Lagotto Romagnolo (Italian Water Dog)

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an ancient dog breed from Italy that has served many purposes over the centuries, becoming famous in large part for its truffle-hunting prowess. Even-tempered, friendly, and energetic, they make excellent companions and family dogs. Translated from Italian, "lagotto romagnolo" means "lake dog from Romagna," but the breed is also known as the Italian Water Dog.

History of origin

The Lagotto Romagnolo is an ancient Italian dog breed, about whose origins very little is known. The president of the Italian breed club, G. Marciani, favors the theory that these water dogs descended from the ancient peat dog, which gave rise to most modern breeds. Other cynologists, however, consider this theory unlikely and say that dogs of this type descended from the ash-colored dog, the ancestor of many hunting breeds.

That water dogs were common in Italy as early as the 17th century is evidenced by numerous paintings by Italian artists, as well as written references. In 1630, water dogs were described by Eugenio Raimondi. In the 18th century, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus mentioned curly-coated Italian water dogs in his work. Both researchers describe these friendly dogs, primarily found in the Emilia-Romagna region, as water hunting dogs, excellent swimmers and trainable, with thick, curly coats, and the ability to dive safely into icy waters after game.

The Lagotto Romagnolo breed club was founded only in 1988. In 1991, the breed received official recognition from the FCI.

Purpose

Until the 17th century, Italian water dogs were primarily used by sailors to guard sailing ships, liaise between boats, and carry messages to shore. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the dogs began to be used as hunting dogs, retrieving birds from the water. It turned out that Lagottos possessed all the qualities necessary for a retriever: a keen sense of smell, a keen spirit, and a talent for retrieving. Over time, the vast marshy lands of Emilia-Romagna were drained and converted into arable land, leaving the local population with nowhere to hunt, meaning the dogs became obsolete. But the Lagotto-Romagnolos were not forgotten; they simply found other uses.

Lagottos have been used for truffle hunting; thanks to their energy and excellent sense of smell, they excel at this task, detecting mushrooms at depths of up to 60 cm. In their native land, Lagotto Romagnolos also serve as police sniffer dogs. In America, they can be seen as therapy dogs. Lagottos are suitable for a variety of sports, particularly agility, flyball, freestyle, and similar disciplines. But above all, they are wonderful companions and family dogs.

Video about the Lagotto Romagnolo (Italian Water Dog) dog breed:

Appearance

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a medium-sized dog of proportional build with light bone structure, not appearing overweight. The thick, curly coat covers the body evenly and should highlight, rather than conceal, its athletic build. The body is square. The height at the withers for males is 43-48 cm, and for females, 40-46 cm. In appearance and character, the Italian Lagotto is clearly similar to the Spanish Lagotto. Portuguese Water Dog And barbette.

The head, viewed from above, is trapezoidal in shape and moderately wide. The skull is broad and domed. The stop is defined but inconspicuous. The muzzle is fairly wide, shorter than the cranial portion, and has the shape of a blunt, truncated wedge. The bridge of the nose is straight, the nose leather is large, with open, mobile nostrils and a pronounced median groove. When viewed from the side, the nose leather may protrude slightly relative to the anterior edge of the lips. The color varies from dark brown to light brown, depending on the coat. The lips fit tightly to the jaws and are covered with bristly whiskers. The edges are the same color as the nose leather. The jaws are strong, the teeth are well developed, and the bite is scissor-like or straight. The eyes are large, round, and the color brown varies depending on the coat. The eyelids fit tightly, the eyelashes are well developed, the gaze is attentive, and the expression is lively. The ears are medium-sized, triangular in shape with rounded tips, and set slightly above the brow ridges. When at rest, they hang down; when alert, they are slightly raised. The hair on the ears is very wavy and should not be short; the inside of the ear is also covered with hair.

The neck is muscular, dry, strong, oval in cross-section, without dewlap. It is slightly shorter than the head. The body is strong and compact, with a level topline. The withers are high, the back is straight, and the loin is slightly arched. The croup is slightly sloping. The chest is well developed, rather narrow in front, and widens back. The underline is almost horizontal, and the belly is slightly tucked up. The tail is not set very high, tapers to a point, and reaches the hocks. At rest, it is saber-shaped, carried low, and never curled. The limbs are correctly structured, vertical, and parallel. The paws are round, compact, and arched, with well-knit toes, strong, curved nails, and well-pigmented pads. The interdigital webs are well developed.

The coat has a distinctive texture. The outer coat is semi-coarse, curling into tight curls evenly distributed over the body and tail. On the head, the hairs are less dense, also forming sideburns, a beard, and profuse eyebrows. The undercoat is visible. The outer coat and undercoat provide the dog with water resistance. Colors include solid white, white with orange or brown spots, taupe and brown in various shades, with or without white, and orange with or without white. Some brown dogs have a dark brown mask.

Character and behavior

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a friendly, energetic, sociable, very hardworking, and active dog that dislikes loneliness and boredom, willing to follow its owner anywhere and everywhere and actively participate in family life. Overall, this is a balanced, highly people-oriented dog, lively and sociable, without signs of shyness or aggression. At home, Italian Water Dogs are calm. Of course, they are overjoyed when their owner returns after a long five-minute separation, but even when left alone, they do not destroy furniture or run wild. Outdoors, they are very energetic, capable of playing tirelessly for long periods, and delight in exploring new places and smells. They travel well and adapt quickly to new environments. They are wary of strangers, but friendly upon closer acquaintance.

Lagotto Romagnolos are very attached to their families, favoring one owner over the others, but without much favoritism. They love and obey everyone equally. They are suitable for families with children due to their tolerant attitude toward fussiness and mischief. They make good friends and playmates for older children. They get along well with any other pets, live peacefully with cats, and learn to be calm around smaller animals.

Italian Water Dogs have a natural focus on searching and a passion for retrieving, but their hunting instincts have been somewhat modified by consistent genetic selection. This was necessary to ensure that a dog searching for truffles would not be distracted by the scent of game. Given its character and physical characteristics, the Lagotto is not suited for guarding, but it performs well in this role. guard dog, warns the owner about anything suspicious by barking.

Education and training

The Lagotto Romagnolo is a relatively easy breed to raise and train. These dogs are intelligent and quick-witted, quickly learn commands, are sociable, and people-oriented. As they mature, they learn to understand their owner's words. Training should be gentle and consistent, without pressure or drill. Thanks to their loyalty, simplicity, and ease of training, Lagotto Romagnolos are ideal first dogs.

Content Features

Lagotto Romagnolos are very suitable for house or apartment living. They shed virtually nothing and have no distinctive odor. Puppies are generally easy to raise, learn quickly, and are not prone to damage or excessive fussiness. Lagottos can generally be kept in a private yard. These dogs tolerate cold well and adapt to summer heat, but they will suffer psychologically from loneliness; they need constant company and should be part of the family.

The Italian Water Dog is athletic, active, and playful. It requires a good amount of exercise and will require its owner to spend many hours on walks. As is typical of water dogs, Lagottos love to swim. From the first warm spell until the last frost, they eagerly jump into the water. Swimming should be an integral part of their lives. It's also important to provide them with good mental stimulation. This can include various activities, games, search tasks, and anything that will help them utilize their keen sense of smell and innate hunting talents. Lagottos can be challenging for dogs with a very calm disposition, the elderly, or those with health issues.

Care

Grooming for the Lagotto Romagnolo includes brushing, washing, clipping, and basic hygiene procedures. Like other dogs, their coat sheds, but the overgrown hair stays on the dog rather than falling onto the floor. With regular brushing, the coat is removed with a comb and does not fall out at all. Brushing is also necessary to prevent matting. Bathing is recommended as needed, usually once a month. Other essential hygiene procedures include regular ear cleaning, teeth and nail trimming. If the dog is fed naturalAfter eating, it's advisable to wash it. The Lagotto Romagnolo requires regular grooming. If left untrimmed, its coat becomes felted (it grows continuously).

If the Lagotto is not being shown, the coat can be trimmed very short, just 1-2 cm. A short coat will prevent matting, getting dirty, and shedding, making grooming even easier. Show dogs should have a longer coat, about 4 cm long, forming a rounded cap on the head, with the eyes clearly visible.

Italians have a unique approach to grooming water dogs. They believe brushing isn't necessary, but they should be clipped once or twice a year, allowing the coat to grow back until it reaches a certain length, preventing matting and shedding. In this case, the dog is ineligible for shows for about three to four months after the clip.

Nutrition

The Lagotto Romagnolo's appearance and health depend on the quality of its diet, so it's not a good idea to skimp on food. The owner chooses the type of feeding. It can be homemade or commercial. Both options are equally suitable, as long as all feeding guidelines are followed. Lagotto Romagnolos are suitable. super-premium food and above class for medium breed dogs that lead a normal or active lifestyle.

Lagotto Romagnolos rarely suffer from food allergies, but they are prone to weight gain, especially if they lead a sedentary lifestyle. Feeding should be maintained, with free access to clean drinking water and a careful monitoring of the dog's overall caloric intake, which is often significantly increased by the inclusion of treats. As long as owners don't overindulge their Lagotto Romagnolo, nutritional issues are usually not a problem.

Health and life expectancy

The Italian Water Dog is a strong, hardy and relatively healthy breed genetically. Average life expectancy is 13-14 years. With proper care and nutrition, health problems are rare. Recently, due to the rapid increase in hereditary populations, breeders have observed a trend of increasing hereditary diseases. Commonly encountered diseases include:

• Hip dysplasia and other orthopedic problems;
• Juvenile epilepsy;
• Ophthalmological diseases;
• Lagotto lysosomal storage disease.

Occasionally, various breeding faults occur, such as malocclusions, coat types inappropriate for the breed, unusual coloring, and others. To keep the Lagotto Romagnolo healthy and active, it's important to follow standard veterinary preventative measures, including treatment for external and internal parasites and vaccinations.

Choosing a Lagotto Romagnolo Puppy

The majority of Lagotto Romagnolo breeds are concentrated in Italy, Sweden, Great Britain, France, and the United States. In Russia, the population is currently very small, and only a few owners are breeding. Therefore, finding a puppy for sale ad can be difficult. The number of professional breeding kennels in the entire CIS can be counted on one hand. Those wishing to acquire an Italian Water Dog for show and breeding purposes usually turn to Italian or other foreign kennels, but even then, the wait for a suitable puppy can often be long.

Price

The breed's rarity and exclusivity, as well as the fact that most specimens in Russia were recently imported from elite Italian kennels, allow breeders to keep prices quite high. The average Lagotto Romagnolo puppy costs 80,000 rubles.

Photos

The gallery contains photos of adult dogs and puppies of the Lagotto Romagnolo (Italian Water Dog) breed.