If you have ever heard of – or dreamed of – a truffle dog then this is the one! It can find the elusive, valuable scented fungus anywhere and is apparently the only breed of dog that has been specifically developed with this amazing and useful characteristic.
Its name literally means “Romagna lake dog” and it originates from this south eastern part of present day Emilia Romagna, a region in the north of Italy above Tuscany.
History
The Lagotto is a water dog and can trace its origins back to at least the 16th century, if not earlier.
In the painting The Meeting by Italian master Andrea Mantegna, you can see what looks very much like a Lagotto Romagnolo with its hairy paw raised as it stands behind its master’s legs.
Physical Appearance
The Lagotto is a small to medium sized dog. It is compact and sturdy looking with non-shedding curly, wooly fur and has a moustache, beard and hairy brows! Colour varies from off-white, white with brown or ginger patches to brown all over in various shades or ginger. It can be a good dog for people with allergies as the fur is not shed.
Height:
Males are 43 – 48 cm at the shoulder (17 – 19 inches)
females: 41 – 46cm at the shoulder (16 – 18 inches)
Weight:
male: 13 – 16 kg (28 – 35 lbs)
female:11 – 14 kg (24 – 30lbs)
Lifespan:
They are a long-lived breed with an average lifespan of 10 -12 years but often living into their teens.
Temperament:
The Lagotto is an affectionate and extremely intelligent dog that gets very attached to its owner. It is easily trained and obedient, although it is important that you do train them or you may get walked all over!
As with many hunting dogs, it is a wonderful companion dog and family dog as well as being a good truffle hunter. Unlike many hunting breeds it has had the hunting instinct for game virtually bred out of it and so tends not to be distracted by wildlife ad the thrill of the chase when it is out and about on the search for truffles! A Lagotto loves swimming and digging and a range of other activities.
Lagottos have very good hearing and are good guard dogs. They can be quite territorial and warn of approaching strangers trying to get onto “their” turf.
Lagotto Romagnolo Products
Love your Lagotto or know someone who does? Then show it with one of these cool products.
Pingback: Italian Dog Breeds