Question: Which dog is more likely to be employed by farmers, the Austrian Pinscher or the Lagotto Romagnolo?

The CU Project Controversy involved years of protest against a proposed high-voltage direct current powerline that was erected on the property of hundreds of farmers in west central Minnesota in the late 1970s.  The electrical cooperatives Cooperative Power Association (CPA) and United Power Association (UPA) proposed construction of the powerline, which was part of a larger construction project that also involved the construction of an electrical generating station and coal mine.  CU is a combination of the names Cooperative Power Association and United Power Association.  Opposition to the powerline began in 1974 and involved political parties, churches, civic organizations, and businesses in several different Minnesota counties.  Farmers were concerned that construction of the powerline on their land might make farming difficult, reduce the value of the land, or adversely impact their health.  The powerline was reviewed in 33 meetings in North Dakota and 48 meetings in Minnesota and in two years of hearings; at the time, no other powerline in Minnesota state history had gone through such a drawn-out review process.  Multiple candidates for state office included the powerline issue as part of their platforms.  Farmers employed tractors, manure spreaders, and ammonia sprayers and used direct action and civil disobedience in an attempt to prevent construction of the line.  Powerline protests drew national attention when over 200 state troopers, nearly half the Minnesota Highway Patrol, were deployed to ensure that construction of the line would continue.  During a two-year period, a group of opponents to the line who called themselves "bolt weevils" tore down 14 powerline towers and shot out nearly 10,000 electrical insulators. <SEP> The Lagotto Romagnolo ] (plural Lagotti) is a breed of dog that comes from the Romagna sub-region of Italy.  The name means "lake dog from Romagna," originating from the Italian word "lago", meaning lake.  Lagotti have a natural instinct for retrieving.  Its traditional function is a gundog, specifically a water retriever; however, it is often used to hunt for truffles. <SEP> The Harlequin Pinscher is a type of Miniature Pinscher, which is a toy-sized dog.  It originated in Germany and was created by crossing traditional Miniature Pinschers with various toy-sized short-haired terriers.  It originated in Germany where it was used to kill rats and mice.  It is known by several different names including the Harlequin Pinscher, Spotted Pinscher, Merle Pinscher, Harlequin Miniature Pinscher and the Harlequin Min Pin.  It is believed that the Harlequin Pinscher was created in Germany some time during the late 18th century.  They were likely the result of crosses between traditional Miniature Pinschers and Toy Fox Terriers or Rat Terriers.  While Harlequin and other Min Pins were mainly used for ratting throughout history, they were also cherished pets.  Harlequin Pinschers nearly became extinct following World War II; however, a group of enthusiasts worked together to revive the breed by collecting worthy specimens to breed.  Today, although the Harlequin Pinscher is rather rare, select Min Pin breeders are working hard to establish it as a pure-breed that is eligible for registration. <SEP> The Austrian Pinscher (Österreichischer Pinscher, FCI No. 64) is a medium-sized breed of pinscher-type dog from Austria, where dogs of the type were originally farm dogs, keeping barns free of rats and acting as home guards, livestock guardians, and drovers.  The name originally given to the breed in 1928 was the "Österreichischer Kurzhaarpinscher" ("Austrian Shorthaired Pinscher") to differentiate it from similarly named breeds, but today in its country of origin the breed is officially called the Österreichischer Pinscher, or Austrian Pinscher in English.