PURPOSE
Ancient breed of retrieving water dogs in the lowlands of Comacchio and marshlands of Ravenna in Italy. During the centuries, the great marshlands were drained and turned into arable land. Subsequently the Lagotto changed from being a water dog to an excellent truffle dog in the flat open country and in the hills of Romagna.
A natural gift for searching and its very good nose has made the breed very efficient in truffle searching. The former hunting instinct has been modified by genetic selection; hence his work is not distracted by the scent of game.

TEMPERAMENT
The Lagotto is highly intelligent, tractable, undemanding, adaptable, keen, affectionate, very attached to his owner and easy to train. He is a very good companion and also an excellent watchdog. This breed should never be aggressive or overly shy.

SIZE
Height at the withers:
Dogs from 43 to 48 cm (17 to 19 in); ideal height 46 cm (18 in)
Bitches from 41 to 46 cm (16.25 to 18 in); ideal height 43 cm (17 in)
Tolerance 1 cm (0.4 in) more or less for either sex.
Weight:
Dogs, 13 to 16 kg (28.75 to 35.25 lb); bitches, 11 to 14 kg (24.25 to 31 lb)

COAT
Hair: Of woolly texture, semi-rough on the surface, with ring-shaped curls (not frizz) and visible undercoat. The coat is never twisted in an attempt to form cords. Curls must be evenly distributed over the body, tail, head (including eyebrows whiskers, beard and cheeks). The curls may not appear as tightly formed on the head and ears. The topcoat and especially the undercoat are waterproof. The trimmed coat, when pulled straight, must not be longer than 4 cm (1.5 in) and it should be uniform with the silhouette of the dog. Only on the head can the coat be longer, but not as long as to cover the eyes. The area around the genitals and anus should be kept short. The coat must not be formed and brushed up or clipped so short (except as noted above) that curls and texture of the coat cannot be assessed. The correct clip is unpretentious and contributes to accentuate the natural, rustic look typical of the breed. The correct coat is never luxurious, shiny or excessively groomed (i.e., sculpted or blown out
so that the curl may not be assessed). Skin: Close fitting all over the body, without wrinkles.

COLOUR
Off-white solid colour, white with brown or orange patches, brown roan, orange roan, brown (in different shades) with or without white, orange, with or without white. Some dogs have extremities darker than the body colour. Tan markings (in different shades) allowed. The colours may fade, sometimes to such an extent that the brown areas can appear as silvery grey roan. All the above colours are equally acceptable, including the faded or diluted colours. Pigmentation of the skin and pads harmonizes with the colour of the coat, ranging from dark pink to dark brown.

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