Gundog group · Italy
Lagotto Romagnolo
Also called Romagna Water Dog, Italian Water Dog, Truffle Dog.
What makes them remarkable
Once a waterfowl retriever, this Italian dog found a new career sniffing out buried truffles.
- Affectionate
- Keen
- Undemanding
- Loyal
- Trainable
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 11 to 16 kg24 to 35 lb
- Lives
- 15 to 17 years
- Energy
- Moderate
- Trains
- High
- Barks
- Moderate
Training
Training a Lagotto Romagnolo
Gundog breeds. Quick to learn and quick to get over-excited. The work is calm around distractions, not obedience.
Nose Work Natural
Start here
Originally truffle hunters, Lagotti excel at scent work. Incorporate nose games for mental satisfaction.
Willing Partners
Eager to please and trainable. Reward the right choices and keep the rules the same every day.
Digging Instinct
Bred to dig for truffles, they may excavate gardens. Provide acceptable digging outlets or redirect.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Lagotto Romagnolo and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to find, flush and retrieve game alongside a person. Biddable, busy, and happiest with a job.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsHigh
- StrangersModerate
- CatsHigh
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1 hour daily. Moderate exercise with emphasis on mental stimulation. Scent work is ideal.
- Grooming
- High. Regular brushing to prevent mats, professional grooming every 6-8 weeks. Hypoallergenic coat.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Curly, Woolly, Dense, HypoallergenicOff-white, White, Brown, Orange, Brown Roan, Orange Roan
- In a flat
- Can work, with enough exercise outside it.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Joint condition requiring health screening
Benign Familial Juvenile Epilepsy
Moderate
Genetic seizure condition, puppies usually outgrow it
Storage Disease
Severe
Neurological condition that can be tested for genetically
Where they come from
History
An ancient Italian water dog from the Romagna region, originally used for retrieving waterfowl. When marshlands were drained, the breed transitioned to truffle hunting, becoming the world's finest truffle-detection dogs. The only breed purpose-bred for truffle hunting.
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