What is a Lagotto?
Lagottos101
The Lagotto Romagnolo, also known as the Italian water dog, dates back to the 1600's in the Italian marshlands of Romagna where they were used for retrieving waterfowl. By the 1800's the Lagottos keen sense of smell was proven even more useful for truffle hunting. Today they are recognized as the premier truffle hunting animal.
The Lagotto Romagnolo might be a little-known breed in the USA but that is rapidly changing. The AKC recognized Lagottos as a breed in 2015 and in a handful of years Lagottos have increased their footprint in the USA and Canada. In 2014 it is estimated there were as few as 400 Lagottos in the USA. That number has incrementally increased ever since.
Helpful Facts
Average weight:
female 24-30 lbs.
male 28-35 lbs.
Average height:
female 16-18 inches
male 17-19 inches
Life Span: 14-17 years
Coat: Curly hair (more like human hair than many other breeds) that is water-
resistant (double coat)
Colors: All combinations of white, brown, and orange, mixed with each other or solid in each color
Temperament: friendly, loyal, intelligent
Is a Lagotto right for you?
When we decided we wanted a dog to be a part of our family there were a few non-negotiables for us: great family dog, hypoallergenic (no shedding), medium-sized, intelligent, and unique. After months of researching breeds, we knew the Lagotto was the dog for our family.
Active Family Dog:
As excited as we were to get a dog, our top priority was a dog that fit our family. We have four active kids and it was critical to find a dog breed that matched our family. This is why getting a Lagotto made so much sense for our family. Our kids love playing with, petting, and cuddling Isabella, and Isabella loves going where we go. If you want a dog that lays around all day and occasionally plays fetch a Lagotto is not for you.
Hypoallergenic:
We loved our previous dogs (a malamute named Apostle & a golden retriever named Gus), but the amount of hair they lost every day drove us crazy. It was important to us to have a breed that didn't require us to vacuum daily and would work for our son who is mildly allergic to dog dander.
Intelligent Breed:
We aren't the best dog trainers in the world (not even in our neighborhood). It was important that our dog would be able to learn commands. With an intelligent breed, you need to put in the work to train your Lagotto otherwise they will train you.
Medium-Sized:
While we loved our big dogs we were ready for a medium-sized dog. The Lagotto is the perfect-sized dog (24-35 lbs.) in our humble opinion.
Unique:
It is fun having a dog that most people have never heard of. At puppy school, the trainers were excited to see a Lagotto in person. Our Isabella was the first Lagotto our vet had seen in her clinic before. Even just saying Lagotto Romagnolo (Lah-gow-to Ro-man-yo-lo) is fun!