Lagotto Romagnolo Dog Breed

Below are the details and facts for the Lagotto Romagnolo dog breed.

This is a small to medium sized breed. Males will measure 17-19 inches at the shoulders and weigh around 28-35 pounds while females will stand 16-18 inches at the shoulders and weigh between 24-31 pounds.

Lagotto Romagnolos are everything you could want in a dog, they are: intelligent, sweet, affectionate, easily trained and controlled, hard-working companions. The only person who should not consider this breed is someone without the daily time to exercise them. They are great with children, good with other pets, and reserved with strangers.

This breed is fairly low maintenance. They are eager to please, very intelligent and easily controlled so training will be very manageable. Although they will need to be clipped regularly to maintain proper coat length, they rarely shed and require only a once per month bath. Lagotto Romagnolos are traditionally working dogs that will need daily mental and physical exercise; they love swimming, tracking, hunting, and generally any outdoor time spent with their owners.

These dogs, originating near Comacchio and Ravenna, Italy, are thought to be the water retrievers from which all other water breeds descended. Members of this breed have served as muses throughout history. What historians believe are depictions of the Lagotto Romagnolo are present throughout ancient Etruscan art (area of ancient Italy that includes present day Tuscany and parts of Umbria and Lazio). They were written of by scholars like Erasmus and incorporated into artworks of those such as Marcantonio Raimond. il Guercino, Andrea Mantegna and othersi in the 1400-1500s. This breed was also documented in the 18th century well throughout the Mediterranean Sea region. Famous naturalist Carolus Linnaeus even wrote about a Mediterranean water dog that many suppose is the Lagotto. However, with progress in the mid-late 1800's came changes in the land; marshes were drained and this gundog breed turned to a new career. During the 1900's records show these dogs were useful for hunting truffles; the increase in documentation during the World Wars attest to the fact that most truffle hunters indeed used the Lagotto. Presently, these dogs are also employed as crisis/therapy dogs as well as allergen sniffers for items like gluten and peanuts. The Lagotto Romagnolo Club of America is considered the parent club of the breed and was founded in 2007. Despite this breed's extensive history, it was not recorded in the Foundation Stock Service until 2001 and only was allowed entrance into the AKC sporting group in July 2015.

The AKC describes the breed as "rustic" which means they appear robust and have the ability to put in a hard day's work. The dog is square in proportion and of small to medium size. Members of this breed have a straight muzzle that is slightly shorter than the skull. They have hazel to dark brown eyes that have a keen, alert expression and ears that are triangular and loosely hanging. The thick wooly coat is rough and comprised of small, tight ringlet curls. The undercoat is visible due to the curled topcoat and is also waterproof. These coats are clipped relatively short, 1.5 inches, but can be longer on the head and face. When approaching, you will see they possess a lively trot which matches their equally lively personality.

Lagottos are easily controlled and trained. They form close, affectionate bonds with their owner making for an excellent companion. This also means that they will generally want to be around their family and should not be kept outdoors alone. They are alert in nature so they can be capable watchdogs. Owners looking for a game hunter may want to consider other breeds first as these dogs have more recently been bred for truffle hunting and display decreased prey instinct, however, this quality makes them an acceptable dog for a multi-pet household. Members of this breed are typically shy around strangers but can overcome this trait if socialized at a young age. Due to their sweet, loving nature they are perfect to have in a household with children. Lagottos do best with an owner or family that has time to exercise them both physically and mentally every day; letting them romp in the yard for a bit probably won't do it for this breed. They enjoy obedience training, tracking and finding, swimming, hunting and retrieving. These dogs are easy to handle and enjoy pleasing their owners, which should make training manageable for even the inexperienced owner.

Hip and elbow dysplasia along with juvenile cataracts are the most common health problems for Lagottos. This breed sometimes suffers from Juvenile Epilepsy which will be apparent by 9 weeks and can often resolve itself by 13 weeks. Storage Disease and cerebellar abiotrophy are neurodegenerative diseases that can be tested for via genetic screening. Rarely puppies can be born with an "incorrect coat" which appears short and flat; this is yet to be proven as reason for concern healthwise.