01 — Dogs
Truffle dog working trials
The rules of Italian and FCI trials for the Lagotto and of FCI truffle-search competitions open to all breeds: what the judge looks for, what counts as a fault and how titles are earned.
02Lagotto trials (ENCI and FCI)
Only Lagotti with an FCI pedigree may enter these trials. For other breeds the rules usefully describe good truffle work, but they are not their trial.
| Criterion | What the judge looks for |
|---|---|
| Will | Eager, continuous, determined work on the dog’s own initiative, also on difficult ground |
| Search | Covers ground to suit the setting and analyses it carefully, mainly ahead of the handler, without turning to game |
| Gait | A lively trot; gallop allowed at the start and when returning, walk while checking |
| Scent | Resolves the scent decisively to the dig; lifts the nose for the wind-borne scent of ripe truffles |
| Connection | Independent yet connected to the handler, without fear; follows indicated directions and returns when called |
| Digging | Digs decisively, resumes on request and lets the handler recover the truffle; quality counts, not number |
03FCI competitions for all breeds
Since 2026 the FCI has two truffle-search regulations open to all pedigree breeds: natural search on a large plot and timed square search.
04Quiz: the trial rules
Fifteen questions the rulebooks answer themselves. Pick an answer; the explanation and source follow.
Correct answers: / 15
01 A dog errs in the first minute of its round. Can that error get it eliminated?
Answer
No. Both Lagotto regulations: an error in the first minute of a round or recall does not lead to elimination.
Source: Regolamento prove per il Lagotto Romagnolo (approved 3 October 2006, amended 28 February 2014 and 4 June 2024)FCI Regulations for International Truffle Search (C.A.C.I.T.) Working Trials & International Working Championship C.I.T.(rt), Lagotto Romagnolo exclusively (1 July 2025)
02 A Lagotto makes its third empty dig. How does the regulation treat it?
Answer
As a fault. More than two empty digs is one of the ten faults in the regulation.
Source: Regolamento prove per il Lagotto Romagnolo (approved 3 October 2006, amended 28 February 2014 and 4 June 2024)FCI Regulations for International Truffle Search (C.A.C.I.T.) Working Trials & International Working Championship C.I.T.(rt), Lagotto Romagnolo exclusively (1 July 2025)
03 The handler does not refill a hole the dog dug. What follows?
Answer
Disqualification. The handler must carefully refill the holes the dog opens, under penalty of disqualification.
Source: Regolamento prove per il Lagotto Romagnolo (approved 3 October 2006, amended 28 February 2014 and 4 June 2024)FCI Regulations for International Truffle Search (C.A.C.I.T.) Working Trials & International Working Championship C.I.T.(rt), Lagotto Romagnolo exclusively (1 July 2025)
04 May a Lagotto work with a collar in a trial?
Answer
No. The dog is released on the judge’s signal free of any equipment, collar included.
Source: Regolamento prove per il Lagotto Romagnolo (approved 3 October 2006, amended 28 February 2014 and 4 June 2024)FCI Regulations for International Truffle Search (C.A.C.I.T.) Working Trials & International Working Championship C.I.T.(rt), Lagotto Romagnolo exclusively (1 July 2025)
05 The round ends without the dog meeting a truffle. How is it recorded?
Answer
Not Qualified. A dog with no encounter by the end of the round is “Not Qualified”; “Eliminated” is for a dog excluded for errors or withdrawn.
06 May the soil be enriched with truffles during rounds in a Type A trial?
Answer
No, only before the start. Enrichment with the same species is allowed before the trial starts, never during rounds.
07 Which truffles are searched for in a Type B trial?
Answer
Only naturally present ones. A Type B trial uses only the truffles naturally present in the ground at that moment.
08 A dog makes a useful dig and shows good natural qualities but errs through lack of training. What can it receive?
Answer
A CQN. The Certificate of Natural Qualities (CQN) exists for exactly this case.
09 How old must a Lagotto be for the open class in an Italian trial?
Answer
Over 15 months. The open class (“Libera”) is for dogs over 15 months; younger dogs enter the 4–12 and 9–30 month classes.
10 How much time does a dog have in FCI square search?
Answer
Three minutes for six truffles. Six truffles in a 10 × 10 m square must be found as fast as possible, within three minutes at most.
11 What does a third penalty bring in square search?
Answer
Elimination. The first penalty adds 15 seconds, the second 30, and the third means elimination.
12 In the square the dog marks an empty hole four times. What follows?
Answer
Elimination. Four false holes, meaning wrong signals by the dog, mean immediate elimination.
13 May a Labrador with an FCI pedigree enter an FCI natural truffle-search competition?
Answer
Yes. Natural and square search are open to every breed with an FCI pedigree; only the FCI trials with CACIT are reserved for the Lagotto.
Source: FCI Regulations for International Natural Truffle Search C.A.C.I.RT.(n) Competitions & Championship (1 May 2026)FCI Regulations for International Square Truffle Search C.A.C.I.RT.(c) Competitions & Championship (1 May 2026)
14 How many dogs may a truffle collector use in Croatia?
Answer
At most two. The Croatian collection rulebook allows at most two dogs.
Source: Pravilnik o sakupljanju zavičajnih divljih vrsta, NN 114/2017
15 Under Italy’s framework law, may truffles be searched for without a dog?
Answer
No, a trained dog is required. Law 752/1985 (art. 5) requires searching with the help of a dog trained for the purpose.
Source: Legge 16 dicembre 1985, n. 752, art. 5 (testo in vigore dal 5 gennaio 1986)
05Describe your dog
For each of the five FCI natural-search criteria, pick the description that best fits your dog. The end descriptions come from the regulation: the top from the criterion, the bottom from the list of faults.
Rings from the centre: like the fault in the rules · in between · like the description in the rules
- rule description
- your dog
- Willingness not chosen
- Search not chosen
- Contact with the handler not chosen
- Olfaction not chosen
- Marking not chosen
Choose a description for all five criteria.
This is your description against the FCI rules, not a judge’s assessment. Nothing is saved or sent.