The Northwest Lagotto Journal  ·  Table of Contents
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Editor  Mark Nelson Location  Lynden, WA Year  2025
The Breed
On genetics, morphology, history, and what makes the Lagotto singular among working dogs
Genetics & History
The Near-Extinction: How the Lagotto Almost Vanished
in the 1970s — and Who Saved It
14 min
Biology
The Nose: How Lagottos Experience a World We Cannot Perceive
11 min · In preparation
The Coat
The Coat: What Makes It Different — and Why Most People Get It Wrong
9 min · In preparation
Lineage
Three Generations, Two Continents: The Story of Our Lines
16 min · In preparation
The Work
On training, development, and what it actually takes to raise a Lagotto well
Training
Manding: The One Skill That Changes Everything
8 min · In preparation
Development
Puppy Culture: What It Is, What It Does — and What It Asks of Us
12 min · In preparation
Puppyhood
Teething: What's Normal, What Isn't — and How to Get Through It
7 min · In preparation
The Breeder
On philosophy, purpose, and the decisions that define a breeding programme
Breeding Philosophy
What Makes a Great Breeder? The Question I Ask Myself Every Day
10 min · In preparation
Our Dogs
Mocha's Record: What Winning Across Two Countries Actually Means
13 min · In preparation
Science & Practice
Nature vs Nurture: The Honest Answer Is More Complicated Than You Think
15 min · In preparation
Living With Lagotto
On life alongside these dogs — the first year, the long years, what they give and what they ask
First Year
The First Year: What to Expect — Month by Month
18 min · In preparation

These essays are written from twenty years of lived experience with the Lagotto Romagnolo — not from a position of academic authority, but from the daily practice of breeding, training, and living alongside these dogs in Lynden, Washington.

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