Lagotto Romagnolo

Also known as: Lagotto, Romagna Water Dog, Italian Truffle Dog

The Lagotto Romagnolo comes from the marshlands of Romagna in northern Italy, where it originally worked as a waterfowl retriever before being redirected, once the marshes were drained, toward hunting truffles in the woods. The curly, woolly, waterproof coat doesn't shed in the usual sense, texturally closer to a Poodle's, and needs periodic clipping rather than brushing. An unusually sharp nose and a strong urge to dig explain why the breed is now considered among Europe's best truffle hunters. A male weighs up to 16 kilograms, compact but genuinely muscular. Life expectancy runs 15 to 17 years, among the longest of any FCI-recognized breed.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Lagotto Romagnolo: how old in human years?

41–48 cmHeight
11–16 kgWeight
15–17 yrsLife expectancy

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

FCI group: Retrievers, Flushing Dogs, Water Dogs
FCI section: Section 3: Water Dogs
FCI: 298
Country of origin: Italy

Energy level

4/5
Trainability

5/5
Family friendly

5/5
Grooming need

4/5

At a glance

Height

Males 43–48 cm

Females 41–46 cm

Weight

Males 13–16 kg

Females 11–14 kg

Life expectancy

15–17 yrs

Coat

dense, curly, woolly, waterproof coat (medium-length)

Temperament & Family Life

Lagotto Romagnolo's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is high.

Family friendly 5/5
Good with children 4/5
Good with other dogs 3/5
Friendly with strangers 3/5
Intelligence 5/5
Trainability 5/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Lagotto Romagnolo's energy and exercise needs are moderate.

Energy level 4/5
Exercise need 4/5
Apartment friendly 3/5
Prey drive 3/5
Hunting instinct 4/5

Guarding & Alertness

Lagotto Romagnolo's guarding and alertness traits are moderate.

Guarding instinct 2/5
Watchfulness 4/5
Barking level 3/5

Grooming & Care

Lagotto Romagnolo's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 1/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 4/5

Living with the Lagotto Romagnolo

You come in from the garden with a basket of apples, and your dog comes in with a muddy nose and a half-dug hole under the currant bush behind it. The Lagotto Romagnolo comes from the Romagna region of Italy, where it once retrieved ducks from the marshes before becoming a truffle hunter, and its nose is still its main way of understanding the world. Scent games, hidden treats and tracking are its greatest pleasures, and it digs with real conviction, so you may want to give it one corner of the garden for its own.

It is clever, curious and learns quickly and willingly, as long as sessions are short and interesting. It has plenty of energy, though not without limits: a good walk, a free run and a job for its nose each day are enough to have it lying calmly beside you in the evening. It loves water, so a lake or a river at the weekend is a real treat.

With its family it is gentle and affectionate and gets on with children, and it is polite with other dogs and visitors, although it likes to give them a thorough sniff first. It will tell you about every arrival, but you couldn't call it a guard. It can live in a flat if it gets enough exercise and nose work every day, but it doesn't enjoy being left alone for long.

Grooming and coat

The Lagotto's coat is a dense, woolly mass of waterproof curls that barely sheds. That sounds convenient, but the loose hair doesn't disappear: it stays in the curls and, left uncombed, felts into hard mats, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and on the legs. Comb the coat right down to the skin once a week, and after a swim or a wet walk let it dry properly, because skin trapped under damp mats soon starts to itch and redden. Every couple of months the coat needs a trim to keep the curls neat and not too long.

The ears hang down and are hairy inside, and that hair holds moisture and dirt, so check them weekly, especially after water; a bad smell or an ear that keeps getting scratched is your cue to see a vet. The hair around the eyes shouldn't get in the way of seeing, so keep it trimmed. After a walk in the woods, run a hand over the whole coat: those curls love to bring home pine needles, burrs and ticks.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

Nature gave this curly Italian fifteen to seventeen years, which is a long run even for a medium-sized dog. A few inherited conditions are known in the Lagotto Romagnolo, several of them involving the nervous system, and several of them have DNA tests, so it's worth asking the breeder about the parents' health testing before you take a puppy home. None of this needs to frighten you: it simply tells you what to watch for, and what a change means is for a vet to decide.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Storage disease (lysosomal storage disease)

In this inherited disease, substances the body can't break down build up inside nerve cells, and the brain gradually stops working as it should. It shows in a young dog: you might notice a trembling head, an unsteady gait, odd flickering eye movements and a change in temperament, a dog that becomes restless or irritable. The condition is linked specifically to the Lagotto Romagnolo, so ask the breeder about the parents' health testing, and show any changes like these to a vet.
Epilepsy and seizures

The Lagotto Romagnolo has its own form of epilepsy that appears in very young puppies: during an episode the pup may tremble, stiffen, wobble or not respond to its surroundings. The word 'benign' in its name means that in this form the seizures may fade as the puppy grows, but only a vet can tell what kind of seizures a dog is having. If your puppy has a seizure, see a vet; if a seizure goes on for long or one follows another, it needs a vet immediately.
Hyperuricosuria

This is an inherited quirk of metabolism that leaves too much uric acid in the urine, so stones can form in the bladder. You might notice a dog asking to go out more, peeing in small amounts, straining, or passing blood in its urine. A dog that squats and strains but produces nothing is an emergency and needs a vet immediately; before you take a Lagotto puppy home, it's worth asking the breeder about the parents' health testing.
Cerebellar ataxia

In this inherited disease, the cerebellum, the part of the brain that coordinates movement and balance, gradually stops working properly. It shows up in puppies: the pup walks with its legs set wide, wobbles, lifts its paws too high, or its head bobs when it reaches for something. It is easy to mistake for ordinary puppy clumsiness, so if it doesn't pass, show the pup to a vet, and before taking a puppy home, ask the breeder about the parents' health testing.

Food for medium breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (16 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 210 g of dry food a day, from €11,39 a month For a neutered, normally active 13,5 kg dog. Calculate for your dog