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Lagotto Romagnolo breed guide
The American Kennel Club calls the Lagotto Romagnolo Italy's adorable truffle dog, a durable worker of excellent nose in a curly coat with lavish hair around the face.
It has wooly curls from head to tail that feel and behave more like human hair than fur.
Temperament
Alert, intelligent and lively, Lagotto Romagnolos love to learn and to please their owners. They excel in agility, obedience and dock diving, since they naturally love water.
With their excellent nose they are natural candidates for scent work and search-and-rescue and the breed does not do well left to live alone outdoors.
Lifespan
Lagotto Romagnolos live 15 to 17 years. Breeders screen for juvenile epilepsy, storage disease and hip and elbow dysplasia and DNA testing helps avoid the diseases.
Care
The rough-looking, waterproof coat forms thick, tight curls over the whole body except the head. It is hair and not fur, sheds only minimally, though little tufts may turn up now and then. It needs regular trimming. Some coats mat more than others.
The Lagotto Romagnolo is not hyper and does not need a great amount of exercise, but it does need both mental stimulation and physical activity and an active, engaged lifestyle.
History
Lagotto Romagnolos go back to at least Renaissance Italy, where they were bred as waterfowl retrievers working the marshlands of Ravenna and lago is Italian for lake.
For many years Lagotto Romagnolos have used an exceptional nose to find truffles in the Italian countryside and although many breeds may be trained for it, the Lagotto Romagnolo is considered the world's finest truffle dog.
AKC trait ratings
| Trait | AKC rating | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Level | 4 of 5 | Couch Potato to High Energy |
| Trainability Level | 4 of 5 | Self-Willed to Eager to Please |
| Shedding Level | 1 of 5 | No Shedding to Hair Everywhere |
| Barking Level | 2 of 5 | Only To Alert to Very Vocal |
| Adaptability Level | 4 of 5 | Lives For Routine to Highly Adaptable |
| Good With Young Children | 3 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Children |
| Good With Other Dogs | 5 of 5 | Not Recommended to Good With Other Dogs |
| Watchdog/Protective Nature | 3 of 5 | What's Mine Is Yours to Vigilant |