I am going to tell you how to evaluate a Lagotto Romagnolo breeder. And I am going to do it knowing that every standard I describe is one you can hold me to. That is the point. A breeder who is unwilling to be evaluated by the criteria they set for others is telling you something important about the distance between their marketing and their practice.

This is not the philosophical essay — I wrote that one here. This is the practical companion. The checklist you keep open on your phone while you are talking to a breeder, visiting their home, or reading their contract. Use it on every breeder you evaluate. Use it on me.

The One Line That Separates Responsible Breeders from Everyone Else

It is not the price. It is not the website. It is not the waiting list or the Instagram following or the number of champions in the pedigree. The single clearest line between a responsible Lagotto breeder and everyone else is health testing.

Not the claim of health testing. The evidence. Verifiable results in a public database that you can check yourself, right now, without asking permission.

The Lagotto Romagnolo Club of America requires its member breeders to complete the full CHIC panel on every breeding adult. CHIC — the Canine Health Information Centre — is a programme run jointly by the OFA and the AKC Canine Health Foundation. A CHIC number means that a dog has been tested for every condition the breed club deems essential, and that the results — pass or fail — have been made public. This is the floor. Not the ceiling. The floor.

The CHIC Panel: What a Lagotto Breeder Must Test
Every breeding adult. Every test. Results public and verifiable at ofa.org.
H
OFA Hip Evaluation
X-ray evaluation of hip joint conformation. Hip dysplasia is a documented concern in the breed and one of the primary reasons breed clubs mandate this test.
E
OFA Elbow Evaluation
Radiographic screening for elbow dysplasia. Structural soundness in a working sporting breed is not cosmetic — it is functional.
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Annual ACVO Eye Certification
Examination by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist. Must be current — not a one-time test from years ago. Annual means annual.
B
DNA: Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy (BFJE)
Recessive genetic condition causing seizures in puppies 5–9 weeks of age. At 46% carrier prevalence in the breed, any unplanned pairing risks producing affected puppies. Our genetics essay explains the science.
L
DNA: Lagotto Storage Disease (LSD)
Progressive, fatal neurological condition. Estimated 10% carrier frequency. DNA testing and informed pairing completely prevents affected puppies from being born. There is no excuse for not testing.

If a breeder cannot show you CHIC numbers for both parents that you can verify at ofa.org, the conversation is over. It does not matter how beautiful their dogs are, how warm their website feels, or how many families recommend them. Without verified health testing, everything else is built on a foundation you cannot see.

The Questions That Reveal Everything

The questions you ask a breeder matter. But what matters more is how they respond. A responsible breeder does not just tolerate questions — they welcome them, because the families who ask hard questions are the families who will do right by the dog. Here are the questions, organized by what they reveal, with the response you should expect from someone doing this work properly.

Health & Genetics
“Can you show me OFA results for both parents?”
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What you should hear: “Absolutely. Here are the CHIC numbers — you can look them up yourself.” They should be able to give you the dog’s registered name or OFA number on the spot. If they say “our dogs are healthy, we don’t need to test” or “we test but don’t publish results” — walk away.
“What is your protocol for BFJE and LSD testing?”
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What you should hear: Specific test names, specific labs, and a clear explanation of how they manage carrier pairings. The right answer is never “carrier × carrier” — it is “we pair carriers only with clear dogs, so no affected puppies can be produced.” If they do not know what BFJE stands for, you are talking to the wrong person.
“What happens if my puppy develops a genetic condition?”
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What you should hear: A specific, written health guarantee — not a verbal promise. The guarantee should cover genetic conditions for at least two years and spell out exactly what the breeder will do: replacement, refund, shared veterinary costs, or some combination. If there is no written contract with health terms, there is no guarantee.
Breeding Philosophy
“How many litters do you produce per year?”
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What you should hear: One to three. The number alone does not tell the full story — a breeder with multiple females might responsibly produce three litters, while a breeder with one female producing two litters annually is pushing too hard. But five or more litters per year from a single programme is almost always a volume operation, regardless of what the website says.
“How do you decide which dogs to breed together?”
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What you should hear: A thoughtful answer about health testing results, temperament assessment, conformation to breed standard, and genetic diversity. If the answer is “we have a male and a female and they get along,” that is not a breeding programme — it is a coincidence.
“What early socialization do the puppies receive?”
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What you should hear: Specifics. Not “we socialize them” but what protocol, when it starts, what exposures, what developmental benchmarks. A breeder following Puppy Culture or a comparable programme can describe Early Neurological Stimulation starting at day three, barrier challenges, novel surface exposure, and manding. A breeder who says “the kids play with them” is describing something different.
The Relationship
“Will you take the dog back if I can no longer keep it?”
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What you should hear: “Yes. At any point, for any reason, for the life of the dog.” This is the single most revealing question you can ask. A breeder who brought a dog into the world and is unwilling to be its safety net is a breeder who has not thought through the full scope of what they are doing. At Northwest Lagotto, this is a non-negotiable commitment. No dog we produce should ever end up in rescue.
“Can I speak with families who have received puppies from you?”
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What you should hear: “Of course.” And then actual contact information or an introduction — not just a page of anonymous testimonials. Our testimonials page uses real names and real stories because those families are willing to stand behind their experience.

A breeder who welcomes your hardest questions is a breeder who has already answered them for themselves. A breeder who deflects is telling you that the answers would not hold up.

— Mark Nelson, Northwest Lagotto

What You Should See — and What Should Make You Walk Away

Some signals are obvious. Others are subtle. The families who navigate this best are the ones who know what both look like before they start looking. Click any card below for context.

Trust This
The breeder asks you more questions than you ask them.
This means they care about where their puppies end up. They are evaluating the match, not just processing a sale. The questions should be specific: your living situation, your work schedule, your experience with dogs, your expectations for the breed. A breeder who asks nothing is a breeder who will sell to anyone.
Tap for context
Question This
Puppies are always available, in multiple colors and sizes.
Responsible breeders have waitlists because they breed deliberately, not speculatively. If a breeder always has puppies ready — especially in the specific color or sex you want — they are likely breeding to meet market demand rather than improving the breed. This is the hallmark of a commercial operation.
Tap for context
Trust This
Health test results are on the website or provided before you ask.
Transparency is not a marketing strategy — it is an obligation. A breeder who publishes their OFA numbers, who links to public databases, who shares results without being asked, is a breeder who has nothing to hide. Our health testing results are available on request and verifiable at ofa.org.
Tap for context
Question This
“Our dogs have never had any health problems, so we don’t need to test.”
This is the most dangerous thing a breeder can say. Genetic conditions are often recessive — a dog can be a carrier with zero symptoms and produce affected puppies when paired with another carrier. You cannot see BFJE or LSD by looking at a healthy-seeming dog. The only way to know is to test. A breeder who does not understand this does not understand genetics well enough to be breeding.
Tap for context
Trust This
The breeder is involved in the breed community — shows, working events, breed club.
LRCA membership, conformation showing, scent work trials, or truffle hunting events all signal that a breeder is invested in the breed beyond their own kennel. They are subjecting their dogs and their programme to external evaluation. A breeder who operates in isolation, accountable to no one, is a breeder operating without guardrails.
Tap for context
Question This
No written contract, or a contract with no health guarantee.
A contract protects both parties. It sets expectations, documents commitments, and provides recourse if something goes wrong. A breeder who will not put their promises in writing either does not intend to keep them or has not thought through what they are promising. Every puppy from Northwest Lagotto comes with a written purchase contract that includes health terms and a lifetime take-back clause.
Tap for context

The Breeder Evaluation Scorecard

This is the practical tool. Go through it for every breeder you are considering. Check the items you can verify. The score at the bottom will tell you where you stand.

Breeder Evaluation Scorecard
Check each item you can verify for the breeder you are evaluating
Health Testing
Full CHIC certification on both parents, verifiable at ofa.org
DNA testing for BFJE and LSD with clear pairing protocol
Current annual eye certification (ACVO)
Breeding Practice
One to three litters per year maximum
LRCA member or equivalent breed club membership
Can articulate why they chose this specific pairing
Puppy Raising
Structured early socialization protocol (Puppy Culture or equivalent)
Puppies raised in the home, not in a kennel or outbuilding
Puppies go home at 8 weeks or later, never earlier
The Relationship
Written contract with health guarantee (minimum 2 years)
Lifetime take-back commitment for any reason
Asks detailed questions about your household and lifestyle
References available from past puppy families
Ongoing support offered after placement
0
of 18 points
Check items above to see your breeder’s score
Want to hear from the families who have been through our process? Family Testimonials  →

The Part Most Guides Leave Out

Most “how to choose a breeder” articles are written by people who are not breeders. They give you checklists from a distance. I am writing this from the inside, and there are things I want to say that you will not find in those articles.

Good breeders make mistakes. I have. I wrote about them in detail. I underestimated the importance of post-placement support in my early years. I prioritised conformation over temperament in a way I would not repeat. A breeder who has never made a mistake has either not been doing this long enough or is not being honest with you. What matters is whether they learned from it — and whether they changed.

A waitlist is not proof of quality. It is often correlated with quality, because breeders who breed deliberately have more demand than supply. But a waitlist can also be manufactured, and its existence alone tells you nothing about health testing, socialization, or the care behind the programme. Use it as one signal among many, not as proof.

Price is not a reliable indicator either. A $5,000 puppy from a breeder who health-tests, socializes thoroughly, and supports you for the life of the dog is not the same product as a $5,000 puppy from a breeder who does none of those things. The number on the invoice looks the same. What you receive is entirely different. If you are comparing breeds or breeders, look at what the price includes, not what the price is.

Trust your instinct, but verify with evidence. If a breeder feels right but cannot produce health testing documentation, the feeling is wrong. If a breeder feels impersonal but has impeccable health records, transparent practices, and a history of healthy placements — give them a chance. Warmth matters. Evidence matters more.

Common Questions About Choosing a Breeder

What health tests should a Lagotto Romagnolo breeder have on file?
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At minimum: OFA hip evaluation, OFA elbow evaluation, annual ACVO eye certification, and DNA testing for BFJE, LSD, and Improper Coat. All results should be verifiable in the OFA public database. A CHIC number means all tests are complete and public. If a breeder cannot show you these results, that tells you everything you need to know.
How many litters per year should a responsible Lagotto breeder produce?
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Most responsible Lagotto breeders produce one to three litters per year. The number matters less than the care behind it — but a breeder consistently producing five or more litters annually is almost certainly prioritizing volume over the individualized attention each litter requires during those critical first eight weeks.
Should I be concerned if a breeder has puppies available immediately?
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It warrants questions. Responsible breeders typically have waitlists because they breed deliberately, not speculatively. Immediate availability is not automatically a red flag — a planned placement may have fallen through — but if a breeder always seems to have puppies ready, that pattern suggests breeding to meet demand rather than breeding with purpose.
What is the difference between a responsible breeder and a backyard breeder?
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Health testing is the clearest line. A responsible breeder completes the full CHIC panel on every breeding adult before any pairing. A backyard breeder may love their dogs genuinely but breeds without genetic screening, without breed club involvement, and without the structured early socialization protocols that shape a puppy’s neurological development during the critical first eight weeks.
Why do responsible breeders ask so many questions about my family?
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Because the match matters more than the sale. A breeder who places a high-energy puppy in a sedentary household has not made a sale — they have created a problem. The questions are not gatekeeping; they are the breeder doing their job. If a breeder does not ask you questions, they do not care where their puppies end up.
What should a Lagotto breeder contract include?
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A health guarantee covering genetic conditions for at least two years, a spay/neuter requirement for pet-quality puppies, a lifetime take-back clause, and clear terms about what happens if a health issue arises. If a breeder does not offer a written contract, do not proceed. A verbal promise is not a guarantee — it is a hope.

Mark Nelson

Northwest Lagotto  ·  Lynden, Washington