Lagotto Romagnolo (Luh-go-tow Ro-maan-yolo) is a medium-sized antique working breed from Northern Italy. They are famous for their truffle hunting skills, though they can also make friendly and adoring companions around your home. They are loyal and prefer family members to strangers, but you should never be aggressive or shy.
It is easy to fall in love with a Lagotto Romagnolo dog at first glance due to its teddy bear curls and thick coat. Although Lagotto is entirely hypoallergenic, their double-coated hairy curls hardly shed, so they can be an excellent fit for people who are allergic to dogs’ dander. Their beautiful wavy hairs may come in various colors, such as orange, brown, white, or cream.
Breed Overview
Height:
16-19 inches
Weight:
24-35 pounds
Lifespan:
15-17 years
Colors:
Brown, cream/ liver, white/ chocolate
Suitable for:
Families, children, dogs
Temperament:
Willful, playful, timid
It is often hard to differentiate Lagotto Romagnolo from Labradoodles or Goldendoodles due to their tight curls.
True to its heritage as a working dog, Lagotto Romagnolo is very energetic. Balancing its high activity level is an affectionate and docile nature. They are often easy to train and alert enough to make an excellent watchdog.
Lagotto Romagnolo Characteristics
Energy:
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High-energy dogs will need a lot of mental and physical stimulation to stay happy and healthy, while low-energy dogs require minimal physical activity. It’s important when choosing a dog to make sure their energy levels match your lifestyle or vice versa.
Trainability:
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Easy-to-train dogs are more skilled at learning prompts and actions quickly with minimal training. Dogs that are harder to train will require a bit more patience and practice.
Health:
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Some dog breeds are prone to certain genetic health problems, and some more than others. This doesn’t mean that every dog will have these issues, but they have an increased risk, so it’s important to understand and prepare for any additional needs they may require.
Lifespan:
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Some breeds, due to their size or their breeds potential genetic health issues, have shorter lifespans than others. Proper exercise, nutrition, and hygiene also play an important role in the lifespan of your pet.
Sociability:
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Some dog breeds are more social than others, both towards humans and other dogs. More social dogs have a tendency to run up to strangers for pets and scratches, while less social dogs shy away and are more cautious, even potentially aggressive. No matter the breed, it’s important to socialize your dog and expose them to lots of different situations.
The price of Lagotto Romagnolo varies greatly and depends on different factors, such as the breeder’s reputation, location, training, litter size, and breed popularity. You can expect to pay less for a puppy without papers, though that is not recommendable.
If you are looking for a dog with superior lineage, you should expect to spend a premium for a puppy with breeding rights, show quality, and papers.
Temperament & Intelligence of The Lagotto Romagnolo
Given that Lagotto Romagnolo was bred to live, hunt, and work together with humans in the past centuries, it was one of the most family-affectionate breeds. Lagotto Romagnolo is very loyal to its owners, and they have a powerful affection.
Furthermore, since the characteristics that make them ideal canines are still firmly implanted within them, they are more than just poodles. When you combine that with their enduring love for human friendships, they can be the best watchdog in your home.
In addition, despite their strong urges, Lagottos are incredibly intelligent. Intelligence was their favorite trait among their unique work nature since it helped them master complex commands involved with their job. That is an advantage for you since it means you can teach your Lagotto a broad range of commands without strain.
However, to maintain its sanity, Lagotto requires a lot of mental stimulation. Without sufficient mental enrichment, Lagottos are prompt to harmful behaviors transpiring from boredom. So, when it comes to mental stimulation tools, including puzzle toys, games, or actual jobs.
Make sure you give your Lagotto proper care, too. Furthermore, you will observe that Lagottos like digging. That means you need to consider getting your Lagotto a sandbox.
Are These Dogs Good For Families? 👪
Lagotto Romagnolo is described as a gentle and loving dog, craving but not demanding human friendship. It is particularly good with kids, although it can also get along well with adults. However, to ensure they behave well indoors, give them proper training before introducing them to your family.
Image Credit: SubertT, Shutterstock
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?
Like most dogs, Lagotto was bred to leave close at hand with other retriever breeds. That means they are social to both humans and other dogs. However, when it comes to smaller pets such as hamsters and Guinea Pigs, it may not be advisable to keep them together with your Lagotto.
But with enough socialization from a young age, the dog can peacefully leave with cats.
Things to Know When Owning a Lagotto Romagnolo
Owning a pet is not just a privilege; it is a responsibility. At a minimum, pets depend on you for food, shelter, grooming, and much more. When you buy Lagotto Romagnolo, you must understand the duty entailed in dog ownership.
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
Lagotto Romagnolo is not picky eater. Nevertheless, ensure that your pet’s diet contains premium dog food. Try to alter its diet by feeding your dog both dry and wet food. Furthermore, because these pets are highly active creatures, ensure that their food is rich in calories.
When it comes to feeding frequency, consider giving food to your Lagotto 3-4 times a day rather than once or twice. That is because of Lagotto’s food rich-calorie nature. It spurs weight gain when consumed in large quantities at once.
But when you divide their meal into small portions and feed them to your dog at different time intervals, you will give them time to burn consumed calories more efficiently.
However, to be sure of what you need to feed your Lagotto. It is crucial to seek help from your vet. They will help you come up with a diet plan that is specifically tailored to your dog.
Like most sporting breeds, Lagottos require an active, involved lifestyle to keep them happy. They are not hyperactive and don’t need much exercise, but they require physical and mental enrichment. Although Lagotto will enjoy and benefit from time outdoors, the breed may not do well when left to live outside without family interaction.
Lagotto Romagnolo requires spending time with its family to be emotionally stable and content.
Training 🎾
Lagotto Romagnolo is an intelligent, lively, and wary creature. They like to learn and amuse their owners and shine in canine activities, including obedience and agility and other events such as dock diving (they are water lovers). Due to their perfect nose, Lagottos are excellent prospects for search-and-rescue, scent work, and medical conditions detection.
Early training and socialization are essential since they help to ensure that your Lagotto develops into an even-keeled and well-behaved companion.
Grooming ✂️
Lagotto’s hairy, waterproof coat forms hefty, tight tufts that cover the whole body except the head. They have a hairy double coat that doesn’t shed, although they might leave some curls on the hair once in a while. The coat requires regular trimming.
But keep in mind that some Lagotto coat curls more than others. So, to prevent this, it is crucial to groom your Lagottos regularly. Furthermore, be sure to have a weekly check-up for debris and wax buildup or any infection signs.
Although Lagottos are typically a healthy breed, they are still susceptible to some health issues. For instance, in every four Lagottos, at least one has hip dysplasia. The sign of hip dysplasia includes hip joint malformation leading to arthritis, lameness, or chronic pain.
For this reason, it is advisable to work only with a reputable agronomist who provides hip certification from Animals’ Orthopedic Foundations.
Furthermore, Lagotto Romagnolo is susceptible to a few forms of epilepsy. Luckily, you can avoid these issues by buying a Lagotto pup from a reliable agronomist.
Lagottos’ health conditions can be divided into two:
Minor Conditions
Skin infection
Dental issues
Ear infection
Serious Conditions
Cerebral ataxia
Hip dysplasia
Epilepsy
Male vs. Female
This depends on your preference. But if you are not a professional agronomist, it is advisable to spray or castrate your Lagotto. Doing that will prevent the behavior problems that show up during sexual maturity.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Lagotto Romagnolo
1. It Does Not Shed
Lagotto Romagnolo has a tender, hairy coat that is hypoallergic and does not shed like the other canines. That means Lagotto hair grows continuously, and so it requires regular trims. Failure to do so, the coat will become matt-twisted and rough, making your dog look dirty instead of rustic, which is how it should always appear.
2. It Is an Expert At Hunting
In the 18th century, Italian hunters used Lagotto as waterdogs. They were extremely efficient when it came to hunting water animals.
All this transfigured in the 19th century after hunters saw little use of the dogs. Nevertheless, truffle hunters found the benefits of Lagottos and started using them in their hunt for mushrooms. By the end of World War II, nearly all truffle hunters had inclined to use Lagottos in their hunting.
3. It Can Be an Excellent Watchdog
Lagotto Romagnolo is not only an excellent family pet but also a great watchdog. For instance, the peasants used to leave their households in the care of these dogs. It has a sharp hearing, such that some people believe it can sleep with one year open and can quickly alert you of an intruder.
When it comes to visitors, they will bark and become alert but will not express any aggression. With time, they can even learn to trust people they often see, offering them a warm welcome into your home.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for an affectionate, devoted, and active dog that will live with your family for a long time, consider the Lagotto Romagnolo as your next pet. Nevertheless, you must be ready to help them meet their comprehensive requirements since they are working poodles. All in all, Lagotto Romagnolo is an awesome pet that will add life to your home.
Crossbred dogs lead to adoptable situations. Therefore, check rescues and shelters first. You can use an adoptable dog search to get started.
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe....Read more
