About Lagottos
The Lagotto Romagnolo is
an ancient breed of water retriever that comes from the lowlands of Comacchio
and the marshlands of Ravenna, in a region in Italy known as Romagna. Their name,
Lagotto Romagnolo, literally means "lake dog from Romagna”. Their traditional function was that of a
gundog and specifically a water retriever, however more often they are now used
to hunt for truffles. Here you can read more about their history which dates from the 7th century.
They are known as being a hypo-allergic dog due to their coat which has very little shedding. Their coat is woolly and waterproof and is very thick and curly. Solid colours include off-white, white, or brown. They can also be found white with brown or orange patches or roan (Archie). They often display white markings that grow out in adulthood. They are a medium-sized dog (male: 43-48cm and 13-16kg; female: 41-46cm and 11-14kg). They have large round eyes in any shade colour ranging from dark yellow to dark brown.
Their life expectancy is approx. 16 years but they do have some health issues that you should be aware of, although they generally keep good health and are robust little dogs.
There are conflicting ideas on how to groom this breed. Some say they should be brushed regularly and others believe their coat should be allowed to grow naturally. The coat can become matted and the mats should be carefully pulled apart without tearing the coat. They must be cut down at least once every year. If the coat is kept trimmed to approximately 3-4 cm all over the body and slightly longer on the head, it will be easier to maintain. Some coats matt more easily than others. If unclipped, the hair will grow to cover the eyes and so the hair around their eyes should be periodically clipped to ensure that they can see. Hair on the ears should be trimmed around the edges to the leather.
They are known as being a hypo-allergic dog due to their coat which has very little shedding. Their coat is woolly and waterproof and is very thick and curly. Solid colours include off-white, white, or brown. They can also be found white with brown or orange patches or roan (Archie). They often display white markings that grow out in adulthood. They are a medium-sized dog (male: 43-48cm and 13-16kg; female: 41-46cm and 11-14kg). They have large round eyes in any shade colour ranging from dark yellow to dark brown.
Their life expectancy is approx. 16 years but they do have some health issues that you should be aware of, although they generally keep good health and are robust little dogs.
There are conflicting ideas on how to groom this breed. Some say they should be brushed regularly and others believe their coat should be allowed to grow naturally. The coat can become matted and the mats should be carefully pulled apart without tearing the coat. They must be cut down at least once every year. If the coat is kept trimmed to approximately 3-4 cm all over the body and slightly longer on the head, it will be easier to maintain. Some coats matt more easily than others. If unclipped, the hair will grow to cover the eyes and so the hair around their eyes should be periodically clipped to ensure that they can see. Hair on the ears should be trimmed around the edges to the leather.
In SCOTLAND ... we have less than 10 lagottos ... but we're always open to welcoming more 'to the Clan' and if you're interested in the breed, then please contact me for further information or contacts. We have had lagottos in Scotland since 2008 and only recently welcomed our latest puppy ... here you can read more about our 'Clan'.